What Do Users Want From a State of the Environment Report? A Case Study of the State of the Scotian Shelf Report

Abstract

This thesis is a case study of awareness and use of the State of the Scotian Shelf (SoSS) Report, a state of the marine environment report produced by the Canada Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO). The study utilized multiple methodologies to find evidence of awareness and use of the report in the coastal zone management community of practice, as well as to investigate the nature of the report's usage. Web traffic analysis and online surveys were used to obtain evidence of awareness and use. Interviews were conducted with members of the former ESSIM Stakeholder Advisory Committee, which oversaw the report's development. Discussion focuses on the various uses the report serves for its audiences. Conclusions regarding the effectiveness of the report's publication and promotion are presented, with recommendations for increasing the awareness and use of the SoSS Report and future state of the environment reporting endeavours by DFO and others.