European environmental NGOs: Issues, resources and strategies in marine campaigns

Environmental NGOs are increasingly involved in the development and implementation of EU marine policy. However, there is a shortage of information about, and understanding of, the European marine NGO sector. Postal and Internet surveys were conducted across the 32 European maritime nations. Self-assessment by the organisations identified their main strengths and weaknesses. The most effective approaches were perceived as involving the use of the media, scientific research and political lobbying, with legal challenge being one of the least effective. Structured interviews with a number of high-profile NGOs provided an insight into the choice of campaign tactics and the perceived benefits of collaboration. The use of direct action was still considered to be an important part of the NGO armoury, but active participation in policy making was perceived as the route to long-term change. In many cases, NGOs employed a combination of approaches, suggesting that the traditional insider/outsider paradigm is no longer applicable.