Balancing sustainable livelihoods and conservation in the marine environment

Abstract

Marine protected areas (MPAs) are now a widely used tool for marine conservation and fisheries management. MPAs are an important management tool that can either help or hurt local livelihoods, depending on how they are developed, designed, and implemented. It is not unusual that fishermen resist the establishment or expansion of MPAs. This is usually done because fishermen may fear a reduction in their livelihood and also a decrease in their ability to access to their fisheries. The establishment of MPAs may therefore result in conflicts between fishers and state agencies. A further issue is that there may be increased conflicts between fishers and the tourism sector. This paper presents a qualitative analysis of stakeholders involved in the fisheries sector and the extent to which marine conservation impacts on their livelihoods. Extended interviews were undertaken with 26 stakeholders including fishermen, divers and dive centres. The study tried to address the issues through a communication and educational campaign drafted through higher education institutions. Research generally points towards the effective importance of incorporating stakeholders in meaningful participation for effective marine conservation planning and management. In actual fact MPAs are more likely to meet their biological and social goals if the human dimensions is integrated into the MPA design and evaluation process. This paper discusses a number of recommendations that increase communication channels between the authorities and the main stakeholders and the possible role of higher education institutions in mediating these channels through applied research.