Mapping community use of fisheries resources in the u.s. northeast

Abstract

The crisis in marine fisheries has lead to a re-thinking of fisheries science and management. The standard numeric and single species approach is giving way to more ecosystem-based and distinctly spatial approaches. This "spatial turn" is made possible by an intensification of geospatial data collection and analysis of the marine environment. The marine environment, once a site for enumerating fish stock, is now depicted as a rich patchwork of habitats, corridors, nursery areas, marine protected areas, seasonal closures, etc. There are, however, few attempts to similarly re-think and re-map the socio-economic environment as similarly heterogenous. A recent research project produced a series of maps linking fishing communities to particular resource areas. The maps were then brought to various communities for review. The results of the project suggest long-term connections to, and extensive local knowledge about, common fisheries resources even in the industrial fisheries of the U.S. Northeast.