Models for an Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries

This document is one outcome from a workshop held in Gizo in October 2010 attended by 82 representatives from government, NGO's private sector, and communities. The target audience for the document is primarily organizations planning to work with coastal communities of Solomon Islands to implement Community-Based Resource Management (CBRM). It is however also envisaged that the document will serve as a reference for communities to better understand what to expect from their partners and also for donors, to be informed about agreed approaches amongst Solomon Islands stakeholders. This document does not attempt to summarize all the outcomes of the workshop; rather it focuses on the Solomon Islands Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) National Plan of Action (NPoA): Theme 1: Support and implementation of CBRM and specifically, the scaling up of CBRM in Solomon Islands. Most of the principles given in this document are derived from experiences in coastal communities and ecosystems as, until relatively recently, these have received most attention in Solomon Islands resource management. It is recognized however that the majority of these principles will be applicable to both coastal and terrestrial initiatives. This document synthesizes information provided by stakeholders at the October 2010 workshop and covers some basic principles of engagement and implementation that have been learned over more than twenty years of activities by the stakeholder partners in Solomon Islands. The document updates and expands on a summary of guiding principles for CBRM which was originally prepared by the Solomon Islands Locally Managed Marine Area Network (SILMMA) in 2007

Dimensões humanas de áreas marinhas protegidas : uma revisão sistemática das definições e componentes

Orientador : Prof. Dr. Rodrigo Pereira MedeirosCoorientador : Dr. Maikon Di DomenicoDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Ciências da Terra, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Sistemas Costeiros e Oceânicos. Defesa: Pontal do Paraná, 29/05/2017Inclui referências : f. 79-90Resumo:O presente estudo teve como finalidade compreender e descrever criticamente como o conceito de dimensões humanas vem sendo abordado na gestão dos sistemas pesqueiros artesanais e de áreas marinhas protegidas (AMPs). A pesquisa explorou questões pertinentes aos desafios de conciliação do binômio desenvolvimento e preservação do meio ambiente à luz dos conceitos de sistemas socioecológicos e de gestão ecossistêmica. Estabelecidas em grande parte por influência dos marcos institucionais e metas globais de conservação, as dimensões humanas são consideradas fundamentais para compreender a gênese e performance dos arranjos de cogestão adaptativa visando estruturar estratégias mais integradas, ecologicamente prudentes e socialmente justas. A pesquisa teve cunho quali-quantitativo através de levantamento bibliográfico seguido por revisão sistemática da literatura, considerando artigos publicados em periódicos revisados por pares inseridos na plataforma WEB OF SCIENCE e SCOPUS. Foi estruturado o estado da arte das definições e usos do termo dimensões humanas em publicações sobre áreas marinhas protegidas e pesca de pequena escala. O conceito de dimensões humanas, ainda adotado sem um direcionamento teórico claro, desdobrou-se em múltiplos significados, com a incorporação de 35 componentes organizados em cinco categorias: governança, política, social, econômica e cultural. A maior ênfase sobre as dimensões humanas econômicas e de governança, com destaque para os aspectos institucionais e parâmetros associados à regulação dos usos dos recursos naturais, revelou grande influência da escola da teoria dos comuns sobre a gênese do conceito. Os componentes pobreza, segurança alimentar, emprego e gênero tratados como dimensões humanas de AMP e pesca, emergiram como temas essenciais, apesar de menos citados. A conceituação do termo incorporou também outros componentes relevantes para a manutenção dos modos e meios de vida incluindo os serviços ecossistêmicos, bem-estar e o valor intrínseco das práticas e rituais tradicionais das pessoas direta ou indiretamente afetadas pelas medidas de conservação. Ainda, nesses contextos, o termo dimensões humanas tem sido mais utilizado por cientistas ambientais e naturais e teve baixa entrada nos periódicos das áreas de ciências humanas e sociais. Esse enquadramento pode ter gerado certo desequilíbrio quando temas comumente tratados pelas ciências sociais foram pouco representativos, apesar de assumidamente importantes para garantir a resiliência dos sistemas socioecológicos. Portanto, ofereceu-se uma leitura alternativa e propositiva ao se discutir os resultados a partir de uma perspectiva empírica e normativa de dimensões humanas, buscando assimilar a assimetria numérica entre seus componentes discriminando aquilo que estava recorrentemente presente daquilo que precisa ser enfatizado, respectivamente. Palavras-chave: Dimensões humanas; Áreas marinhas protegidas; Pesca artesanal; Abordagem ecossistêmica; Revisão sistemática.Abstract: The present study aimed to understand and critically describe how the concept of human dimensions has been approached in artisanal fisheries management and marine protected areas (MPAs). We surrounded pertinent issues of challenges on reconciling the environmental binomial development and preservation from the socioecological systems and ecosystem management perspectives. Largely established by influence of institutional marks and global conservation goals, human dimensions are fundamental to understand the genesis and performance of adaptive co-management arrangements in order to structure more integrated, ecologically prudent and socially fair strategies. This research was a qualitative-quantitative view to a bibliographic survey and a systematic review of the literature, considering articles published in peer-reviewed journals inserted in the WEB OF SCIENCE and SCOPUS platforms. We structured the state of the art of definitions and uses of human dimensions in publications about marine protected areas and small-scale fisheries. The concept of human dimensions, still adopted without clear theoretical orientation, revealed in multiple meanings, grouping 35 components organized into five categories: governance, political, social, economic and cultural. The main emphasis on the economic and governance categories, highlighting the institutional aspects and parameters associated to regulate uses of natural resources, revealed great influence of the common theory on the genesis' concept. Poverty, food security, employment and gender components treated as human dimensions of MPA and fisheries emerged as essential although less frequently cited themes. The term conceptualization has also incorporated other relevant components to maintain livelihoods like ecosystem services, well-being and intrinsic value of traditional practices and rituals of people directly or indirectly affected by conservation measures. Moreover, the term human dimensions has been more used by environmental and natural scientists and had low entry in human and social sciences journals. This conjuncture may have generated an imbalance when themes commonly dealt by social sciences were low representative, although they are very significant to guarantee the resilience of socioecological systems. Therefore, we offer an alternative and propositional reading by discussing the results from an empirical and normative perspective of human dimensions, seeking to assimilate the numerical asymmetry between its components and discriminating what was recurrently present from what needs to be emphasized, respectively. Keywords: Human dimensions; Marine protected area; Artisanal fishing; Ecosystem approach; Systematic review

