Ecosystem service lens reveals diverse community values of small-scale fisheries

Kara E Pellowe,Heather M Leslie

doi:10.1007/s13280-020-01405-w

Abstract

The ocean provides benefits to coastal communities around the world, however, the depth and complexity of people’s interactions with marine ecosystems are not well represented in many marine management initiatives. Many fisheries are managed to maximize provisioning value, which is readily quantified, while ignoring cultural values. An ecosystem services approach that includes both provisioning and cultural services will enable managers to better account for the diverse values marine fisheries provide to coastal communities. In this study, we assess community values related to a top fished species, the Mexican chocolate clam, Megapitaria squalida, in Loreto, Baja California Sur, Mexico. We conducted an exploratory analysis based on 42 household surveys, and found that community members perceive multiple provisioning and cultural benefits from the clam, including community economic, historical, and identity values. Despite reporting infrequent harvest and consumption of clams, participants perceive the species as an important part of community identity, highlighting the role of Mexican chocolate clams as a cultural keystone species in the Loreto region. Fisheries management that recognizes the full range of ecosystem services a species contributes to coastal communities will be better equipped to sustain these diverse values into the future.

Highlights

The ocean provides many benefits to coastal communities, including food, income, recreational opportunities, and aesthetic values (Halpern et al 2012; Loomis and Paterson 2014), yet the depth and complexity of interactions between people and marine ecosystems are not well understood (Villasante et al 2013)
Mexican chocolate clams provide a host of ecosystem services to households in the Loreto region that include both provisioning and cultural services
We find that in addition to the provisioning services produced by the fishery, households in the Loreto region derive many cultural ecosystem services from Mexican chocolate clams

Summary

Introduction

The ocean provides many benefits to coastal communities, including food, income, recreational opportunities, and aesthetic values (Halpern et al 2012; Loomis and Paterson 2014), yet the depth and complexity of interactions between people and marine ecosystems are not well understood (Villasante et al 2013). Management of fisheries and decisions related to governance of marine ecosystems reflect society’s values, priorities, and desires for ecosystems to produce certain benefits. These decisions are complicated by multiple and sometimes contradictory goals, with priority often given to values that can be readily quantified in economic terms (Loomis and Paterson 2014). The ecosystem services approach is a useful tool for understanding the connections between humans and ecosystems that goes beyond quantifiable outcomes such as income and

Methods

Results

Conclusion