Ethical Risk in the Blue Economy Integrity System

This chapter explores the ethical risks at play in the Blue Economy integrity system. ‘Ethical risk’ refers to the risk that unethical actions will be done or unethical consequences will result. The chapter applies the eight ethical principles at work in Blue Economy activities to relevant stakeholders to describe standing ‘ethical concerns’. Like other industries, Blue Economy operations are housed in a larger ‘integrity system’ – a mutually supportive network of ethical standards, legal norms, institutions, and incentive structures. Integrity systems can facilitate publicly stated goals and limit temptations and opportunities for wrongdoing and corruption. While different integrity system elements and institutions can be important in confronting and mitigating different ethical concerns, each depends on the proper functioning of the larger system. Ethical risks may thus be understood as the standing ethical concerns that are not well addressed by the existing integrity system. This process allows ethical risks in the Blue Economy to be systematically described and even predicted, while pointing practically to integrity system reforms that might help mitigate these risks. A case example exploring the movement of aquaculture further offshore to the exposed ocean illustrates this process.