Den marina miljöförvaltningens utveckling i Sverige från 1960-talet tills idag
Most coastal countries lack a coherent marine policy or set of coherent policies covering various marine policy areas. These include, for example, fishery, aquaculture, mineral extraction, transport, military de- fense, environmental protection and conservation, pipelines, energy production, coastal development, tourism, other marine activities and overall, the climate. Often there is an inability to see and understand the value of what the marine ecosystems mean to society. What exists is a complex net of interactive and overlapping policy areas that leave big problems without action. It is easier to manage the sea in a way that minimizes or prevents the undesirable, than introducing management systems that allow progress towards what is desirable. The implemented marine environmental policy in Sweden has led to improvements in the protection and conservation of our marine areas, but the measures have not been sufficient to suit the needs that exist. The Swedish self-image – Sweden as a leading nation – still seems to be intact. Sweden’s marine environmental policy is good in many respects, but other countries’ policies are equally good or better.