Spanning the last fifty years of fisheries policy in Europe, this book is the parting contribution and career spanning reflection from one of Europe's most renowned social scientists working in the field of fisheries management and policy.

David Symes, Reader Emeritus in Geography at the University of Hull, 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.

1. Introduction Part I Seismic change 2. Loss of the distant water fishing grounds 3. The making of the Common Fisheries Policy 4. Contextual change: 1970-2020 Part II The Common Fisheries Policy 5. The decades of missed opportunity: 1983-2002 6. Altering course: 2003-2012 7. A radical agenda meets institutional inertia: 2013-2020 Part III A seismic aftershock: Brexit 8. Brexit and its implications for fisheries 9. 2020: getting Brexit done? 10. Beyond Brexit: an uncertain future 11. Final reflections (unfinished)