ABSTRACT Worldwide increases of jellyfish has occurred during the last several decades. A dense p... more ABSTRACT Worldwide increases of jellyfish has occurred during the last several decades. A dense population of a large scyphozoan jellyfish, Periphylla periphylla, has established itself as top predator in the Trondheimsfjord in Norway, impacting traditional fisheries. On this background we discuss the adaptive capacity of artisanal fishers and stakeholder involvement in environmental management. A serendipitous discovery was that fishers report that their capacity to adapt to the presence of jellyfish in fact was sufficient. What they could not adapt to, within the context of jellyfish proliferation, was top-down decisions from the national government allowing purse seiners into the fjord to harvest Sprat Sprattus sprattus and Atlantic Herring Clupea harengus rest quotas and thereby also large bycatches of the local codfishes. This harvest was perceived more detrimental to their fishery than was the jellyfish invasion. Relative to fisheries management's choice of regulatory mechanisms during times of climatic change, we argue that by involving stakeholders intimately, the resulting policy advice will be experienced bottom-up and, thus, more legitimate and serendipitous results of a critical nature are more likely to surface.
ABSTRACT The following article outlines of an assessment of the adaptive capacity of stakeholder ... more ABSTRACT The following article outlines of an assessment of the adaptive capacity of stakeholder groups in the Trondheimsfjord region to the impacts related to local changes in Periphylla periphylla (jellyfish) concentrations. This paper addresses the interaction between the socio-ecological system and the marine ecosystem and the management challenges inherent therein by focusing on a serious management problem that is occurring in several Norwegian fjords. This is the recent superabundance of the lower trophic level jellyfish species P. periphylla, which competes with commercial Norwegian fish species for a wide variety of pelagic organisms including redfeed (Calanus finmarchicus), a key species in the coastal ecosystem and a particularly important food item for all codfishes in coastal waters. P. periphylla has, however, also some properties that might make it a valuable new resource in Norwegian waters, namely its potential for being a new and abundant source of collagen. The question addressed here is how to manage this jellyfish species in a manner that is rational from both socio-political and ecological perspectives, exploring stakeholder perceptions concerning their adaptation options and capacity to implement these options to this new resource and management mitigation options based on a set of stakeholder driven future scenarios.
We review stakeholder perceptions in Chile regarding socioeconomic impacts of salmon aquaculture ... more We review stakeholder perceptions in Chile regarding socioeconomic impacts of salmon aquaculture in the Chilean Patagonia. This is one of the fastest growing industries in Chile that developed with very limited regulation, which has resulted in significant effects on the ecosystem and local communities. After the Infectious Salmon Anemia (ISA) virus struck the industry in 2007, aquaculture companies helped to craft new legislation in an effort to create a sustainable industry. Nevertheless, some of the impacts remain and a new and small outbreak of the ISA virus struck in 2013. During this period, we conducted a series of workshops to evaluate stakeholder concerns regarding the impacts generated by aquaculture. Stakeholders from the government, NGOs, local communities, fishermen and aquaculture companies participated in a series of workshops, where they shared their different views about the impacts of the salmon industry in Chile. The analysis of this information provides an overview of the main issues from salmon aquaculture, a guide for regulators and firms about where negative perceptions exist, and recommendations on how the salmon industry can become more sustainable. We found that regulatory institutions and governance are the most important concerns of stakeholders to achieve a sustainable aquaculture industry in Chile.
Abstract “Reduced emissions from deforestation and forest degradation”(REDD) is emerging as a maj... more Abstract “Reduced emissions from deforestation and forest degradation”(REDD) is emerging as a major new climate change mechanism that could deeply impact the financial, social and institutional dynamics of deforestation, conservation, and development in many developing countries. It has the potential to influence global forest governance in a socially acceptable way. The mechanism as it stands needs much improvement to avoid the pitfalls of earlier forest governance mechanisms. The research, at this stage, is not sufficient to ...
