Analysis of Stakeholder Consultation Results Gets Underway

DAY 1 - Sorting the barriers onto the display boards begins

 Analysis of the 700+ barriers to sustainable development of our seas and oceans identified by the recent Stakeholder Consultations across Europe began at the National University of Ireland, Galway last week.


This grueling marathon, which took place over three and a half days during which the analysts remained standing so as to view the boards on which the barriers were placed, was conducted by Dr. Mike Hogan, Dr. Christine Domegan and Michelle Devaney of NUIG, assisted by Marzia Mazzonetto of ECSITE, Joanna Piwowarczyk of IOPAN and Dr. John Joyce of AquaTT.

DAY 3 - Sorting nearly finished and the chairs come out!!

The barriers identified by the stakeholders for each
of the six categories identified by Sea for Society:
Food Supply / Transport / Energy / Human Health /
Leisure and Tourism / A Place to Live were examined, clarified and categorised on a series of
forty vertical panels that allowed easy visual
comparisons to be made.

END OF DAY 3 - The last barrier is sorted!!!

Then, once the barriers had been categorised on the
boards, a broad overview of the scope and depth of the barriers to sustainable development of our seas was then possible.

DAY 4 - Mike Hogan leads an overview of the result

A detailed analysis of the barriers will now take place which will allow Sea for Society to identify those barriers which need to be addressed by communications effort in the mobilisation phase of the project.

 Photos and Post by John Joyce

Irish Consultations Complete

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.

First Irish Stakeholder Consultation Takes Place on Marine Food

Stakeholders and 'influencers' in the Irish marine food sector gathered in the beautiful surroundings of the Ballymaloe Country House Hotel, Co. Cork between the 18th and 20th September to discuss the barriers and solutions to a sustainable marine food industry for Ireland.

The process used to elicit, discuss and develop ideas throughout the workshop is known as 'Collective Intelligence' which has been pioneered by American social researcher Dr. Benjamin Broome and adapted for use in the Sea for Society project by NUI Galway.

Following an introduction by Dr, John Joyce, the meeting facilitator, each delegate was asked to list three significant barriers to the development of a sustainable marine food sector in Ireland. Once those barriers were listed, they were ranked by the group in order of importance and then considered in terms of how each barrier effected the others. Once this matrix was created, the group moved to listing possible solutions to overcoming those barriers and again ranked them in terms of what they considered to be the most important, practical and effective. 

This group process was assisted by Michelle Devaney of NUIG, Niamh Dornan of AquaTT and by Lisa Fitzpatrick of the Marine Institute, who also acted as the meeting Rapporteur.

The results of this workshop will be fed back to the project co-ordinators in Europe and combined with the results of similar exercises in each of the 12 partner countries. This information will then be analysed at NUI Galway by Dr. Christine Domegan and Michelle Devaney and used to inform the next phase of the Sea for Society Project - a pan-European information and outreach campaign on how humankind can live in harmony with the Sea.

The next stakeholder workshop to be held in Ireland will deal with the Sea as 'A Place to Live' and will take place in early November.

First Irish Stakeholder Consultations commence next week

The first Stakeholder consultation event - including invited representatives of the marine food sector, government bodies, and commentators on the marine food industry in Ireland will take place next week in Cork between the 18th and 20th September. Results of the consultation will be fed back to the coordinators and included in the overall analysis of barriers and solutions to a sustainable marine food sector across Europe.

Sea for Society features in Irish trade press

The following article has appeared in the Irish marine and inshore newspaper "Inshore Ireland" . . . 

New European Project Looks to a 'Blue Society'.

What do we know about the sea and how can we create a 'Blue Society' that benefits all our lives in sustainable harmony with the oceans?

These are some of the questions being asked by Sea for Society - an ambitious three-year European project which began in October last year and involves 20 partner organisations and eight associated partners across 12 European countries. The project brings together researchers, marine and land-based organisations, government and non-governmental bodies, individuals and youth for mutual learning, consultation and joint action. It considers key questions concerning sustainable ocean management and examining cross-cutting issues with a view to proposing practical solutions to the challenges facing the sustainable management of our seas.

The main objectives of Sea for Society are to increase awareness of how important the oceans are to all our lives, as well as the importance of marine research in generating the knowledge we need to take the actions required to bring about a shift in the way society views the sea. To bring about this change the project also aims to break down the barriers between stakeholders, citizens and youth to enable full collaboration and knowledge at all levels, to promote public engagement in research and to foster an integrated vision of a 'Blue Society', including the social, environmental, economic and cultural pillars it would take to support it.

