The claim that in natural resource management (NRM) a change from anthropocentric values and ethi... more The claim that in natural resource management (NRM) a change from anthropocentric values and ethics to eco-centric ones is necessary to achieve sustainability leads to the search for eco-centric models of relationship with the environment. Indigenous cultures can provide such models; hence, there is the need for multicultural societies to further include their values in NRM. In this article, we investigate the environmental values placed on a freshwater environment of the Wet Tropics by a community of indigenous Australians. We discuss their environmental values as human values, and so as beliefs that guide communities' understanding of how the natural world should be viewed and treated by humans. This perspective represents a step forward in our understanding of indigenous envir onmental values, and a way to overcome the paradigm of indigenous values as valued biophysical attributes of the environment or processes happening in landscapes. Our results show that the participant community holds biospheric values. Restoring these values in the NRM of the Wet Tropics could contribute to sustainability and environmental justice in the area.
We are indebted to many Lihirians for generously sharing their time and knowledge with us in the ... more We are indebted to many Lihirians for generously sharing their time and knowledge with us in the course of researching this article. We would especially like to thank Solgas, Luke Kabariu, Lawrence Sorbo, Emma Zanahien and Bridget Moktel. We are also grateful to Vance Gaoro of the New Ireland Provincial Lands Department and to Fred Wade and Geoff Day of the Lihir Management Company for useful discussions and for facilitating the fieldwork. Thanks also to John Wagner and anonymous referees for constructive criticism of the draft.
The Resource Management in Asia-Pacific Working Paper series seeks to provide readers with access... more The Resource Management in Asia-Pacific Working Paper series seeks to provide readers with access to current research on environmental and resource issues in the Asia-Pacific. Working Papers produced by the Program aim to facilitate discussion and debate on critical resource management issues in the area, and to link scholars working in different disciplines and regions. Publication as a 'Working Paper' does not preclude subsequent publication in scholarly journals or books, indeed it may facilitate publication by providing feedback from readers to authors. Unless otherwise stated, publications of the Resource Management in Asia-Pacific Program are presented without endorsement as contributions to the public record debate. Authors are responsible for their own analysis and conclusions.
In one embodiment of the present invention, a shirt-locking device comprises a fastening device a... more In one embodiment of the present invention, a shirt-locking device comprises a fastening device and a weight slidably mounted on the fastening device. The fastening device includes a central portion having a first end and a second end, the first end of the central portion being in the shape of a pin and the second end of the central portion being in the shape of a cooperating hook for holding the first end in a closed position. The weight is approximately 1 ounce and includes a bore into which the central portion of the fastening device is disposed. In another embodiment of the present invention, a shirt-locking device comprises a fastening device, a generally U-shaped bracket mounted on the fastening device and a weight slidably mounted on the bracket. In use, the fastening device of both shirt-locking device embodiments can be used to affix the bottom portion of a shirt, or other similar material, in a tucked position down and against an undergarment, or other similar garment.
High demand and prices in global markets for luxury seafood fished by coastal communities in low-... more High demand and prices in global markets for luxury seafood fished by coastal communities in low-income contexts causes overfishing. There are few alternatives for fishers to earn money, most institutions for controlling effort are weak, and markets are beyond the control of fishing states. The mismatch between desires for development and governance measures to enable that development is shared across many high-value low-income contexts. Using the sea cucumber fishery of Papua New Guinea as an example, this paper illustrates how the interactive governance framework provides a holistic approach to revealing governability limits and opportunities. Analysis of the system to be governed demonstrates that development for coastal communities is fundamental to the fishery as a motivating force and as a principle legitimising actions within the fishery and its management. This analysis highlights the fact that fisheries management is based on the assumption that an open fishery will lead to development, due to its economic value. However, money does not equal development. For this and other similar fisheries to increase development in coastal communities, issues not usually considered within the purview of the management of fisheries must be addressed, including gendered and intergenerational decision-making and income distribution, financial planning and government provision of infrastructure and services.
As fish stocks become depleted, exploitation eventually fails to be cost-efficient. However, spec... more As fish stocks become depleted, exploitation eventually fails to be cost-efficient. However, species or morphs of species can suffer from continual exploitation if their rarity results in increased value, justifying the cost-efficiency of targeted or opportunistic exploitation. The trade in coral reef fishes for public and private aquaria is an industry in which naturally rare species and rare morphs of species command high prices. Here we investigate the relationship between price and the natural prevalence of colour morphs of two highly demanded clownfish species using a localised case study. The export prices for colour morphs increased with decreasing prevalence of occurrence (y = 4.60x À0.51 , R 2 = 0.43), but price increase was inversely less than the observed reduction in prevalence. This renders rare colour morphs (i.e., those at relatively low prevalence) at risk of opportunistic exploitation. Using ecological data, we also demonstrate how this increased value can subject rare colour morphs with aggregated distributions to targeted exploitation. These findings are discussed in relation to the broader marine aquarium trade, identifying taxa potentially at risk from exploitation motivated by rarity and addressing potential management strategies.
