Marine resource management and conservation in the Anthropocene

Abstract

SUMMARYBecause the Anthropocene by definition is an epoch during which environmental change is largely anthropogenic and driven by social, economic, psychological and political forces, environmental social scientists can effectively analyse human behaviour and knowledge systems in this context. In this subject review, we summarize key ways in which the environmental social sciences can better inform fisheries management policy and practice and marine conservation in the Anthropocene. We argue that environmental social scientists are particularly well positioned to synergize research to fill the gaps between: (1) local behaviours/needs/worldviews and marine resource management and biological conservation concerns; and (2) large-scale drivers of planetary environmental change (globalization, affluence, technological change, etc.) and local cognitive, socioeconomic, cultural and historical processes that shape human behaviour in the marine environment. To illustrate this, we synthesize the roles of various environmental social science disciplines in better understanding the interaction between humans and tropical marine ecosystems in developing nations where issues arising from humancoastal interactions are particularly pronounced. We focus on: (1) the application of the environmental social sciences in marine resource management and conservation; (2) the development of 'new' socially equitable marine conservation; (3) repopulating the seascape; (4) incorporating multi-scale dynamics of marine social-ecological systems; and (5) envisioning the future of marine resource management and conservation for producing policies and projects for comprehensive and successful resource management and conservation in the Anthropocene.

Science in the service of society: Is marine and coastal science addressing South Africa’s needs?

“…One primary cause of the poor representation must be the lower number of human science practitioners in this field in South and southern Africa compared to natural scientists but that is not the only cause. Another important reason, and factor contributing to the lower number of social scientists, is a long-ingrained bias towards the natural sciences that pervades environmental conservation and management in general, including amongst managers of governmental institutions with a mandate for these tasks 21,26 , notwithstanding the fact that the scientific advice is sometimes overruled for supposedly social or economic reasons. This bias towards the natural sciences creates substantial barriers in the responsible institutions and practices in marine resource management in South Africa, and globally, to greater involvement of the human sciences.…”

“…17 The response to these awakenings has been a growing demand for and engagement in interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary science. 16,[18][19][20][21] This growth has been attributed to four drivers: (1) the need to solve societal problems; (2) the intrinsic complexity of social-ecological systems; (3) a desire to investigate issues beyond disciplinary boundaries; and (4) the capabilities of new technologies. 19 The first two are particularly relevant to South Africa while the second two can be seen as factors that should facilitate a shift towards interdisciplinary approaches.…”

Landscape Imaginaries and the Protection of Dynamic Nature at the Wadden Sea

“…Indeed it is increasingly recognised that resource users are more likely to support conservation efforts when their concerns are met and they are included within management and planning processes (e.g. Aswani et al 2017;Ferse et al 2010). Classifying human intervention as inherently problematic precludes the development of communitybased stewardship, based on a relational ethics of care (Liburd & Becken 2017, West et al 2018).…”

Navigating a just and inclusive path towards sustainable oceans

“…The historical connection and continued reliance of people to most of the world's oceans increases the complexity of the challenges and points to the need for greater attention to social, cultural, economic and governance considerations in decision-making [102,130]. To ensure that they are not operating unawares, government agencies and non-governmental organizations working on the ground to implement different policies, programs or management actions in the marine and coastal environment would benefit from adequate capacity and funding to perform basic social science.…”