ABSTRACT While it is common knowledge that fish stocks are declining because of overfishing, and ... more ABSTRACT While it is common knowledge that fish stocks are declining because of overfishing, and despite the equally common knowledge that reducing capacity could easily ameliorate the situation, few authors go beyond explaining the problem to offer conceptual suggestions for ensuring future sustainability of the marine environment. In Saving Global Fisheries, authors Samuel Barkin and Elizabeth DeSombre skillfully demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of both global and national capture fisheries. They also describe in depth the complex political, economic, and social dynamics causing the fishing industry to proliferate at its current rate of harvest, much to the regret of the authors (and with disastrous effects on the environment). The book is divided into The Problems (Part I) and Proposed Solutions (Part II). In Part I, Barkin and DeSombre lay the conceptual foundations for the book, first introducing and highlighting the institutional framework of global fisheries, focusing primarily on the macro scale and highlighting core challenges to both the institutional system and ecosystem. These challenges are grounded in the fact that fish are common pool resources (CPR) and “free” for the taking. This leads to overcapacity, with too many boats racing to chase too few fish. Though this overcapacity should encourage fishers to exit the industry, the CPR nature of fish and the large up-front capital investments instead create a “balloon effect” of fishers simply moving their effort to other regions, increasing pressure on other stocks instead. A primary reason for this, the authors argue, is that regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) only focus on speciesor region-specific micro-regulation. This focus, combined with the lack of a meta-fisheries organization, set the stage for the proposed solutions offered in Part II. The authors argue that the reason for the balloon effect, despite the clear evidence of its negative effect on the environment, is industry capture of the regulatory process both nationally and internationally. They make a good case for the argument that this has led to the industry, rather than the fish, being the focus of regulatory protection. They offer ample evidence that is both convincing and disconcerting. Barkin and DeSombre then move to discussing subsidization of the fishing industry nationally, which is where they argue much of the problem of overcapacity and overfishing lies. Part I ends by underscoring the negative effects of fisheries being suggested as a tool for economic growth in developing nations, challenging the famous proverb, Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. Rather than just describing these challenges to the management of global fisheries, though, the authors take it a step further in Part II and offer a conceptualized solution: a new international institutional structure—a global fisheries organization—at a level above the RFMOs. This organization would coordinate, regulate, and deal with overcapacity and the balloon problem of global fisheries. Barkin and DeSombre also emphasize that this meta-organization would need to be environmentally focused and not subject to industry capture, and they offer suggestions as to how this could come about. They emphasize preserving the RFMOs, which is worth noting, since, despite their deep criticism of the organizations’ efficacy, they acknowledge that RFMOs are central to the solution, albeit with an evolutionary expectation of diminished industry capture and more “greening” within their regulatory bodies. The key that the authors discuss for potentially opening these doors is a brand new international institutional structure for global fisheries management, that will administer the global equivalent of individual transferable quotas (ITQs), international tradable permits (ITPs), in all waters outside nations’ exclusive economic zones. The new regime would have to be an “informational clearinghouse” for data gathered by existing RFMOs, would have a regulatory function at the macro scale that deals explicitly with the balloon problem through ITPs, and would require an environmental, rather than industrial, orientation. This suggestion challenges the notion of the culturally embedded national fisher and replaces it with the economically rational one, within the framework of saving global fisheries (and fish). This book offers ample empirical details as well as analytical insight into global fisheries, and the authors demonstrate their own expertise throughout, giving the arguments credibility...
This paper explores the socio-ecological effects of increased aquaculture/farmed fish production,... more This paper explores the socio-ecological effects of increased aquaculture/farmed fish production, around the island group of Frøya in Trøndelag, Norway, as a result of new licenses accorded to the industry. This is investigated from a stakeholder perspective by assessing the adaptive capacity of selected stakeholder groups through workshops combining Scenario Analysis, Systems Thinking and Bayesian Belief Network and by developing conceptual frameworks and structural diagrams that visualize the perceived effects of the industry on the given stakeholder system. This adaptive capacity is critical to explore before a de facto industry expansion. This is because context-specific adaptation policies and measures can reduce a given stakeholder group´s vulnerability to negative consequences of industry expansion. Policy makers' a priori knowledge of these variables can lessen conflicts that may arise as a result of stakeholder discontent with top-down approaches to fisheries management and can also bring a legitimizing aspect to the political process leading to integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) in the region for affected stakeholder groups, possibly lessening simmering conflicts.