abstract In the Philippines, networks of marine protected areas (MPAs) are more complex than indi... more abstract In the Philippines, networks of marine protected areas (MPAs) are more complex than individual MPAs, primarily due to involvement of multiple governance units. Hence, there is a need to understand the influence of governance context of networks on management performance. We addressed this need indirectly by evaluating the participation of network members and the governance capacity of three MPA networks with varying sizes, histories, and compositions of local governments and constituencies. We defined participation as the involvement of local governments and other stakeholders in decision-making processes. We defined governance capacity as the ability to govern interactions of social, economic, and political processes and dynamics in a political unit. We used qualitative, semi-structured key informant interviews and focus group discussions to ascertain whether participation and governance capacity are influenced by network size, institutional arrangements, and social and political contexts. We found that the sizes of the MPA networks did not affect participation and governance capacity. Instead, participation and capacity were influenced by institutional arrangements and the socioeconomic and political contexts of the local governments involved. We found that less complicated network objectives and systems for engagement, more inclusive membership, better communication, incentive systems, and strong leadership enhanced participation and governance capacity.
ABSTRACT Aboriginal inhabitants of the Wet Tropics of Queensland advocate for greater inclusion o... more ABSTRACT Aboriginal inhabitants of the Wet Tropics of Queensland advocate for greater inclusion of their Indigenous knowledge (IK) in natural resource management (NRM) to fulfil their customary obligations to country and to exert their Native Title rights. Despite a legal and institutional framework for inclusion of IK in NRM, IK has so far been applied only sporadically. We conducted an ethnographic case study to investigate perceptions on IK, science and how they affect integration of the two knowledge systems in the Wet Tropics. Our results show that IK and science are perceived as different concepts; that integration is limited by weak Indigenous internal and external governance; and that stronger Aboriginal governance and more focused engagement strategies are required to further the application of IK in local NRM. We conclude by arguing that NRM in the Wet Tropics needs to be reconceptualised to accommodate IK holistically, by considering its epistemology and the values and ethic that underpin it.
In this paper we discuss differences in the ways transnational conservationists and Melanesian fa... more In this paper we discuss differences in the ways transnational conservationists and Melanesian farmers, hunters and fishers value 'biodiversity'. The money for conservation projects in developing countries originates from people who are embedded in a capitalist system, which allows engagement with nature as an abstract entity. Their western education has given them a scientific/ evolutionary-based worldview, which attributes intrinsic value to all species (and particular arrangements of species, e.g. rainforests and coral reefs), irrespective of economic value or ecosystem function. Because this value system is mostly not shared by the custodians of the biodiversity that conservationists want to save, alternative tactics and arguments are utilised. These inevitably take the form of so-called 'win-win' economic rationales for preserving biodiversity, most of which do not work well (e.g. bioprospecting, ecotourism, non-timber forest products, environmental certification schemes, payments for ecosystem services, etc.), for reasons which we detail. Agriculture-and aquaculture-based livelihoods appear to enjoy more success than the 'win-win' options but do not necessarily obviate or deter further biodiversity loss. Artisanal use of species-poor but productive and resilient pelagic fisheries is increasing. These ecological and economic realities bring into sharp focus the importance of understanding differences in value systems for successful biodiversity conservation in the tropics.
Global audiences are increasingly being exposed to digital media with fictitious storylines that ... more Global audiences are increasingly being exposed to digital media with fictitious storylines that draw on animal characters involuntarily entering wildlife trades. An understudied problem in wildlife trade is the potential for motion pictures to influence their audience's desire to become more acquainted, often via acquisition, with animals portrayed in the films. The 2003 Disney motion picture Finding Nemo connected audiences with a wildlife trade already commonplace: the marine aquarium trade. In this trade, fisheries supply live coral reef organisms to millions of public and private aquaria worldwide. Here, we examine the perception and reality of Finding Nemo's impact (coined the “Nemo Effect”) on the fisheries of the species complex representing the film's primary protagonist “Nemo” (Amphiprion ocellaris/percula). Import and export figures show little evidence for fan‐based purchases of wild‐caught fish immediately (within 1.5 years of release) following the film. We argue that the perceived impact on these species, driven by popular media with an emotive but scientifically uninformed approach to conserving coral reef ecosystems, can be more damaging to the cause of conservation than helpful. This perspective is intended to encourage marine aquarium trade stakeholders to consider the ecological and social repercussions of both media driven consumption and opposition to the trade. Using lessons learned from Finding Nemo, we discuss the likely impacts the sequel, Finding Dory, will have on wild populations of its protagonist “Dory” (Paracanthurus hepatus).