Restoring and valuing global kelp forest ecosystems

Kelp forests cover ~30% of the world’s coastline and are the largest biogenic marine habitat on earth. Across their distribution, kelp forests are essential for the healthy functioning of marine ecosystems and consequently underpin many of the benefits coastal societies receive from the ocean. Concurrently, rising sea temperatures, overgrazing by marine herbivores, sedimentation, and water pollution have caused kelp forests populations to decline in most regions across the world. Effectively managing the response to these declines will be pivotal to maintaining healthy marine ecosystems and ensuring the benefits they provide are equitably distributed to coastal societies. In Chapter 1, I review how the marine management paradigm has shifted from protection to restoration as well as the consequences of this shift. Chapter 2 introduces the field of kelp forest restoration and provides a quantitative and qualitative review of 300 years of kelp forest restoration, exploring the genesis of restoration efforts, the lessons we have learned about restoration, and how we can develop the field for the future. Chapter 3 is a direct answer to the question faced while completing Chapter 2. This chapter details the need for a standardized marine restoration reporting framework, the benefits that it would provide, the challenges presented by creating one, and the solutions to these problems. Similarly, Chapter 4 is a response to the gaps discovered in Chapter 2. Chapter 4 explores how we can use naturally occurring positive species interactions and synergies with human activities to not only increase the benefits from ecosystem restoration but increase the probability that restoration is successful. The decision to restore an ecosystem or not is informed by the values and priorities of the society living in or managing that ecosystem. Chapter 5 quantifies the fisheries production, nutrient cycling, and carbon sequestration potential of five key genera of globally distributed kelp forests. I conclude the thesis by reviewing the lessons learned and the steps required to advance the field kelp forest restoration and conservation

Do bacteria thrive when the ocean acidifies? Results from an off-­shore mesocosm study

Marine bacteria are the main consumers of the freshly produced organic matter. In order to meet their carbon demand, bacteria release hydrolytic extracellular enzymes that break down large polymers into small usable subunits. Accordingly, rates of enzymatic hydrolysis have a high potential to affect bacterial organic matter recycling and carbon turnover in the ocean. Many of these enzymatic processes were shown to be pH sensitive in previous studies. Due to the continuous rise in atmospheric CO2 concentration, seawater pH is presently decreasing at a rate unprecedented during the last 300 million years with so-far unknown consequences for microbial physiology, organic matter cycling and marine biogeochemistry. We studied the effects of elevated seawater pCO2 on a natural plankton community during a large-scale mesocosm study in a Norwegian fjord. Nine 25m-long Kiel Off-Shore Mesocosms for Future Ocean Simulations (KOSMOS) were adjusted to different pCO2 levels ranging from ca. 280 to 3000 µatm by stepwise addition of CO2 saturated seawater. After CO2 addition, samples were taken every second day for 34 days. The first phytoplankton bloom developed around day 5. On day 14, inorganic nutrients were added to the enclosed, nutrient-poor waters to stimulate a second phytoplankton bloom, which occurred around day 20. Our results indicate that marine bacteria benefit directly and indirectly from decreasing seawater pH. During both phytoplankton blooms, more transparent exopolymer particles were formed in the high pCO2 mesocosms. The total and cell-specific activities of the protein-degrading enzyme leucine aminopeptidase were elevated under low pH conditions. The combination of enhanced enzymatic hydrolysis of organic matter and increased availability of gel particles as substrate supported higher bacterial abundance in the high pCO2 treatments. We conclude that ocean acidification has the potential to stimulate the bacterial community and facilitate the microbial recycling of freshly produced organic matter, thus strengthening the role of the microbial loop in the surface ocean

