| dc.description.abstract | In many contexts around the world, fisheries management remains a ‘wicked
problem’, plagued by complexity in efforts to obtain credible information upon
which to make decisions, establish legitimacy in governance processes, and
achieve diverse objectives. Understanding how different actors in the fisheries
governance process may work together to combine sources of information and
bridge knowledge types is foundational to enhancing ‘evidence-based’ decisionmaking toward full-spectrum sustainability. Full-spectrum sustainability
encompasses not only the ecological considerations that form the basis of
conventional fisheries assessments, but is more expansive to encompass
economic, social, and governance pillars. With a focus on fisheries in Atlantic
Canada, the goal of my thesis was to explore approaches to scientific inquiry that
result in both a more holistic assessment of the fishery system and more
transparency and inclusion in decision-making processes, setting the stage for
‘win-win’ scenarios for both human communities and the natural world in which
they are embedded.
I first explored recent Fisheries Act amendments regarding “Decision-making
criteria” to assess recent stakeholder and rightsholder contributions to current
science-policy and advisory processes at Fisheries and Oceans Canada. In
subsequent chapters, I used recreational fishing of Atlantic mackerel (Scomber
scombrus) as a case study for engaging with fishery stakeholders. First, I
estimated patterns and volumes of catch using unconventional data sources from
the recreational sector to address gaps in understanding for this data-deficient
fishery. Next, I characterized the social and cultural dimensions of the fishery by
surveying the angling community to describe their demographic characteristics,
motivations for recreational mackerel fishing, and perceptions of management.
Finally, my exploration of current DFO advising practices, combined with my
practical experience learning from fish harvesters, led to the need to craft a
potential working definition of ‘community knowledge’ for decision-making, as
referenced in the Fisheries Act.
A common thread throughout my research is the unrealized (potential) value of
community knowledge in fisheries science and management. I describe how
engaging with stakeholders and rightsholders need not ‘dilute’ the role of science
in decision-making, but can enrich it, partly by forcing us to confront the
multifaceted objectives we seek to achieve through fishing. | en_US |