The aim of this study is to use touch-screen computer tablet technology (e.g. iPAD) and its inter... more The aim of this study is to use touch-screen computer tablet technology (e.g. iPAD) and its interactive flight console capabilities (e.g. touch screen 'sliders') as an improved method to stakeholder-driven climate change adaptation research. Climate change vulnerability and adaptation have strong human dimensions meaning that the experiences of stakeholders often plays an important role when assessing adaptation options and/or the determinants of adaptive capacity. Methods such as Bayesian belief networks (BBNs) can draw upon the extensive knowledge and beliefs of stakeholders in a straightforward manner yet are underpinned by a robust mathematical framework (i.e. Bayes theory). This is critically important for advancing climate change adaptation research and policy adoption. This project is borne out by the observed difficulty that stakeholders have, at times, displayed when assigning conditional probabilities to BBNs. This methodological step is recognised as the most difficult challenge when developing these knowledge-based models. In response to this, we have developed a computer tablet application (through the App2Adapt project), tailored specifically to improve elicitation of stakeholder-generated conditional probabilities. This app has been developed based on the experiences of the research team and through field-testing at different stages of the design process, including application to a real-world example. The development of this app and usage of this rapidly emerging technology in stakeholder engagement process will lead to significant improvement of using BBNs as a methodological approach to climate change adaptation research.
ABSTRACT Work migration is increasing in Norway, particularly in the production sector of the aqu... more ABSTRACT Work migration is increasing in Norway, particularly in the production sector of the aquaculture industry. This sector is growing rapidly and manual labor needed in the industry is consistently being sought through Eastern European networks and temp-agencies. This article looks at the island community of Frøya, in Sør Trøndelag in Norway, where around 20% of the population is of foreign descent, and where stakeholders in the production line experience a lack of upward mobility due to their lack of Norwegian language skills, and the insecure nature of their employment status. The capacity of the island community to adapt to a 3-fold increase in aquaculture production will depend on this segment of society as well being able to adjust, and on their inclusiveness in society. Based on a stakeholder driven workshop looking at the perceptions of a set of foreign workers in the aquaculture industry,segmented labor market theory was applied to the experience of the workers. The priority issues of the migrant population of Frøya involved in the aquaculture industry was also explained, and their wish for upward mobility and job security, as well as inclusiveness in society elaborated upon. This upward mobility, however, would lead to the bottom segment of the labor market on Frøya – the aquaculture production line – to have to be filled with another lower segment group of workers.
ABSTRACT The following article outlines of an assessment of the adaptive capacity of stakeholder ... more ABSTRACT The following article outlines of an assessment of the adaptive capacity of stakeholder groups in the Trondheimsfjord region to the impacts related to local changes in Periphylla periphylla (jellyfish) concentrations. This paper addresses the interaction between the socio-ecological system and the marine ecosystem and the management challenges inherent therein by focusing on a serious management problem that is occurring in several Norwegian fjords. This is the recent superabundance of the lower trophic level jellyfish species P. periphylla, which competes with commercial Norwegian fish species for a wide variety of pelagic organisms including redfeed (Calanus finmarchicus), a key species in the coastal ecosystem and a particularly important food item for all codfishes in coastal waters. P. periphylla has, however, also some properties that might make it a valuable new resource in Norwegian waters, namely its potential for being a new and abundant source of collagen. The question addressed here is how to manage this jellyfish species in a manner that is rational from both socio-political and ecological perspectives, exploring stakeholder perceptions concerning their adaptation options and capacity to implement these options to this new resource and management mitigation options based on a set of stakeholder driven future scenarios.
