Sustainable Aquaculture: Controversy and uncertainty in Knowledge-based management

Aquaculture management Norway should be knowledge-based management. While knowledge, especially science, is considered key to generate social, economic and environmentally sustainable growth, knowledge is also questioned and can actually create, rather than resolve, conflicts. This project (AquaKnow) argues that it is necessary with better insights about knowledge-based management and how this organizational solution work in practice and is perceived by society, in order to design a more legitimate governance system. This project has analyzed the practices of knowledge-based management and examined how key actors manage and perceive controversies and uncertainties. Furthermore, AquaKnow has addressed both challenges and potentials concerning the legitimacy of aquacultures governance system, and investigated what institutional set-ups could provide socially sustainable solutions, such as arenas for dialogue. Based on both qualitative and quantitative methods, the project has unvailed some practices that underpins knowledge-based management and what the perceptions of the society are with regards to knowledge-based management, and how these are linked to controversies and uncertainties. Ethnographic fieldwork including observation and interviews as well as Q-methodology to examine perceptions has been used. Governance theory and Science and Technology Studies (STS) has provided the theoretical framework for the project.

Prosjektleder (PL) har fått grundig forståelse for og kunnskap om oppdrett i Norge og EU. PL har vært gjesteforsker i Skottland og slik fått et internasjonalt nettverk. Dette har også gitt prosjektet et komparativt perspektiv. PL har også utviklet kompetanse på Q metode. Prosjektet har produsert ny kunnskap gjennom flere vitenskapelige publikasjoner om 1) dilemmaer knyttet til kunnskap i forvaltningsspørsmål 2) konflikter, muligheter og ulike perspektiver på risikohåndtering/føre-var prinsippet 3) utforsket og sørget for kompetanseheving innen bruk av Q-metode. Flere artikler vil bli publisert og er snart klare for fagfellevurdering. Prosjektet har produsert kunnskap om hvordan ulike oppfatninger om hva forskning er og bør være, og hvordan dette kan føre til konflikter mellom alle aktører i oppdrettssektoren, inkludert forvaltningen. Prosjektet har også produsert kunnskap som er nyttig for næringen om betydningen av legitimitet/sosial bærekraft.

Aquaculture management Norway should be knowledge-based management. While knowledge, especially science,is considered key to generate social, economic and environmentally sustainable growth, knowledge is also questioned and can actually create, rather than resolve, conflicts. AquaKnow argues that it is necessary with better insights about knowledge-based management and how this organizational solution work in practice and is perceived by society, in order to design a more legitimate governance system. Through the lens of knowledge-based management, AquaKnow will investigate how controversies and uncertainties can be dealt with in an effective and legitimate manner, this is important in light of the aim of knowledge-based management and blue growth. The main question is: How can the governance system for aquaculture face the increasing unwillingness of society to accept advisory bodies advice and ensure effective and legitimate knowledge-based management? This project will analyze the practices of knowledge-based management and examine how key actors manage and perceive controversies and uncertainties. Furthermore, AquaKnow will address both challenges and potentials concerning the legitimacy of aquacultures governance system, and investigate what institutional set-ups could provide socially sustainable solutions, such as arenas for dialogue. Based on both qualitative and quantitative methods, the project will reveal what practices underpins knowledge-based management and what the perceptions of the society are with regards to knowledge-based management, and how these are linked to controversies and uncertainties. Ethnographic fieldwork including observation and interviews as well as Q-methodology to examine perceptions will be used.Governance theory and Science and Technology Studies (STS) will provide the theoretical framework for the Project.