PICES Press, Vol. 26, No. 2, Summer 2018

2018 Inter-sessional Science Board Meeting. 2018 Pacific Ecology and Evolution Conference. Applying global experiences to regional assessments: A workshop on the Protection of Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems. Activities of the joint PICES/ICES/PAME WG on an Integrated Ecosystem Assessment for the Central Arctic Ocean. In memoriam: Dr. Mary N. Arai. Highlights from the FUTURE SSC’s 4th Inter-sessional Meeting. PICES Interns. A new PICES MAFF-sponsored project: Building capacity for coastal monitoring by small-scale fishers. Scientists from PICES and Mexico meet to discuss closer ties in North Pacific research. An International Symposium on “Understanding changes in transitional areas of the Pacific”. The 4th International Symposium on “The effects of climate change on the world’s oceans”. ECCWO-4 Workshop on “Communicating and responding to climate change”. ECCWO-4 Workshop on “Advances in Earth System Models (ESMs) for marine applications”. ECCWO-4 Workshop on “Exploring potential ocean-based solutions to climate change impacts on marine biodiversity and ecosystem services”. ECCWO-4 Workshop on “Climate change adaptation of fisheries and aquaculture: examples of field projects supporting countries and communities”. ECCWO-4 Workshop on “Climate change and fishing communities: Interactions with environmental conservation, sustainable livelihoods and food security”. ECCWO-4 Workshop on “Utilizing bioenergetics measurements and modeling to evaluate climate change effects on marine species and ecosystems”. ECCWO-4 Workshop on “What do seabirds reveal about the effects of climate change on the world’s oceans?”. ECCWO-4 Workshop on “Connecting climate, ocean and ecosystem observation – Ocean observation futures”. ECCWO-4 Workshop on “Vulnerability of Low Elevated Coastal Zones (LECZ) to SLR in changing oceans”. ECCWO-4 Workshop on “Quantifying thresholds in driver-response relationships to identify reference points”. The Bering Sea: Current status and recent trends. The Northeast Pacific: Current status and recent trends. The western North Pacific during the 2017/2018 cold season. Topic sessions and workshops at PICES-2018. Progress in Oceanography Special Commemorative Issue

Leadership in Small-scale Fisheries

Small-scale fisheries (SSF) management approaches which place communities at the centre of decision making are becoming increasingly popular. Local leadership is crucial to participative methods due to increased responsibility placed on local actors. Despite its importance, an initial literature review revealed limited, focused SSFs leadership research. This thesis aimed to contribute to the emerging field of SSF leadership and increase understanding of leadership processes. My objectives were to identify key leadership research gaps, explore how leadership interacts with other important contextual conditions, decipher the influences on effective leadership, and discuss how leadership can facilitate more effective SSFs management. I used a multi-method approach to research leadership at a global scale which includes Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) and interviewing. My research finds leadership to be complex, uncertain and dynamic. Leadership acts alone or in combination with other contextual conditions, to influence positive and negative, social and ecological outcomes. Numerous factors influence the propensity of an individual to engage with leadership, such as worldviews, resource constraints at the individual and community level, and interactions with other social actors. Despite the move to participatory approaches there are still numerous concerns about SSFs management, such as the sustainability of community-based organizations. A key finding is that leadership will have an increasingly important role to play in improving the longevity of community-based organizations through processes such as leaderful organizations, succession planning, and capacity building. Leadership is a new research field; therefore this work is of an explanatory nature in terms of its focus and use of novel methodologies. My research identifies important areas for further analysis, such as deciphering the influence of high level leadership on local processes, and investigating how to develop leaderful organizations. Future research should build on my findings to enhance knowledge of leadership functions and processes

The Benefits to People of Expanding Marine Protected Areas

This study focuses on how the economic value of marine ecosystem services to people and communities is expected to change with the expansion of marine protected areas (MPAs). It is recognised, however, that instrumental economic value derived from ecosystem services is only one component of the overall value of the marine environment and that the intrinsic value of nature also provides an argument for the conservation of the marine habitats and biodiversity

Key Factors Supporting Small-Scale Coastal Fisheries Management

This synthesis was designed to provide an evidence base on the success factors in small-scale coastal fisheries management in developing countries and, in turn, to assist the Rockefeller Foundation in developing its strategy for its Oceans and Fisheries Initiative. In doing so, it identifies and describes some 20 key factors believed to influence success in small-scale coastal fisheries management. The report was completed via a rapid review of key sources of knowledge from formal published literature, institutional literature, key informants and Internet searches. The focus was on key success factors in achieving a balance of social, economic and ecological benefits from the management of small-scale coastal fisheries. A summary of these success factors can also be explored via an interactive visualization that accompanies this report