ABSTRACT Worldwide increases of jellyfish has occurred during the last several decades. A dense p... more ABSTRACT Worldwide increases of jellyfish has occurred during the last several decades. A dense population of a large scyphozoan jellyfish, Periphylla periphylla, has established itself as top predator in the Trondheimsfjord in Norway, impacting traditional fisheries. On this background we discuss the adaptive capacity of artisanal fishers and stakeholder involvement in environmental management. A serendipitous discovery was that fishers report that their capacity to adapt to the presence of jellyfish in fact was sufficient. What they could not adapt to, within the context of jellyfish proliferation, was top-down decisions from the national government allowing purse seiners into the fjord to harvest Sprat Sprattus sprattus and Atlantic Herring Clupea harengus rest quotas and thereby also large bycatches of the local codfishes. This harvest was perceived more detrimental to their fishery than was the jellyfish invasion. Relative to fisheries management's choice of regulatory mechanisms during times of climatic change, we argue that by involving stakeholders intimately, the resulting policy advice will be experienced bottom-up and, thus, more legitimate and serendipitous results of a critical nature are more likely to surface.
Aquaculture expansion is a political priority in Norway, despite simmering conflicts and competin... more Aquaculture expansion is a political priority in Norway, despite simmering conflicts and competing claims. We expand on this hypothesis and analyze the Norwegian governance system by adding stakeholder theory in case of a simulated model of the effects of municipal coastal zone planning in the municipality of Frøya, Norway. One cannot analyze the governance system in Norway without fully comprehending the perspectives of the stakeholders involved. Different stakeholders will react and respond differently and have conflicting presumptions basing their actions towards the planning process for coastal areas. They will also have different levels of power and abilities to influence the system. The article presents the interdisciplinary, first generation development of an agent based simulation model that mimics the outcomes of coastal zone planning for a stakeholder groups, the commercial fishers and the aquaculture industry, based on qualitative input from legislation, regulations and stakeholder workshops. We proceed with verifying the applicability of this simulator in light of the key actors involved, namely the commercial fishers. We found that the simulator had two outcomes for the commercial fishers that were consistently recurring, namely "collapse" and "stability", based on the simulated occurrences of complaints by the stakeholders, with the latter being the de facto perceptions of actuality by the commercial fishers. Using stakeholder theory, we argue that the aquaculture industry’s role has the saliency of an Important Stakeholder in Frøya has steered the commercial fishers, who has the role of Dependent Stakeholders according to stakeholder theory, to no longer see any legitimacy in the process in that their complaints were never upheld because of their lack of the attribute Power.
ABSTRACT Worldwide increases of jellyfish has occurred during the last several decades. A dense p... more ABSTRACT Worldwide increases of jellyfish has occurred during the last several decades. A dense population of a large scyphozoan jellyfish, Periphylla periphylla, has established itself as top predator in the Trondheimsfjord in Norway, impacting traditional fisheries. On this background we discuss the adaptive capacity of artisanal fishers and stakeholder involvement in environmental management. A serendipitous discovery was that fishers report that their capacity to adapt to the presence of jellyfish in fact was sufficient. What they could not adapt to, within the context of jellyfish proliferation, was top-down decisions from the national government allowing purse seiners into the fjord to harvest Sprat Sprattus sprattus and Atlantic Herring Clupea harengus rest quotas and thereby also large bycatches of the local codfishes. This harvest was perceived more detrimental to their fishery than was the jellyfish invasion. Relative to fisheries management's choice of regulatory mechanisms during times of climatic change, we argue that by involving stakeholders intimately, the resulting policy advice will be experienced bottom-up and, thus, more legitimate and serendipitous results of a critical nature are more likely to surface.
ABSTRACT The following article outlines of an assessment of the adaptive capacity of stakeholder ... more ABSTRACT The following article outlines of an assessment of the adaptive capacity of stakeholder groups in the Trondheimsfjord region to the impacts related to local changes in Periphylla periphylla (jellyfish) concentrations. This paper addresses the interaction between the socio-ecological system and the marine ecosystem and the management challenges inherent therein by focusing on a serious management problem that is occurring in several Norwegian fjords. This is the recent superabundance of the lower trophic level jellyfish species P. periphylla, which competes with commercial Norwegian fish species for a wide variety of pelagic organisms including redfeed (Calanus finmarchicus), a key species in the coastal ecosystem and a particularly important food item for all codfishes in coastal waters. P. periphylla has, however, also some properties that might make it a valuable new resource in Norwegian waters, namely its potential for being a new and abundant source of collagen. The question addressed here is how to manage this jellyfish species in a manner that is rational from both socio-political and ecological perspectives, exploring stakeholder perceptions concerning their adaptation options and capacity to implement these options to this new resource and management mitigation options based on a set of stakeholder driven future scenarios.
