Balancing sustainable livelihoods and conservation in the marine environment

Abstract

Marine protected areas (MPAs) are now a widely used tool for marine conservation and fisheries management (Charles and Westlund 2016). In coastal areas, it has become clear that the success of MPAs, and the achievement of sustainable fishery production, requires a combination of effective management and conservation frameworks, maintenance of decent fisheries livelihoods, and a governance system that allows for effective participation of coastal communities, fishing people, and other users in considering, designing and implementing MPAs (Charles and Westlund 2016). MPAs are an important management tool that can either help or hurt local livelihoods, depending on how they are developed, designed, and implemented. It is not unusual that fishermen resist the establishment or expansion of MPAs. This is usually done because fishermen may fear a reduction in their livelihood and also a decrease in their ability to access to their fisheries. The establishment of MPAs may therefore result in conflicts between fishers and state agencies. A further issue is that there may be increased conflicts between fishers and the tourism sector. This stems from the fact that the objectives and programmes of MPAs often in favour of tourism at the expense of other sectors (CANARI 2005). Research generally points towards the effective importance of incorporating stakeholders in meaningful participation for effective marine conservation planning and management (Pomeroy and Douvere 2008; Voyer et al. 2012). In actual fact, some researchers state MPAs are more likely to meet their biological and social goals if the human dimensions is integrated into the MPA design and evaluation process (Pollnaca et al. 2010). MPA management strategies that find the “middle-ground” between government-led and community-based approaches may be most effective (Jones 2002). The aim of this research project was to understand the perceptions and attitudes of stakeholders involved in the fisheries sector towards the implementation of new MPAs especially with regard to the impact these MPAs would have on their livelihood. Although there have been some studies carried out in other countries, this is one of the first such qualitative studies to be undertaken in the Maltese Islands. The study also attempts to highlight the role of higher education institutions and other various authorities in helping to achieve a balance between the fisheries sector and conservation.