The MSA notes that the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) calls for the establishment and implementation of management measures targeting the achievement or maintenance of Good Environmental Status (GES) in EU marine waters.
In this regard, the MSA is proposing that both the consultation process as well as the management measures in question incorporate social impact assessments (SIAs). These should not be one-off exercises. Instead, SIAs should be carried out through ongoing processes, conforming to international guidelines, such as those of the International Association for Impact Assessment. This comprises social-scientific methods with regard to consultation outreach.
The Maritime Sector is characterised by various dimensions, such as the ecological, the economic, and the social, and these should be given due consideration in the formulation and implementation of sustainable policy.