We review stakeholder perceptions in Chile regarding socioeconomic impacts of salmon aquaculture ... more We review stakeholder perceptions in Chile regarding socioeconomic impacts of salmon aquaculture in the Chilean Patagonia. This is one of the fastest growing industries in Chile that developed with very limited regulation, which has resulted in significant effects on the ecosystem and local communities. After the Infectious Salmon Anemia (ISA) virus struck the industry in 2007, aquaculture companies helped to craft new legislation in an effort to create a sustainable industry. Nevertheless, some of the impacts remain and a new and small outbreak of the ISA virus struck in 2013. During this period, we conducted a series of workshops to evaluate stakeholder concerns regarding the impacts generated by aquaculture. Stakeholders from the government, NGOs, local communities, fishermen and aquaculture companies participated in a series of workshops, where they shared their different views about the impacts of the salmon industry in Chile. The analysis of this information provides an overview of the main issues from salmon aquaculture, a guide for regulators and firms about where negative perceptions exist, and recommendations on how the salmon industry can become more sustainable. We found that regulatory institutions and governance are the most important concerns of stakeholders to achieve a sustainable aquaculture industry in Chile.
Abstract “Reduced emissions from deforestation and forest degradation”(REDD) is emerging as a maj... more Abstract “Reduced emissions from deforestation and forest degradation”(REDD) is emerging as a major new climate change mechanism that could deeply impact the financial, social and institutional dynamics of deforestation, conservation, and development in many developing countries. It has the potential to influence global forest governance in a socially acceptable way. The mechanism as it stands needs much improvement to avoid the pitfalls of earlier forest governance mechanisms. The research, at this stage, is not sufficient to ...
ABSTRACT While it is common knowledge that fish stocks are declining because of overfishing, and ... more ABSTRACT While it is common knowledge that fish stocks are declining because of overfishing, and despite the equally common knowledge that reducing capacity could easily ameliorate the situation, few authors go beyond explaining the problem to offer conceptual suggestions for ensuring future sustainability of the marine environment. In Saving Global Fisheries, authors Samuel Barkin and Elizabeth DeSombre skillfully demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of both global and national capture fisheries. They also describe in depth the complex political, economic, and social dynamics causing the fishing industry to proliferate at its current rate of harvest, much to the regret of the authors (and with disastrous effects on the environment). The book is divided into The Problems (Part I) and Proposed Solutions (Part II). In Part I, Barkin and DeSombre lay the conceptual foundations for the book, first introducing and highlighting the institutional framework of global fisheries, focusing primarily on the macro scale and highlighting core challenges to both the institutional system and ecosystem. These challenges are grounded in the fact that fish are common pool resources (CPR) and “free” for the taking. This leads to overcapacity, with too many boats racing to chase too few fish. Though this overcapacity should encourage fishers to exit the industry, the CPR nature of fish and the large up-front capital investments instead create a “balloon effect” of fishers simply moving their effort to other regions, increasing pressure on other stocks instead. A primary reason for this, the authors argue, is that regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) only focus on speciesor region-specific micro-regulation. This focus, combined with the lack of a meta-fisheries organization, set the stage for the proposed solutions offered in Part II. The authors argue that the reason for the balloon effect, despite the clear evidence of its negative effect on the environment, is industry capture of the regulatory process both nationally and internationally. They make a good case for the argument that this has led to the industry, rather than the fish, being the focus of regulatory protection. They offer ample evidence that is both convincing and disconcerting. Barkin and DeSombre then move to discussing subsidization of the fishing industry nationally, which is where they argue much of the problem of overcapacity and overfishing lies. Part I ends by underscoring the negative effects of fisheries being suggested as a tool for economic growth in developing nations, challenging the famous proverb, Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. Rather than just describing these challenges to the management of global fisheries, though, the authors take it a step further in Part II and offer a conceptualized solution: a new international institutional structure—a global fisheries organization—at a level above the RFMOs. This organization would coordinate, regulate, and deal with overcapacity and the balloon problem of global fisheries. Barkin and DeSombre also emphasize that this meta-organization would need to be environmentally focused and not subject to industry capture, and they offer suggestions as to how this could come about. They emphasize preserving the RFMOs, which is worth noting, since, despite their deep criticism of the organizations’ efficacy, they acknowledge that RFMOs are central to the solution, albeit with an evolutionary expectation of diminished industry capture and more “greening” within their regulatory bodies. The key that the authors discuss for potentially opening these doors is a brand new international institutional structure for global fisheries management, that will administer the global equivalent of individual transferable quotas (ITQs), international tradable permits (ITPs), in all waters outside nations’ exclusive economic zones. The new regime would have to be an “informational clearinghouse” for data gathered by existing RFMOs, would have a regulatory function at the macro scale that deals explicitly with the balloon problem through ITPs, and would require an environmental, rather than industrial, orientation. This suggestion challenges the notion of the culturally embedded national fisher and replaces it with the economically rational one, within the framework of saving global fisheries (and fish). This book offers ample empirical details as well as analytical insight into global fisheries, and the authors demonstrate their own expertise throughout, giving the arguments credibility...