[Extract] More than a decade of monitoring the social impacts of mining required numerous collabo... more [Extract] More than a decade of monitoring the social impacts of mining required numerous collaborative relationships. One instance of this provided a more complicated example of collaborative research as it involved working directly and concurrently with three distinct groups of people, each group not only having different conceptions of the problems at issue but also drawing on a different knowledge base and occasionally on quite distinct epistemologies. We do not want to exaggerate this latter distinction, as we think that has happened too often in studies of “traditional ecological knowledge.” The Papua New Guinean people with whom we have worked are in many ways as empiricist as any Western scientists, and they usually base their knowledge on careful observation. They also test to see if something works and to verify claims made by others. Just one example is evidence—the willingness of Papua New Guineans to plant new crops and adopt new gardening techniques. Bourke (2009) estimates that prior to European settlement, some 170 plant species were cultivated for food (2009: 15). Since about 1870, 90 food crop species and more than 2,200 varieties have been introduced (2009: 18). Bourke’s surveys revealed that the embrace of these new foods was so rapid that in many instances people now believe they are indigenous crops.
Since the 1970s, people in Melanesian countries have been beguiled by the prospect of economic de... more Since the 1970s, people in Melanesian countries have been beguiled by the prospect of economic development that would enable them to participate in a world market economic system and so allow them to progress, to improve their standards of living and to take their places as independent nations in a modern world. The forms of participation available to them and those encouraged by international capital entailed the extraction of natural resources-minerals, timber and fish. In these enterprises, the 'developers' provided the capital and the Melanesians provided the resources and sometimes the cheap labor. These projects were also viewed as ways of supporting emergent independent national governments through equity agreements, taxes and royalties. 'Development' referred to both the economic and the political processes facilitated by resource extraction by multinational corporations. Globalization, like 'development,' is a loose term that describes or theorizes the processes whereby economic activities in these small islands are constituted within a broad financial and political landscape that is shaped by the distant, 'developed' nations and their linked corporations. It encompasses the financial, economic and political policies and practices of this imagined entity-the 'global economy'-and incorporates the communication made possible through electronic media. But 'globalization' also includes the emergence of 'global culture' and the dissemination of knowledge, ideas and desires. As with the economic imperatives, the cultural forces originate predominantly in a Macintyre, M. and S. Foale (2004). Global imperatives and local desires: competing economic and environmental interests in Melanesian communities. Globalisation and Culture Change in the
Solomon Islanders are highly dependent on their coastal resources for food and livelihoods. Parts... more Solomon Islanders are highly dependent on their coastal resources for food and livelihoods. Parts of some islands are now quite densely populated and some groups are being forced to adapt to resource scarcities. One such adaptation is the relatively recent development of nocturnal fisheries for small coastal pelagic fish in Langalanga Lagoon, Malaita Province, in tandem with declining reef fish stocks. The technique involves using lights to attract fish to gill nets and strike-lines deployed from dugout canoes anchored in and around lagoon passages. In the first detailed study of a fishery based on this gear combination in the Pacific, we report a mean catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) from over 190 light fishing trips of 3.41 kg/h/person. This figure is two to five times higher than CPUE's obtained for reef-associated fisheries in Solomon Islands, including sites with much lower population and market pressures. The main targets of the light fishery were clupeids, along with small carangids, small sphyraenids and small scombrids. Interviews with fishers revealed there were regular seasonal fluctuations in the abundance of the dominant species (Amblygaster sirm, the Spotted Sardinella) but no long-term (i.e. decadal) variation. Langalanga people now rely heavily on this high-yielding fishery for subsistence and cash, and some said they would need to relocate in search of alternate livelihoods if it did not exist. The high fecundity, rapid growth, early maturation and short life span of the key target species indicate that stocks are likely to be much more resilient than those of most reef-associated species. Many aspects of the behaviour and ecology of the key species remain poorly understood. However we argue that this study should encourage more scientists and fishery managers to think beyond reef-centric and larval connectivity-based models of tropical coastal fishery production and food security, and to pay much closer attention to biological oceanographic processes, including nutrient inputs, which fundamentally underpin the productivity of these increasingly important small pelagic fisheries.
h i g h l i g h t s • Overfishing of Papua New Guinea's sea cucumber fishery led to a moratorium ... more h i g h l i g h t s • Overfishing of Papua New Guinea's sea cucumber fishery led to a moratorium in 2009. • Published and anecdotal sources describe the Tigak Islands sandfish fishery in PNG. • Sandfish are a promising mariculture candidate for sustainable livelihoods. • Sandfish mariculture must be integrated in fishery management and social context. • Improved harvesting and production practices will benefit fisheries and mariculture.
