Red de reservas marinas para la Región de las Grandes Islas, Golfo de California: protocolo del proyecto de planeación y reporte de los talleres del equipo de planeación [Marine reserves network for the Midriff Islands Region, Gulf of California, Mexico: planning protocol and progress report to the WWF Mexico & Carlos Slim Foundation Alliance]

La Región de las Grandes Islas (RGI), localizada en el acuario del mundo, el Golfo de California, es reconocida a nivel mundial por su espectacular belleza, diversidad y productividad; en ocasiones se le ha denominada como "las Galápagos del Hemisferio Norte" (Figura 1). En sus 45 islas, incluyendo las dos más grandes de México, Tiburón e Isla Ángel de la Guarda, se han registrado más de 400 especies de plantas, anfibios, reptiles y mamíferos terrestres, algunas de ellas endémicas a una o varias de las islas. En algunas de estas islas, como Rasa y San Pedro Mártir, llegan a anidar cientos de miles de aves marinas. Alrededor de este gran archipiélago, se pueden observar hasta 23 especies de mamíferos marinos, incluyendo la súper agregación de cachalotes en la cuenca San Pedro Mártir. Así como también es un sitio usado por cinco especies de tortugas marinas para hibernar y alimentarse. [English] In collaboration with researchers, agencies and NGOs, we aim to guide the design and implementation of a network of marine reserves for Midriff Islands, Gulf of California, a marine conservation hotspot. The area is one of the most important fishing regions in Mexico and livelihoods of coastal communities are threatened by depletion of fish stocks and climate change. The project aims to develop a practical approach to design networks of marine reserves that consider ecological connectivity and the effects of climate change. The project is an example of interdisciplinary and collaborative applied research, including over 25 researchers and managers from NGOs (COBI, Pronatura), universities (James Cook University, The University of Queensland, Arizona State University, SCRIPPS, The University of Arizona), and national (Mexico’s Commissions for Protected Areas and Biodiversity) and international agencies (NOAA)

Small pelagic fish supply abundant and affordable micronutrients to low- and middle-income countries

Wild-caught fish provide an irreplaceable source of essential nutrients in food-insecure places. Fishers catch thousands of species, yet the diversity of aquatic foods is often categorized homogeneously as ‘fish’, obscuring an understanding of which species supply affordable, nutritious and abundant food. Here, we use catch, economic and nutrient data on 2,348 species to identify the most affordable and nutritious fish in 39 low- and middle-income countries. We find that a 100 g portion of fish cost between 10 and 30% of the cheapest daily diet, with small pelagic fish (herring, sardine, anchovy) being the cheapest nutritious fish in 72% of countries. In sub-Saharan Africa, where nutrient deficiencies are rising, <20% of small pelagic catch would meet recommended dietary fish intakes for all children (6 months to 4 years old) living near to water bodies. Nutrition-sensitive policies that ensure local supplies and promote consumption of wild-caught fish could help address nutrient deficiencies in vulnerable populations

Defining Success in the Commons: Addressing Problem Orientations, Multidimensionality, Norms, and Tradeoffs

Commons and social-ecological systems research examines institutional arrangements for governing natural resources to improve social and ecological outcomes. However, no universal definition of success exists. We examine the CPR and SES synthesis literature to identify trends, gaps and challenges for examining success. We address: (1) gaps in the literature, (2) multidimensionality and tradeoffs, and (3) and the link between problem orientation and definitions of success. To do this we conduct a comprehensive review of Large-N studies, meta-analyses and systematic reviews of CPR and SES governance (n = 45). We found seven dimensions of success, corresponding to collective choice, constitutional and operational levels, temporal dimensions, and socio-economic outcomes. Most studies did not address power and tradeoffs, or specify the social groups to whom success would apply. The majority of studies defined success in one dimension, most often demand-side provisioning (e.g., productivity or biodiversity). A regression analysis suggests that studies on rangelands or grasslands, correlative studies, and/or studies of state property systems (i.e., protected areas) were more likely to use fewer dimensions of success. Problem orientations often did not correlate with dimensions of success considered in a study, suggesting that measures of success often cannot adequately address the full suite of problems recognized in synthesis research. This presents a significant challenge for collective action among scholars who aim to develop general knowledge on SES and CPR governance. We discuss exemplary studies that measure success as multidimensional, address power and tradeoffs, and conclude with four recommendations for advancing the analysis of success

