The Dynamics of Environmental Sustainability and Local Development: Aquaculture

Abstract

Introduction : Increasing attention is being focused on the aquaculture sector so as to deepen and extend its sustainable growth in Ireland and across the EU. In Ireland, this is part of an increased focus on national resource sectors as a potential source of employment and prosperity. Across the world, it is also part of greater concern about how economic activity can be made consistent with environmental sustainability. In his research paper, Dr Patrick Bresnihan examines how the dynamics of environmental sustainability have been experienced and managed in Irish aquaculture. This research was commissioned as part of NESC’s work on sustainability. The purpose of these Council Comments is to introduce the paper and make some observations, both in relation to the aquaculture sector and to local and regional development more broadly. The focus of current sustainable development work in NESC is to examine pertinent areas on two levels: first, where environment, society and economy meet and interact at a high policy level and, second, in specific contexts such as aquaculture, farms, housing and communities where matters of sustainable development are locally contextualised or where ‘the rubber meets the road’. Looking in detail at particular contexts provides narratives of how these dimensions of environment, economy and social meet each other. The paper is structured as follows. The first section provides an introduction to the aquaculture sector in Ireland and the current policy context. It also outlines the development of a more integrated approach at EU and national levels. This is followed by a short summary of the key research findings and the Council’s reflections. The paper concludes by identifying a key question for aquaculture’s future: what needs to be put in place to enable forms of aquaculture that are ecologically sensitive and sustain employment, enterprise and social cohesion in Ireland’s coastal areas?