Socioecological Approaches to Marine Resource Management in Small-Scale Fisheries - Livestream

Coastal and marine ecosystems produce more services related to human well-being than most other ecosystems making sustainable management of marine resources a global priority. The Convention on Biological Diversity called for a network of marine protected areas (MPA) covering at least 10% of the world’s marine habitat, a goal that while closer is yet to be met. Much of the area currently protected is encompassed within a few very large MPAs within in territorial waters of developed nations and far from human populations. However, the majority of MPAs are considerably smaller and close to shore, where coastal communities of developing nations derive their economic and nutritional sustenance from, and where many individuals are small-scale artisanal fishers.

There are roughly 40 million artisanal fishers in the world, the majority living in developing nations, and an additional 210 million indirect marine fisheries jobs exist worldwide. MPAs created with the sole purpose of conservation and low input of community participation can create disputes and entail high social costs. This presentation brings together results from research in Colombia, the Solomon Islands, and the Cook Islands where social aspects such as trust of governance institutions, livelihood approaches, local ecological knowledge, and social networks emphasize the need for a socio-ecological approach to marine resource management.

Speaker: Jaime Matera, California State University Channel Islands

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