This article describes the outcomes of research into the potential of community-based mariculture... more This article describes the outcomes of research into the potential of community-based mariculture of the commercial sea cucumber, sandfish (Holothuria scabra), as a sustainable livelihood in New Ireland Province, Papua New Guinea (PNG). Around 5000 cultured juvenile sandfish were stocked in a 5-ha trial community sea ranch. The community agreed to protect the area from fishing until researchers collected technical data on sandfish performance. However, poaching of sandfish from the trial sea ranch occurred during the 2018 annual sea cucumber fishing season and no technical data were generated. Community attitudes and responses to the fishing season, the mariculture research activity and the failure of the trial sea ranch were investigated. Widespread community approval of the trial sea ranch and respect for the fishing prohibition were reported. However, it was found that poaching within the ranch escalated to extensive fishing because community-based management proved inadequate to sanction the poachers. Increased buying pressure and higher prices led to intensified fishing effort in the 2018 season. The trial sea ranch failed due to external pressures (i.e., brief, intense fishing season; limited project capacity), compounded by internal factors (i.e., weak local leadership; community disunity). It was concluded that research into and development of sandfish mariculture as a livelihood option in New Ireland Province might be impossible at this time due to the high value of sandfish, the annual sea cucumber fishing season, and ineffective governance at community, provincial and national levels. Lessons learned from this experience are presented and alternative models discussed.
This study presents an analysis of marine resource management activities designed to ameliorate c... more This study presents an analysis of marine resource management activities designed to ameliorate concerns over fish stocks, food and livelihood insecurity in the coastal Asia Pacific region, with a specific focus on the area encompassed by the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI-CFF). Firstly, the study explores how the CTI-CFF framing of food insecurity as symptomatic of economic deficiencies at the household level reflects the broader neoliberal conservation agenda driving the CTI-CFF and serves to legitimate the latter as the natural authority for intervention. Secondly, the paper uses an example of local level fishery management to demonstrate how the logic of neoliberalism translates to regulations which fail to recognise social and political complexities confronting fishers, thereby exacerbating the precarity of food and livelihood security in these communities. Thirdly, the paper contrasts the Western scientific emphasis on maintaining food security through managing coral reef fisheries with evidence from Indonesia and the Philippines which demonstrates the much larger contribution from pelagic fisheries and aquaculture to food security. The paper concludes with a call for research and aid-funded interventions on fishery management, livelihoods and food security to better reflect the needs of coastal people in the Asia-Pacific region, rather than the values commonly espoused by Western scientists and conservationists.
Taboos that temporarily close areas to fishing have long been practiced in the Pacific as a mark ... more Taboos that temporarily close areas to fishing have long been practiced in the Pacific as a mark of respect for the death of a prominent community member, to protect sacred sites, affirm rights to fishing grounds, or allowing the replenishment of stocks in preparation for feasts. The use of customary taboos has declined, but contemporary initiatives to establish community-based management of marine areas promote their reinvention as small closed areas that may be subject to periodic harvesting. Taboo areas are now a prominent feature of many community-based initiatives and are touted as being a successful, traditionally based measure for marine management. There is evidence that taboo areas may confer fisheries benefits in certain conditions. However, there is little evidence that periodic closures will sustainably manage fisheries of the range of taxa exploited by small-scale and subsistence fisheries. This paper reviews current knowledge of periodic closures used for fisheries management and conservation, focussing on examples from the tropical Pacific. We highlight how contemporary fisheries science can guide the use of taboo areas as a tool to assist in meeting social, ecological and fisheries management objectives. We then outline critical questions and issues that need to be considered when researching and using taboo closures for fisheries management and conservation in the Pacific.
The claim that in natural resource management (NRM) a change from anthropocentric values and ethi... more The claim that in natural resource management (NRM) a change from anthropocentric values and ethics to eco-centric ones is necessary to achieve sustainability leads to the search for eco-centric models of relationship with the environment. Indigenous cultures can provide such models; hence, there is the need for multicultural societies to further include their values in NRM. In this article, we investigate the environmental values placed on a freshwater environment of the Wet Tropics by a community of indigenous Australians. We discuss their environmental values as human values, and so as beliefs that guide communities' understanding of how the natural world should be viewed and treated by humans. This perspective represents a step forward in our understanding of indigenous envir onmental values, and a way to overcome the paradigm of indigenous values as valued biophysical attributes of the environment or processes happening in landscapes. Our results show that the participant community holds biospheric values. Restoring these values in the NRM of the Wet Tropics could contribute to sustainability and environmental justice in the area.
We are indebted to many Lihirians for generously sharing their time and knowledge with us in the ... more We are indebted to many Lihirians for generously sharing their time and knowledge with us in the course of researching this article. We would especially like to thank Solgas, Luke Kabariu, Lawrence Sorbo, Emma Zanahien and Bridget Moktel. We are also grateful to Vance Gaoro of the New Ireland Provincial Lands Department and to Fred Wade and Geoff Day of the Lihir Management Company for useful discussions and for facilitating the fieldwork. Thanks also to John Wagner and anonymous referees for constructive criticism of the draft.
The Resource Management in Asia-Pacific Working Paper series seeks to provide readers with access... more The Resource Management in Asia-Pacific Working Paper series seeks to provide readers with access to current research on environmental and resource issues in the Asia-Pacific. Working Papers produced by the Program aim to facilitate discussion and debate on critical resource management issues in the area, and to link scholars working in different disciplines and regions. Publication as a 'Working Paper' does not preclude subsequent publication in scholarly journals or books, indeed it may facilitate publication by providing feedback from readers to authors. Unless otherwise stated, publications of the Resource Management in Asia-Pacific Program are presented without endorsement as contributions to the public record debate. Authors are responsible for their own analysis and conclusions.