Mapping Ostrom’s common-pool resource systems coding handbook to the coupled infrastructure systems framework to enable comparative research

10.18352/ijc.904International Journal of the Commons131528-55

The contributions of small-scale fisheries to sustainable development

The infographic provides a snapshot of findings from the Illuminating Hidden Harvests report. The findings from the report, led by FAO, Duke University, and WorldFish, highlight the environmental, economic, nutritional, gender, and governance dimensions of small-scale fisheries globally

Defining Success in the Commons: Addressing Problem Orientations, Multidimensionality, Norms, and Tradeoffs

Commons and social-ecological systems research examines institutional arrangements for governing natural resources to improve social and ecological outcomes. However, no universal definition of success exists. We examine the CPR and SES synthesis literature to identify trends, gaps and challenges for examining success. We address: (1) gaps in the literature, (2) multidimensionality and tradeoffs, and (3) and the link between problem orientation and definitions of success. To do this we conduct a comprehensive review of Large-N studies, meta-analyses and systematic reviews of CPR and SES governance (n = 45). We found seven dimensions of success, corresponding to collective choice, constitutional and operational levels, temporal dimensions, and socio-economic outcomes. Most studies did not address power and tradeoffs, or specify the social groups to whom success would apply. The majority of studies defined success in one dimension, most often demand-side provisioning (e.g., productivity or biodiversity). A regression analysis suggests that studies on rangelands or grasslands, correlative studies, and/or studies of state property systems (i.e., protected areas) were more likely to use fewer dimensions of success. Problem orientations often did not correlate with dimensions of success considered in a study, suggesting that measures of success often cannot adequately address the full suite of problems recognized in synthesis research. This presents a significant challenge for collective action among scholars who aim to develop general knowledge on SES and CPR governance. We discuss exemplary studies that measure success as multidimensional, address power and tradeoffs, and conclude with four recommendations for advancing the analysis of success

Fishing for subsistence constitutes a livelihood safety net for populations dependent on aquatic foods around the world

Fishing for subsistence constitutes a livelihood safety net for poverty, malnutrition and gender inequality for populations dependent upon aquatic foods around the world. Here we provide global estimates showing that almost the same amount of small-scale fishers engage in subsistence fishing at some point during the year as in commercial employment and use subsistence estimates to measure small-scale fisheries’ livelihood safety net function. In 2016, we estimate that 52.8 million people were engaged in subsistence fishing at some point during the year, while another 60.2 million people were commercially employed (90% of global fisheries employment). From 14 country case studies, it was possible to estimate that the subsistence catch provided an average apparent intake of six nutrients critical for positive health outcomes, equivalent to 26% of the recommended daily nutrient intake for 112.5 million people, higher than the national average contribution of beef or poultry

Scorecard produced by MAREA for the “La Plana / Las Cuevas” marine reserve in Isla Natividad, Mexico.

<p>Scorecard produced by MAREA for the “La Plana / Las Cuevas” marine reserve in Isla Natividad, Mexico.</p

A user-friendly tool to evaluate the effectiveness of no-take marine reserves

<div><p>Marine reserves are implemented to achieve a variety of objectives, but are seldom rigorously evaluated to determine whether those objectives are met. In the rare cases when evaluations do take place, they typically focus on ecological indicators and ignore other relevant objectives such as socioeconomics and governance. And regardless of the objectives, the diversity of locations, monitoring protocols, and analysis approaches hinder the ability to compare results across case studies. Moreover, analysis and evaluation of reserves is generally conducted by outside researchers, not the reserve managers or users, plausibly thereby hindering effective local management and rapid response to change. We present a framework and tool, called “MAREA”, to overcome these challenges. Its purpose is to evaluate the extent to which any given reserve has achieved its stated objectives. MAREA provides specific guidance on data collection and formatting, and then conducts rigorous causal inference analysis based on data input by the user, providing real-time outputs about the effectiveness of the reserve. MAREA’s ease of use, standardization of state-of-the-art inference methods, and ability to analyze marine reserve effectiveness across ecological, socioeconomic, and governance objectives could dramatically further our understanding and support of effective marine reserve management.</p></div

List of indicators to evaluate the effectiveness of no-take marine reserves.

<p>List of indicators to evaluate the effectiveness of no-take marine reserves.</p