The last of four consultation meetings to gather the views
of Irish citizens and stakeholders on a wide variety of issues about the
sustainable development of our seas has just been held as part of the
Europe-wide 'Sea for Society' Project.
The one-day 'Citizen Youth' consultations were
held in the Salthill Hotel Galway and in the Science Gallery in Dublin early
this summer while the more detailed 'Stakeholder' consultations were both held
in the welcoming surroundings of the Ballymaloe House Hotel in October and
November. Ireland had been allocated the two topics 'Marine Food' and 'A Place to
Live' for discussion and debate by stakeholders. These events took place over
two days in each case, generating not only a wide range of barriers to
sustainable development of our marine resources but also a broad selection of
solutions, which reflected the expertise and experience of those taking part.
The outcome of these consultations, along with those from
all the other European partner countries, will now be collected and analysed by
the NUI Galway experts in a three-day analysis meeting to take place later this
month. The results of the analysis will then represent an incredibly valuable
resource - the combined European wisdom on barriers and solutions for all six
topic areas. This can then be used to pinpoint a number of practical
mobilisation initiatives that can be carried out on a European scale to create
a 'Blue Society' for the future.
The information can also be used to guide
policy makers in Brussels and at national level in each member country towards
enlightened legislation, to create information and outreach programmes for the
general public, or to create material for national schools curricula, which
could lead us further towards a more sustainable relationship with our seas.
AquaTT - who are leading the project in Ireland - would like to thank all the participants who attended the consultations for their time and the wonderful wealth of ideas they generated.