In one embodiment of the present invention, a shirt-locking device comprises a fastening device a... more In one embodiment of the present invention, a shirt-locking device comprises a fastening device and a weight slidably mounted on the fastening device. The fastening device includes a central portion having a first end and a second end, the first end of the central portion being in the shape of a pin and the second end of the central portion being in the shape of a cooperating hook for holding the first end in a closed position. The weight is approximately 1 ounce and includes a bore into which the central portion of the fastening device is disposed. In another embodiment of the present invention, a shirt-locking device comprises a fastening device, a generally U-shaped bracket mounted on the fastening device and a weight slidably mounted on the bracket. In use, the fastening device of both shirt-locking device embodiments can be used to affix the bottom portion of a shirt, or other similar material, in a tucked position down and against an undergarment, or other similar garment.
High demand and prices in global markets for luxury seafood fished by coastal communities in low-... more High demand and prices in global markets for luxury seafood fished by coastal communities in low-income contexts causes overfishing. There are few alternatives for fishers to earn money, most institutions for controlling effort are weak, and markets are beyond the control of fishing states. The mismatch between desires for development and governance measures to enable that development is shared across many high-value low-income contexts. Using the sea cucumber fishery of Papua New Guinea as an example, this paper illustrates how the interactive governance framework provides a holistic approach to revealing governability limits and opportunities. Analysis of the system to be governed demonstrates that development for coastal communities is fundamental to the fishery as a motivating force and as a principle legitimising actions within the fishery and its management. This analysis highlights the fact that fisheries management is based on the assumption that an open fishery will lead to development, due to its economic value. However, money does not equal development. For this and other similar fisheries to increase development in coastal communities, issues not usually considered within the purview of the management of fisheries must be addressed, including gendered and intergenerational decision-making and income distribution, financial planning and government provision of infrastructure and services.
As fish stocks become depleted, exploitation eventually fails to be cost-efficient. However, spec... more As fish stocks become depleted, exploitation eventually fails to be cost-efficient. However, species or morphs of species can suffer from continual exploitation if their rarity results in increased value, justifying the cost-efficiency of targeted or opportunistic exploitation. The trade in coral reef fishes for public and private aquaria is an industry in which naturally rare species and rare morphs of species command high prices. Here we investigate the relationship between price and the natural prevalence of colour morphs of two highly demanded clownfish species using a localised case study. The export prices for colour morphs increased with decreasing prevalence of occurrence (y = 4.60x À0.51 , R 2 = 0.43), but price increase was inversely less than the observed reduction in prevalence. This renders rare colour morphs (i.e., those at relatively low prevalence) at risk of opportunistic exploitation. Using ecological data, we also demonstrate how this increased value can subject rare colour morphs with aggregated distributions to targeted exploitation. These findings are discussed in relation to the broader marine aquarium trade, identifying taxa potentially at risk from exploitation motivated by rarity and addressing potential management strategies.
abstract In the Philippines, networks of marine protected areas (MPAs) are more complex than indi... more abstract In the Philippines, networks of marine protected areas (MPAs) are more complex than individual MPAs, primarily due to involvement of multiple governance units. Hence, there is a need to understand the influence of governance context of networks on management performance. We addressed this need indirectly by evaluating the participation of network members and the governance capacity of three MPA networks with varying sizes, histories, and compositions of local governments and constituencies. We defined participation as the involvement of local governments and other stakeholders in decision-making processes. We defined governance capacity as the ability to govern interactions of social, economic, and political processes and dynamics in a political unit. We used qualitative, semi-structured key informant interviews and focus group discussions to ascertain whether participation and governance capacity are influenced by network size, institutional arrangements, and social and political contexts. We found that the sizes of the MPA networks did not affect participation and governance capacity. Instead, participation and capacity were influenced by institutional arrangements and the socioeconomic and political contexts of the local governments involved. We found that less complicated network objectives and systems for engagement, more inclusive membership, better communication, incentive systems, and strong leadership enhanced participation and governance capacity.
ABSTRACT Aboriginal inhabitants of the Wet Tropics of Queensland advocate for greater inclusion o... more ABSTRACT Aboriginal inhabitants of the Wet Tropics of Queensland advocate for greater inclusion of their Indigenous knowledge (IK) in natural resource management (NRM) to fulfil their customary obligations to country and to exert their Native Title rights. Despite a legal and institutional framework for inclusion of IK in NRM, IK has so far been applied only sporadically. We conducted an ethnographic case study to investigate perceptions on IK, science and how they affect integration of the two knowledge systems in the Wet Tropics. Our results show that IK and science are perceived as different concepts; that integration is limited by weak Indigenous internal and external governance; and that stronger Aboriginal governance and more focused engagement strategies are required to further the application of IK in local NRM. We conclude by arguing that NRM in the Wet Tropics needs to be reconceptualised to accommodate IK holistically, by considering its epistemology and the values and ethic that underpin it.
