This book is about the ongoing transition of fisheries governance from top-down command and
control towards a more transparent and participatory form. It focuses on the emergence of
research practices and advice frameworks that allow co-creation of common knowledge bases for
management. Drawing from 8 years of research in GAP a two-stage 7th framework EU project the
book offers a critical examination of how knowledge practices in fisheries governance are
changing. The entry point for this research is a series of practical experiments in the
unchartered terrain of collaborative research. To gain insight into the ongoing transition in
European fisheries management GAP initiated and carried out 13 Case Studies in different
settings across Europe. In each case study a team of fishers and marine scientists worked
together to identify plan and implement research projects intended to make a difference. The
cases vary. They take on different management issues and shape the collaborations in different
ways. The extent to which they succeed in realizing their objectives also differs. They are all
contributing important insights into the possibilities of co-creating knowledge for management
purposes. The book delves into the individual experiences of each case study as well as the
lessons they contribute as a whole. The examination concludes that while research partnerships
are not always easy to establish they are an important step towards better fisheries
governance. Without a common knowledge base for fisheries governance co-created through
collaborative research practices sustainable fisheries will remain out of reach.
