Extensive open ocean aquaculture development within wind farms in Germany: the prospect of offshore co-management and legal constraints

In the offshore region of Germany, human activity is increasing in type and intensity. Larger portions of the sea are sectioned off, dedicated for specific, often exclusive uses that cause rising conflicts between interests groups. One solution calls for stakeholder integration and the multifunctional use of space. This article focuses on two examples, offshore wind farms and open ocean aquaculture. It analyses their potential synergies within a co-management approach. It can be shown, that an integrated co-management strategy for offshore regions requires very different sets of rights and duties, as well as holding different types of conflicts, constrains and alliances, some of which are illustrated for the presented case study. The article closes with the conclusion that an integrated regulative framework is the most important basic precondition for a multifunctional utilisation of offshore areas and its sustainable development.