In this paper we discuss differences in the ways transnational conservationists and Melanesian fa... more In this paper we discuss differences in the ways transnational conservationists and Melanesian farmers, hunters and fishers value 'biodiversity'. The money for conservation projects in developing countries originates from people who are embedded in a capitalist system, which allows engagement with nature as an abstract entity. Their western education has given them a scientific/ evolutionary-based worldview, which attributes intrinsic value to all species (and particular arrangements of species, e.g. rainforests and coral reefs), irrespective of economic value or ecosystem function. Because this value system is mostly not shared by the custodians of the biodiversity that conservationists want to save, alternative tactics and arguments are utilised. These inevitably take the form of so-called 'win-win' economic rationales for preserving biodiversity, most of which do not work well (e.g. bioprospecting, ecotourism, non-timber forest products, environmental certification schemes, payments for ecosystem services, etc.), for reasons which we detail. Agriculture-and aquaculture-based livelihoods appear to enjoy more success than the 'win-win' options but do not necessarily obviate or deter further biodiversity loss. Artisanal use of species-poor but productive and resilient pelagic fisheries is increasing. These ecological and economic realities bring into sharp focus the importance of understanding differences in value systems for successful biodiversity conservation in the tropics.
Global audiences are increasingly being exposed to digital media with fictitious storylines that ... more Global audiences are increasingly being exposed to digital media with fictitious storylines that draw on animal characters involuntarily entering wildlife trades. An understudied problem in wildlife trade is the potential for motion pictures to influence their audience's desire to become more acquainted, often via acquisition, with animals portrayed in the films. The 2003 Disney motion picture Finding Nemo connected audiences with a wildlife trade already commonplace: the marine aquarium trade. In this trade, fisheries supply live coral reef organisms to millions of public and private aquaria worldwide. Here, we examine the perception and reality of Finding Nemo's impact (coined the “Nemo Effect”) on the fisheries of the species complex representing the film's primary protagonist “Nemo” (Amphiprion ocellaris/percula). Import and export figures show little evidence for fan‐based purchases of wild‐caught fish immediately (within 1.5 years of release) following the film. We argue that the perceived impact on these species, driven by popular media with an emotive but scientifically uninformed approach to conserving coral reef ecosystems, can be more damaging to the cause of conservation than helpful. This perspective is intended to encourage marine aquarium trade stakeholders to consider the ecological and social repercussions of both media driven consumption and opposition to the trade. Using lessons learned from Finding Nemo, we discuss the likely impacts the sequel, Finding Dory, will have on wild populations of its protagonist “Dory” (Paracanthurus hepatus).
[Extract] More than a decade of monitoring the social impacts of mining required numerous collabo... more [Extract] More than a decade of monitoring the social impacts of mining required numerous collaborative relationships. One instance of this provided a more complicated example of collaborative research as it involved working directly and concurrently with three distinct groups of people, each group not only having different conceptions of the problems at issue but also drawing on a different knowledge base and occasionally on quite distinct epistemologies. We do not want to exaggerate this latter distinction, as we think that has happened too often in studies of “traditional ecological knowledge.” The Papua New Guinean people with whom we have worked are in many ways as empiricist as any Western scientists, and they usually base their knowledge on careful observation. They also test to see if something works and to verify claims made by others. Just one example is evidence—the willingness of Papua New Guineans to plant new crops and adopt new gardening techniques. Bourke (2009) estimates that prior to European settlement, some 170 plant species were cultivated for food (2009: 15). Since about 1870, 90 food crop species and more than 2,200 varieties have been introduced (2009: 18). Bourke’s surveys revealed that the embrace of these new foods was so rapid that in many instances people now believe they are indigenous crops.
