3.2 Identification of relevant stakeholders for consultation

The identification of relevant stakeholders for consultation is central to the success and durability of aquaculture spatial planning. Box 1 provides guidance for identifying and selecting stakeholders, some of which may be more or less relevant depending upon the step in the process: scoping, zoning, site selection or area management.

It may not be necessary or possible to involve all stakeholder groups throughout the whole process, so careful consideration must be given as to who needs to be encouraged and supported to participate, and at what stage of the planning process. To make best use of identified stakeholders, refer to the participatory tools for facilitation of group decision-making described by FAO (2010).

 

 

BOX 1
A guide to stakeholder identification in aquaculture planning and management Criteria for selection of stakeholders:
• those who have sufficient political clout to draw in officials with the public authority to make decisions;
• those who have legal standing and therefore the potential to block a decision;
• those who control resources (or property rights) necessary for implementation of a decision;
• those who may not be sufficiently organized to pose a relevant threat today, but may in the near future; and
• those who hold necessary information. The range of necessary types of information can be quite broad, and complex issues often deal with phenomena about which data are limited or privately held. Including parties who may have access to such information may be essential.
According to the criteria above, stakeholders could include:
• fish farmers;
• capture fishers;
• local communities and/or businesses reliant on aquaculture and fisheries value chains;
• authorities (local, regional, national, other): aquaculture, fisheries, environment, animal health etc.
• tourism;
• environmentalists;
• scientists and other technical experts;
• homeowners;
• recreational users;
• enterprises directly using the waterbody concerned (marinas, ports, shipping, wind farms); and
• enterprises indirectly using the coast or waterbody (urban or industrial consumers of water, polluters, etc.).
Source: FAO (2010).