The Irish project partners include AquaTT as area leaders, with NUI Galway and the Marine Institute - as well as the W5 Interactive Discover Centre in Belfast as an associated partner. Their responsibility has been to compile background literature reviews, create methodologies and carry out the first public consultations amongst target groups of citizen/youth - all of which have been achieved on target.

Meanwhile, across the rest of Europe, similar citizen/youth consultations are being carried out into the challenges and opportunities in six subject areas - Marine Food, Marine Transport, Marine Energy, Human Health, Leisure and Tourism, and A Place to Live. In Ireland, these will be followed in the autumn by focused discussions with marine stakeholders on the two nationally allocated subjects of Marine Food and A Place to Live.

Armed with this information on public and stakeholder perception of the wide range of challenges facing any plan for sustainable development of the seas - as well as options to address them - the project will then move to consider practical strategies to develop the concept of a 'Blue Society'.

Further information - including an Irish national blog - can be found at www.seaforsociety.eu

Dublin Citizen/Youth Consultation a great success

Gaining Inspiration in the Sea for Society image gallery
(Photo:Olivia Daly-AquaTT)

Dublin's prestigious 'Science Gallery', in the grounds of the historic Trinity College, was the venue for Ireland's second Citizen/Youth consultation last Saturday (25th May). 

Introductions (Photo:Olivia Daly-AquaTT)

Participants between 18-28 years of age and drawn from over 200 applicants, gathered to create new ideas and options around the six subject areas of Transport, Energy, Food, Leisure & Tourism, A Place to Live, and Human Health under the guidance of Michelle Devaney of NUI Galway, along with Olivia Daly and John Joyce of AquaTT. 

Discussing ideas and options (Photo:Olivia Daly-AquaTT)

Special attention was given to the two nationally allocated subjects of Food and A Place to Live, with over 80 ideas being generated.

Group work(Photo:Olivia Daly-AquaTT)

Participants reported that they enjoyed the event and that it broadened their knowledge and understanding of the Seas. In particular, the 'Collective Intelligence' methodology employed, where participants are asked to consider themselves as individual cells in a gigantic collective 'brain' was very much appreciated as a way of creating and exploring new ideas.

Exploring hands-on science in The Science Gallery(Photo:Olivia Daly-AquaTT)

First Citizen/Youth Consultation Carried out in Ireland

Michelle Devaney (NUIG) gets the ideas rolling in Galway

The first Citizen/Youth consultation to be carried out in Ireland under the Sea for Society project took place last Saturday (18th May) in the Salthill Hotel - overlooking the waters of Galway Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.

Some twenty participants took place in the consultation, which was led by Michelle Devaney of NUI Galway and John Joyce of AquaTT, ably assisted on the computer software by Olivia Daly of AquaTT who also managed the displays and paperwork for the event.

Discussion and debate over Options generation in Galway

Over seventy ideas related to the six topics of Leisure & Tourism, Human Health, Transport, Energy, Marine Food and A Place to Live - with additional time being given to consider the last two topics since they are to be considered as national priority subjects.

The group pose for a photo at the end of a very productive day

(all photos by Olivia Daly - AquaTT)

Feedback from the participants on the organisation of the event was very positive, with many commenting that the 'Collective Intelligence' method employed was extremely enjoyable to use and a great way of identifying and discussing ideas from a group.

The second Citizen/Youth consultation in Ireland will take place this coming weekend on Saturday 25th May in Dublin at the Science Gallery attached to the famous Trinity College.

Launch of the Sea For Society Project

The Sea For Society (SFS) Project was launched at its Kick-off Meeting that took place on June 6th to 8th in Boulogne-sur-Mer, France. The Kick-off Meeting was hosted by the Project Coordinator Nausicaá.

Let’s work together towards a Blue Society, towards a new society!

For more information on the Project, please click here.

Learn more about the Sea For Society Project!

Sea for Society (SFS) engages stakeholders, citizens and youth in an open and participatory dialogue to share knowledge, forge partnerships and empower actors on societal issues related to Ocean. In doing so, the Project aims to develop and enrich the concept of "Blue Society", preparing at the same time mechanisms for cooperation.

Have a look at the below film and learn more about the Project (only in English)! 

Have a look at the Project brochure!

The Project brochure is now available in English! Get involved in the Project!

(Available soon)