Assessing sustainability in lobster fisheries as social-ecological systems : a framework and research protocol

Abstract: Global marine ecosystems are increasingly understood as complex social-ecological systems (SESs), and indicate that anthropogenic impacts are a main driver of global environmental change. Fisheries exemplify this, as well as demonstrate that the human use of marine resources increasingly stresses marine ecosystems and presents social-institutional challenges for managing fisheries sustainably. The purpose of this study is to contribute to the knowledge of lobster fisheries as complex social-ecological systems in aims towards better understanding sustainable governance policies and management mechanisms that associate with sustainable outcomes. However, contributions of this paper go beyond lobster fisheries, framing the discussion and approaches for how to use the Ostrom (2009) social-ecological system framework empirically while implementing research that analyzes complex social-ecological systems. In addition, this study enhances the capacity for solution-oriented research through facilitating a better understanding of institutional processes and how to operationalize research into management. An updated social-ecological system classification framework was developed for lobster fisheries through a systematic literature review, and implemented on the Southern California Spiny Lobster fishery to demonstrate its application. Interactions between the framework components facilitate the means for sustainable outcomes, and are often very complex and multivariate. Understanding these interactions is essential for management aimed at achieving sustainable outcomes. The Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework is used to analyze the Lobster Advisory Committee (LAC), the stakeholder comprised management group of the Southern California Spiny Lobster fishery (SCSLF), as an action situation of interacting system components. Evaluative criteria associated with sustainable outcomes are discussed and used to identify five notable SES characteristics in the fishery indicative of sustainable outcomes. In a reflective response to existing literature, expert interviews and the methods undertaken in this study, a heuristic conceptual model is presented for how to implement the Ostrom (2009) SES framework aimed at operationalizing research into management. In further conclusion, four key recommendations for further SES research in lobster fisheries and related natural resource systems are presented.