Since the 1970s, people in Melanesian countries have been beguiled by the prospect of economic de... more Since the 1970s, people in Melanesian countries have been beguiled by the prospect of economic development that would enable them to participate in a world market economic system and so allow them to progress, to improve their standards of living and to take their places as independent nations in a modern world. The forms of participation available to them and those encouraged by international capital entailed the extraction of natural resources-minerals, timber and fish. In these enterprises, the 'developers' provided the capital and the Melanesians provided the resources and sometimes the cheap labor. These projects were also viewed as ways of supporting emergent independent national governments through equity agreements, taxes and royalties. 'Development' referred to both the economic and the political processes facilitated by resource extraction by multinational corporations. Globalization, like 'development,' is a loose term that describes or theorizes the processes whereby economic activities in these small islands are constituted within a broad financial and political landscape that is shaped by the distant, 'developed' nations and their linked corporations. It encompasses the financial, economic and political policies and practices of this imagined entity-the 'global economy'-and incorporates the communication made possible through electronic media. But 'globalization' also includes the emergence of 'global culture' and the dissemination of knowledge, ideas and desires. As with the economic imperatives, the cultural forces originate predominantly in a Macintyre, M. and S. Foale (2004). Global imperatives and local desires: competing economic and environmental interests in Melanesian communities. Globalisation and Culture Change in the
Solomon Islanders are highly dependent on their coastal resources for food and livelihoods. Parts... more Solomon Islanders are highly dependent on their coastal resources for food and livelihoods. Parts of some islands are now quite densely populated and some groups are being forced to adapt to resource scarcities. One such adaptation is the relatively recent development of nocturnal fisheries for small coastal pelagic fish in Langalanga Lagoon, Malaita Province, in tandem with declining reef fish stocks. The technique involves using lights to attract fish to gill nets and strike-lines deployed from dugout canoes anchored in and around lagoon passages. In the first detailed study of a fishery based on this gear combination in the Pacific, we report a mean catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) from over 190 light fishing trips of 3.41 kg/h/person. This figure is two to five times higher than CPUE's obtained for reef-associated fisheries in Solomon Islands, including sites with much lower population and market pressures. The main targets of the light fishery were clupeids, along with small carangids, small sphyraenids and small scombrids. Interviews with fishers revealed there were regular seasonal fluctuations in the abundance of the dominant species (Amblygaster sirm, the Spotted Sardinella) but no long-term (i.e. decadal) variation. Langalanga people now rely heavily on this high-yielding fishery for subsistence and cash, and some said they would need to relocate in search of alternate livelihoods if it did not exist. The high fecundity, rapid growth, early maturation and short life span of the key target species indicate that stocks are likely to be much more resilient than those of most reef-associated species. Many aspects of the behaviour and ecology of the key species remain poorly understood. However we argue that this study should encourage more scientists and fishery managers to think beyond reef-centric and larval connectivity-based models of tropical coastal fishery production and food security, and to pay much closer attention to biological oceanographic processes, including nutrient inputs, which fundamentally underpin the productivity of these increasingly important small pelagic fisheries.
h i g h l i g h t s • Overfishing of Papua New Guinea's sea cucumber fishery led to a moratorium ... more h i g h l i g h t s • Overfishing of Papua New Guinea's sea cucumber fishery led to a moratorium in 2009. • Published and anecdotal sources describe the Tigak Islands sandfish fishery in PNG. • Sandfish are a promising mariculture candidate for sustainable livelihoods. • Sandfish mariculture must be integrated in fishery management and social context. • Improved harvesting and production practices will benefit fisheries and mariculture.
This article describes the outcomes of research into the potential of community-based mariculture... more This article describes the outcomes of research into the potential of community-based mariculture of the commercial sea cucumber, sandfish (Holothuria scabra), as a sustainable livelihood in New Ireland Province, Papua New Guinea (PNG). Around 5000 cultured juvenile sandfish were stocked in a 5-ha trial community sea ranch. The community agreed to protect the area from fishing until researchers collected technical data on sandfish performance. However, poaching of sandfish from the trial sea ranch occurred during the 2018 annual sea cucumber fishing season and no technical data were generated. Community attitudes and responses to the fishing season, the mariculture research activity and the failure of the trial sea ranch were investigated. Widespread community approval of the trial sea ranch and respect for the fishing prohibition were reported. However, it was found that poaching within the ranch escalated to extensive fishing because community-based management proved inadequate to sanction the poachers. Increased buying pressure and higher prices led to intensified fishing effort in the 2018 season. The trial sea ranch failed due to external pressures (i.e., brief, intense fishing season; limited project capacity), compounded by internal factors (i.e., weak local leadership; community disunity). It was concluded that research into and development of sandfish mariculture as a livelihood option in New Ireland Province might be impossible at this time due to the high value of sandfish, the annual sea cucumber fishing season, and ineffective governance at community, provincial and national levels. Lessons learned from this experience are presented and alternative models discussed.
This study presents an analysis of marine resource management activities designed to ameliorate c... more This study presents an analysis of marine resource management activities designed to ameliorate concerns over fish stocks, food and livelihood insecurity in the coastal Asia Pacific region, with a specific focus on the area encompassed by the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI-CFF). Firstly, the study explores how the CTI-CFF framing of food insecurity as symptomatic of economic deficiencies at the household level reflects the broader neoliberal conservation agenda driving the CTI-CFF and serves to legitimate the latter as the natural authority for intervention. Secondly, the paper uses an example of local level fishery management to demonstrate how the logic of neoliberalism translates to regulations which fail to recognise social and political complexities confronting fishers, thereby exacerbating the precarity of food and livelihood security in these communities. Thirdly, the paper contrasts the Western scientific emphasis on maintaining food security through managing coral reef fisheries with evidence from Indonesia and the Philippines which demonstrates the much larger contribution from pelagic fisheries and aquaculture to food security. The paper concludes with a call for research and aid-funded interventions on fishery management, livelihoods and food security to better reflect the needs of coastal people in the Asia-Pacific region, rather than the values commonly espoused by Western scientists and conservationists.
