PLA Notes CD-ROM 1988-2001 11 Local voices to the surface

Document begins: PLA Notes CD-ROM 1988­2001 11 Local voices to the surface Andy Inglis, Hugh Govan and Susan Guy Background of the area. The partnership comprises representatives of statutory and non-statutory The fisheries around Scotland's coasts have bodies, economic interests, users and local traditionally been managed by the government communities interested in the sustainable use Department of Agriculture and Fisheries. or development of the area. Local fishers are represented, to varying extents, through associations and In 1996, we were asked by the Solway Firth organisations. Community or local Partnership to design and facilitate regional participation is touted as important by certain workshops to enable local people to present authorities1. A number of authorities and their ideas and develop action plans to inform statutory agencies already claim to involve the development of fisheries management local communities in local decision-making. plans. This paper provides a brief overview of But in reality this usually consists of the process we designed and carried out to advertisements in the press, written requests assist the Solway Firth Partnership to run for comment to representatives of user groups effective open meetings in three coastal towns: and the occasional questionnaire survey. Gretna, Wigtown and Workington in the summer ...