Detecting critical choke points for achieving Good Environmental Status in European seas

• Main Authors: Tavis Potts, Tim O'Higgins, Ruth Brennan, Sergio Cinnirella, Urs Steiner. Brandt, Juan Luís Suárez de Vivero, Justus van Beusekom, Tineke A. Troost, Lucille Paltriguera, Ayse Gunduz Hosgor
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Resilience Alliance 2015-03-01
• Series: Ecology and Society
• Subjects: marine policy; Marine Strategy Framework Directive; marine sustainability; soft systems methodology; systems science
• Online Access: http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol20/iss1/art29/

Choke points are social, cultural, political, institutional, or psychological obstructions of social-ecological systems that constrain progress toward an environmental objective. Using a soft systems methodology, different types of chokes points were identified in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, the Baltic, and the North and Mediterranean seas. The choke points were of differing types: cultural and political choke points were identified in Barra and the Mediterranean, respectively, whereas the choke points in the North Sea and Baltic Sea were dependent on differing values toward the mitigation of eutrophication. We conclude with suggestions to identify and address choke points.