This paper explores the socio-ecological effects of increased aquaculture/farmed fish production,... more This paper explores the socio-ecological effects of increased aquaculture/farmed fish production, around the island group of Frøya in Trøndelag, Norway, as a result of new licenses accorded to the industry. This is investigated from a stakeholder perspective by assessing the adaptive capacity of selected stakeholder groups through workshops combining Scenario Analysis, Systems Thinking and Bayesian Belief Network and by developing conceptual frameworks and structural diagrams that visualize the perceived effects of the industry on the given stakeholder system. This adaptive capacity is critical to explore before a de facto industry expansion. This is because context-specific adaptation policies and measures can reduce a given stakeholder group´s vulnerability to negative consequences of industry expansion. Policy makers' a priori knowledge of these variables can lessen conflicts that may arise as a result of stakeholder discontent with top-down approaches to fisheries management and can also bring a legitimizing aspect to the political process leading to integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) in the region for affected stakeholder groups, possibly lessening simmering conflicts.
The aim of this study is to use touch-screen computer tablet technology (e.g. iPAD) and its inter... more The aim of this study is to use touch-screen computer tablet technology (e.g. iPAD) and its interactive flight console capabilities (e.g. touch screen 'sliders') as an improved method to stakeholder-driven climate change adaptation research. Climate change vulnerability and adaptation have strong human dimensions meaning that the experiences of stakeholders often plays an important role when assessing adaptation options and/or the determinants of adaptive capacity. Methods such as Bayesian belief networks (BBNs) can draw upon the extensive knowledge and beliefs of stakeholders in a straightforward manner yet are underpinned by a robust mathematical framework (i.e. Bayes theory). This is critically important for advancing climate change adaptation research and policy adoption. This project is borne out by the observed difficulty that stakeholders have, at times, displayed when assigning conditional probabilities to BBNs. This methodological step is recognised as the most difficult challenge when developing these knowledge-based models. In response to this, we have developed a computer tablet application (through the App2Adapt project), tailored specifically to improve elicitation of stakeholder-generated conditional probabilities. This app has been developed based on the experiences of the research team and through field-testing at different stages of the design process, including application to a real-world example. The development of this app and usage of this rapidly emerging technology in stakeholder engagement process will lead to significant improvement of using BBNs as a methodological approach to climate change adaptation research.
ABSTRACT Work migration is increasing in Norway, particularly in the production sector of the aqu... more ABSTRACT Work migration is increasing in Norway, particularly in the production sector of the aquaculture industry. This sector is growing rapidly and manual labor needed in the industry is consistently being sought through Eastern European networks and temp-agencies. This article looks at the island community of Frøya, in Sør Trøndelag in Norway, where around 20% of the population is of foreign descent, and where stakeholders in the production line experience a lack of upward mobility due to their lack of Norwegian language skills, and the insecure nature of their employment status. The capacity of the island community to adapt to a 3-fold increase in aquaculture production will depend on this segment of society as well being able to adjust, and on their inclusiveness in society. Based on a stakeholder driven workshop looking at the perceptions of a set of foreign workers in the aquaculture industry,segmented labor market theory was applied to the experience of the workers. The priority issues of the migrant population of Frøya involved in the aquaculture industry was also explained, and their wish for upward mobility and job security, as well as inclusiveness in society elaborated upon. This upward mobility, however, would lead to the bottom segment of the labor market on Frøya – the aquaculture production line – to have to be filled with another lower segment group of workers.
