From anthropocentrism to ecosystemic orientation?

A discourse analytic study of the change in Fishing Act’s objectives

Abstract

This discourse-analytic article studies Finnish Fishing Acts; the former from year 1982 and the current from 2016. In the focus of the analysis is the first section of both Fishing Acts, where the objectives of the Act are manifested. Theoretically the study relies on ecolinguistics, performativity and sustainability. Analysing the discourses within Acts’ objectives is important, because they have influence on how objectives are interpreted and eventually executed. Therefore, awareness of different discourses deepens understanding of legislation’s actual objectives. The result of discourse analysis suggests that the former Act was more anthropocentric and displayed fishing more as business oriented action. The current Act takes more holistic and ecosystem-oriented approach instead. Whereas the former Act emphasized fisheries maximum productivity, the new Act aims at enhancing naturalness. In addition, the maintenance of fish and fisheries should focus more on knowledge-based regulation instead of mere fish stocking.  If the change in discourses becomes reality, it should result in more healthy and natural fish stocks than before.