RIP David Symes, Reader Emeritus and Honorary Fellow of CRE David Symes, Reader Emeritus, was one of Europe’s most renowned social scientists working in the field of fisheries management, rural development and policy. During his academic career, which spanned seven decades, he generated a prolific volume of research and had a major impact on fisheries policy and the formation of a European fisheries social science community. Read his obituary here.

What was the European Social Science Fisheries Network (ESSFiN)?

It was a concerted action funded by the European Union (FAIR CT95 0070). It ran between January 1996 and June 1999, led by David Symes from the University of Hull in the UK. 

On the 21st anniversary of ESSFiN's completion, its workshop reports and working documents have been digitalised, uploaded by Jeremy Phillipson (ESSFiN Manager) on this archive hosted by Newcastle University.

By making these reports available online, we hope to bring to light a formative period in the development of fisheries social science. We also wish to inspire current and new generations of fisheries and marine social scientists.

What were ESSFiN’s aims?

When ESSFiN was formed, the social science of fisheries management was a recent field of research activity. It was already expanding and rapidly maturing, though.

Unlike fisheries science or economics, social sciences activities were fragmented among several disciplines. They were also dispersed among many academic institutes, with no integrating organisational framework.

As a consequence, the dissemination of research findings and the impact on policy debates was weak.

Objectives

The overall aim was to develop an active network of social scientists. They would engage in policy-relevant research in fisheries management, with the following objectives:

1. To review the current state of social science research relating to fisheries management.

2. To identify key issues for social science research. These include the strategic behaviour of fishermen and institutional arrangements for fisheries management. Also, the impacts of alternative regulation systems on fisheries dependent regions and the development of appropriate social indicators.

3. To represent the social dimensions in policies dedicated to fisheries management.

4. To create opportunities for greater collaborative involvement in policy relevant research. Including establishing links between existing fisheries management and development research projects.

5. To facilitate rapid response to requests for information and advice from policy makers.

ESSFiN Partners

• David Symes and Jeremy Phillipson, University of Hull, UK
• Katia Frangoudes, Oikos Environment Resources, France
• Peter Friis, North Atlantic Regional Centre, University of Roskilde, Denmark
• Bjørn Hersoug, Norwegian College of fisheries Science, Tromsø, Norway
• Babis Kasimis, University of Patras, Greece
• Oddmund Otterstad, University of Trondheim, Norway
• Juan Luis Suarez de Vivero, University of Seville, Spain
• Torben Vestergaard, University of Aarhus, Denmark

ESSFiN Final Report

Symes, D. (1999) Final Report of the European Social Science Fisheries Network, September, Department of Geography, University of Hull

View the ESSFIN Final Report.

Contact us

For any further questions, contact Jeremy.phillipson@ncl.ac.uk.

Read More

ESSFiN Books

• Symes D., Phillipson J., eds. (2001) Inshore Fisheries Management. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers
• Symes, D. ed. (2000) Fisheries Dependent Regions. Oxford: Blackwell Science
• Symes, D. ed. (1999) Alternative Management Systems for Fisheries. Oxford: Blackwell Science
• Symes, D. ed. (1999) Europe’s Southern Waters: Management Issues and Practice, Oxford: Blackwell Science
• Symes, D. ed. (1998) Northern Waters: Management Issues and Practice. Oxford: Blackwell Science
• Symes, D. ed. (1998) Property Rights and Regulatory Systems in Fisheries. Oxford: Blackwell Science

ESSFiN Thematic and Regional Workshop Reports

• Symes, D. (1999) Multidisciplinary Research in Fisheries Management. Final Report of ESSFiN Workshop, Sophienberg Slott, Denmark, 13-14 April 1999. p. 139. European Social Science Fisheries Network: FAIR CT95 0070, Department of Geography, University of Hull, Hull
• Symes, D. (1999) Fisheries Dependent Regions. Final Report of ESSFiN Workshop, Lofoten, 27-30 August 1998. p. 64. European Social Science Fisheries Network: FAIR CT95 0070, Department of Geography, University of Hull, Hull
• Symes, D. and Phillipson, J. (1998) Southern Waters: Management Issues and Practice. Final Report of ESSFiN Workshop, Syros, 14-16 May 1998. p 44. European Social Science Fisheries Network: FAIR CT95 0070, Department of Geography, University of Hull, Hull
• Symes, D. (1997) Alternative Management Systems. Final Report of ESSFiN Workshop, Brest, 18-20 September 1997. p 56. European Social Science Fisheries Network: FAIR CT95 0070, Department of Geography, University of Hull, Hull
• Symes, D. (1997) Northern Waters: Management Issues and Practice. Final Report of ESSFiN Workshop, Aarhus, 29-31 May 1997. p 55. European Social Science Fisheries Network: FAIR CT95 0070, School of Geography and Earth Resources, University of Hull, Hull
• Symes, D. (1997) Property Rights, Regulatory Measures and the Strategic Response of Fishermen. Final Report of ESSFiN Workshop, Sevilla, 5-7 September 1996. p 55. European Social Science Fisheries Network: FAIR CT95 0070, School of Geography and Earth Resources, University of Hull, Hull

ESSFiN Task Group Reports

• Vestergaard, T., Symes, D., Holm, P. and Phillipson, J. (1998) Fisheries Social Science: A Selective Bibliography, 1985-96. p 80. European Social Science Fisheries Network: FAIR CT95 0070, Universities of Aarhus and Hull
• Symes, D. and Phillipson, J. (1999). Inshore Fisheries Management. Task Group Final Report. p. 66. European Social Science Fisheries Network: FAIR CT95 0070, Department of Geography, University of Hull, Hull
• Otterstad, O., Phillipson, J. and Symes, D. (1997) A Socio-Economic Data Base Framework for Fisheries Dependent Areas: Database Report Final. p. 36. European Social Science Fisheries Network: FAIR CT95 0070, Universities of Hull and Trondheim
• Otterstad, O., Phillipson, J. and Symes, D. (1997) A Socio-Economic Data Base Framework for Fisheries Dependent Areas: Database Report Baseline. p. 40. European Social Science Fisheries Network: FAIR CT95 0070, Universities of Hull and Trondheim

Register of Members

• Symes, D. (1999) Final Register of Members, June 1999; European Social Science Fisheries Network: FAIR CT95 0070, Department of Geography, University of Hull, Hull