ABSTRACT The following article outlines of an assessment of the adaptive capacity of stakeholder ... more ABSTRACT The following article outlines of an assessment of the adaptive capacity of stakeholder groups in the Trondheimsfjord region to the impacts related to local changes in Periphylla periphylla (jellyfish) concentrations. This paper addresses the interaction between the socio-ecological system and the marine ecosystem and the management challenges inherent therein by focusing on a serious management problem that is occurring in several Norwegian fjords. This is the recent superabundance of the lower trophic level jellyfish species P. periphylla, which competes with commercial Norwegian fish species for a wide variety of pelagic organisms including redfeed (Calanus finmarchicus), a key species in the coastal ecosystem and a particularly important food item for all codfishes in coastal waters. P. periphylla has, however, also some properties that might make it a valuable new resource in Norwegian waters, namely its potential for being a new and abundant source of collagen. The question addressed here is how to manage this jellyfish species in a manner that is rational from both socio-political and ecological perspectives, exploring stakeholder perceptions concerning their adaptation options and capacity to implement these options to this new resource and management mitigation options based on a set of stakeholder driven future scenarios.
ABSTRACT Worldwide increases of jellyfish has occurred during the last several decades. A dense p... more ABSTRACT Worldwide increases of jellyfish has occurred during the last several decades. A dense population of a large scyphozoan jellyfish, Periphylla periphylla, has established itself as top predator in the Trondheimsfjord in Norway, impacting traditional fisheries. On this background we discuss the adaptive capacity of artisanal fishers and stakeholder involvement in environmental management. A serendipitous discovery was that fishers report that their capacity to adapt to the presence of jellyfish in fact was sufficient. What they could not adapt to, within the context of jellyfish proliferation, was top-down decisions from the national government allowing purse seiners into the fjord to harvest Sprat Sprattus sprattus and Atlantic Herring Clupea harengus rest quotas and thereby also large bycatches of the local codfishes. This harvest was perceived more detrimental to their fishery than was the jellyfish invasion. Relative to fisheries management's choice of regulatory mechanisms during times of climatic change, we argue that by involving stakeholders intimately, the resulting policy advice will be experienced bottom-up and, thus, more legitimate and serendipitous results of a critical nature are more likely to surface.
Aquaculture expansion is a political priority in Norway, despite simmering conflicts and competin... more Aquaculture expansion is a political priority in Norway, despite simmering conflicts and competing claims. We expand on this hypothesis and analyze the Norwegian governance system by adding stakeholder theory in case of a simulated model of the effects of municipal coastal zone planning in the municipality of Frøya, Norway. One cannot analyze the governance system in Norway without fully comprehending the perspectives of the stakeholders involved. Different stakeholders will react and respond differently and have conflicting presumptions basing their actions towards the planning process for coastal areas. They will also have different levels of power and abilities to influence the system. The article presents the interdisciplinary, first generation development of an agent based simulation model that mimics the outcomes of coastal zone planning for a stakeholder groups, the commercial fishers and the aquaculture industry, based on qualitative input from legislation, regulations and stakeholder workshops. We proceed with verifying the applicability of this simulator in light of the key actors involved, namely the commercial fishers. We found that the simulator had two outcomes for the commercial fishers that were consistently recurring, namely "collapse" and "stability", based on the simulated occurrences of complaints by the stakeholders, with the latter being the de facto perceptions of actuality by the commercial fishers. Using stakeholder theory, we argue that the aquaculture industry’s role has the saliency of an Important Stakeholder in Frøya has steered the commercial fishers, who has the role of Dependent Stakeholders according to stakeholder theory, to no longer see any legitimacy in the process in that their complaints were never upheld because of their lack of the attribute Power.
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Papers by Rachel Tiller