Coral reef livelihoods
Section snippets
Economic and food security benefits of coral reefs
Globally, coral reefs provide tropical coastal societies with critical economic, livelihood, and food security benefits. Global estimates suggest that reefs provide some $375 billion worth of goods and services [1]. Much of this value is derived from support for substantial tourism markets for diving and snorkeling, shoreline protection, and, of course, fisheries [2].
There are some six million people, overwhelmingly in developing countries, who depend on coral reef fisheries for their
Attachments to fishing: lifestyle and identity
For those who make their living from the sea, giving up fishing is rarely a desirable prospect because they are often attached to more than simply the material economic value generated by the activity [16]. Many analytical and conceptual models assume that profit is the main motivation behind fishing and that people will stop fishing when it becomes unprofitable. However, reef fisheries not only provide income and subsistence needs for people, but can also contribute to their cultural or
Livelihood diversification in coastal communities
Livelihood diversification refers to the fact that people, particularly in poor rural areas, often employ a range of strategies to meet their financial, social, and cultural needs. In many coastal areas, fisheries form part of diverse household livelihood portfolios [26, 27, 28, 29•]. Unraveling the causes, and consequences, of livelihood diversification is critical to understanding the important role that coral reef fisheries play in coastal societies. Livelihood diversification is often part
A future research agenda for coral reef-dependent livelihoods
Coral reef-dependent livelihoods operate at the intersection of complex ecological, environmental, and social processes. In this article, I have highlighted some of the emerging social science research on key aspects of why people fish, and remain in the fishery even as stocks and profits decline below economic viability. However, these issues are often not considered by donors, managers and policy-makers when developing policies aimed at reducing fishing pressure, which is why many such
Conclusions
Livelihood-related issues, such as people's attachment to fishing and the diversity of their livelihood portfolios, have profound implications for the conservation and sustainable use of coral reefs. Yet, there is surprisingly little research that has focused on understanding reef-dependent livelihoods. What we do know is complex and sometimes counterintuitive. The common narrative in marine conservation is that reefs would be more sustainable if less people used them, thus we should seek to
References and recommended reading
Papers of particular interest, published within the period of review, have been highlighted as:
• of special interest
•• of outstanding interest
Acknowledgements
Support was provided by the Australia Research Council. Thanks to C. Barrett, C. Hicks, N. Marshall, and J. Kittinger for helpful comments on an early version of this manuscript.
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