Taboos that temporarily close areas to fishing have long been practiced in the Pacific as a mark ... more Taboos that temporarily close areas to fishing have long been practiced in the Pacific as a mark of respect for the death of a prominent community member, to protect sacred sites, affirm rights to fishing grounds, or allowing the replenishment of stocks in preparation for feasts. The use of customary taboos has declined, but contemporary initiatives to establish community-based management of marine areas promote their reinvention as small closed areas that may be subject to periodic harvesting. Taboo areas are now a prominent feature of many community-based initiatives and are touted as being a successful, traditionally based measure for marine management. There is evidence that taboo areas may confer fisheries benefits in certain conditions. However, there is little evidence that periodic closures will sustainably manage fisheries of the range of taxa exploited by small-scale and subsistence fisheries. This paper reviews current knowledge of periodic closures used for fisheries management and conservation, focussing on examples from the tropical Pacific. We highlight how contemporary fisheries science can guide the use of taboo areas as a tool to assist in meeting social, ecological and fisheries management objectives. We then outline critical questions and issues that need to be considered when researching and using taboo closures for fisheries management and conservation in the Pacific.
In this paper we discuss differences in the ways transnational conservationists and Melanesian fa... more In this paper we discuss differences in the ways transnational conservationists and Melanesian farmers, hunters and fishers value 'biodiversity'. The money for conservation projects in developing countries originates from people who are embedded in a capitalist system, which allows engagement with nature as an abstract entity. Their western education has given them a scientific/ evolutionary-based worldview, which attributes intrinsic value to all species (and particular arrangements of species, e.g. rainforests and coral reefs), irrespective of economic value or ecosystem function. Because this value system is mostly not shared by the custodians of the biodiversity that conservationists want to save, alternative tactics and arguments are utilised. These inevitably take the form of so-called 'win-win' economic rationales for preserving biodiversity, most of which do not work well (e.g. bioprospecting, ecotourism, non-timber forest products, environmental certification schemes, payments for ecosystem services, etc.), for reasons which we detail. Agriculture-and aquaculture-based livelihoods appear to enjoy more success than the 'win-win' options but do not necessarily obviate or deter further biodiversity loss. Artisanal use of species-poor but productive and resilient pelagic fisheries is increasing. These ecological and economic realities bring into sharp focus the importance of understanding differences in value systems for successful biodiversity conservation in the tropics.
Solomon Islanders are highly dependent on their coastal resources for food and livelihoods. Parts... more Solomon Islanders are highly dependent on their coastal resources for food and livelihoods. Parts of some islands are now quite densely populated and some groups are being forced to adapt to resource scarcities. One such adaptation is the relatively recent development of nocturnal fisheries for small coastal pelagic fish in Langalanga Lagoon, Malaita Province, in tandem with declining reef fish stocks. The technique involves using lights to attract fish to gill nets and strike-lines deployed from dugout canoes anchored in and around lagoon passages. In the first detailed study of a fishery based on this gear combination in the Pacific, we report a mean catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) from over 190 light fishing trips of 3.41kg/hr/person. This figure is two to five times higher than CPUE’s obtained for reef-associated fisheries in Solomon Islands, including sites with much lower population and market pressures. The main targets of the light fishery were clupeids, along with small carangids, small sphyraenids and small scombrids. Interviews with fishers revealed there were regular seasonal fluctuations in the abundance of the dominant species (Amblygaster sirm, the Spotted Sardinella) but no long-term (i.e. decadal) variation. Langalanga people now rely heavily on this high-yielding fishery for subsistence and cash, and some said they would need to relocate in search of alternate livelihoods if it did not exist. The high fecundity, rapid growth, early maturation and short life span of the key target species indicate that stocks are likely to be much more resilient than those of most reef-associated species. Many aspects of the behaviour and ecology of the key species remain poorly understood. However we argue that this study should encourage more scientists and fishery managers to think beyond reef-centric and larval connectivity-based models of tropical coastal fishery production and food security, and to pay much closer attention to biological oceanographic processes, including nutrient inputs, which fundamentally underpin the productivity of these increasingly important small pelagic fisheries.
The photographer is now charging real beasts, beleaguered and too rare to kill. Guns have metamor... more The photographer is now charging real beasts, beleaguered and too rare to kill. Guns have metamorphosed into cameras in this earnest comedy, the ecological safari, because nature has ceased to be what it always had been -what people needed protection from. Now nature -tamed, endangered, mortal -needs to be protected from people. When we are afraid we shoot. But when we are nostalgic, we take pictures." Susan Sontag (1977: 15)
More than a decade of monitoring the social impacts of mining required numerous collaborative rel... more More than a decade of monitoring the social impacts of mining required numerous collaborative relationships. One instance of this provided a more complicated example of collaborative research as it involved working directly and concurrently with three distinct groups of people, each group not only having different conceptions of the problems at issue but also drawing on a different knowledge base and occasionallyon quite distinct epistemologies.
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Papers by Simon Foale