Marine Law Book Receives Critical Acclaim

Ronans BookThe 940 page academic monograph Marine Resource Law, by Dr Ronán Long (NUI-Galway), has received peer review acclaim from some of the worlds leading scholars in international and European law.    

“This well researched book promises to become an exemplary model for other scholars on how to write a comprehensive national case study on ocean law and policy development and implementation” writes David VanderZwaag, Canada Research Chair in Ocean Law and Governance, Dalhousie University, Canada.  Other comments include “prodigious” (Robin Churchill, Professor of International Law, University of Dundee, Scotland), “outstanding” (John Norton Moore, Walter L. Brown Professor of Law, University of Virginia, USA) and "an essential reference work" (Judge Rüdiger Wolfrum, President of the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea, Hamburg, and Director of the Max Planck Institute of Comparative Public Law and International Law, Heidelberg University).   

Dr. James Harrison, Law School, University of Edinburgh noted in his review for theInternational and Comparative Law Quarterly that “the unity of the marine environment means that greater integration is needed at all levels of policy –making in order to achieve the sustainable development of the oceans. Marine Resource Law is a welcome recognition of this necessity and its message can clearly be applied beyond Ireland”. 

Commissioner Joe Borg, European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs (DG MARE) described this book as “an important source of knowledge that is both timely and welcome”.  Professor David Freestone (The George Washington University and Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Marine and Coastal Law) writes that “this is a very impressive tour de force. This reviewer is not aware of another single volume which attempts such comprehensive coverage. As a contribution to Irish legal commentary it must be unparalleled, but it is also of more than passing interest to all interested in European and international marine law. Dr Long combines a mastery of detail with an enviable ability to take a wider view in an area which covers so many issues. His work on offshore energy development is surely ground breaking… This book should be part of any serious law of the sea collection”.  

Marine Resource Law (published by Thomson Round Hall, 2007, Price: €265.00) provides very comprehensive background information on each of the marine sectors contained in its 12 core chapters and is an essential reference volume for anyone with a serious interest in the development of Irish marine resources.   

  • Chapter 1: Marine Resource Law and Policy
  • Chapter 2:  The Foreshore
  • Chapter 3: Maritime Jurisdiction Zones
  • Chapter 4: Sea-Fisheries
  • Chapter 5: Aquaculture
  • Chapter 6: Offshore Oil and Gas
  • Chapter 7: Marine Aggregates
  • Chapter 8: Offshore Renewable Energy
  • Chapter 9: Underwater Cultural Heritage
  • Chapter 10: Water Resource
  • Chapter 11: Marine Scientific Research
  • Chapter 12: European Maritime Policy and Developments in Comparative Law

Research for the preparation of Marine Resource Law was supported by the Manahan Fellowship (2002-2004) funded under the Marine Research, Technology, Development & Innovation (RTDI) Measure of the National Development Plan 2000-2006, administered by the Marine Institute.  

"In establishing the Manahan Fellowship Scheme, we aimed to support outstanding Irish scholarship and promote original research in the fields of Marine Science Policy, Marine Socio-Economics, Maritime Law, Geography and History; areas not usually covered by standard R&D programmes, but nonetheless essential to sustainable resource development," said Geoffrey O’Sullivan of the Marine Institute.