Stakeholder-driven conceptual models to support the implementation of EBFM in the U.S. Caribbean

Fisheries management agencies in the U.S. Caribbean are taking steps to shift from a single-species management approach to one that includes ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM) considerations. To facilitate this approach, a team of researchers hosted 29 workshops in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands to gather information on how stakeholders perceive the fishery ecosystem. More than 200 representatives from different sectors such as commercial fishers, fishery managers, local businesses, and environmental NGOs participated in these workshops and contributed to a conceptual modeling approach that allowed researchers to assess and compare stakeholders’ perceptions of ecosystem components, relationships, and perceived threats. Results show important variations between stakeholders and islands in terms of their perceived importance of ecosystem characteristics. This supports the need for collaborative approaches and co-production of knowledge in the U.S. Caribbean region and underscores how stakeholder-driven conceptual models can be an effective tool to guide the decision-making process.

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Reference

Seara, T., Williams, S.M., Acevedo, K., Garcia-Molliner, G., Tzadik, O., Duval, M., Cruz-Motta, J.J. (2024) Development and analyses of stakeholder driven conceptual models to support the implementation of ecosystem-based fisheries management in the U.S. Caribbean. PLoS ONE. 19(5): e0304101. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0304101