Exploring governance challenges in coastal communities through key informant perceptions in Campeche, Mexico

Abstract

Campeche's coastal environment and its natural protected areas (NPA) possess great biodiversity. However, anthropogenic activities, excessive resource use and coastal ecosystems' depletion have taken their toll on ecological settings and altered communities' livelihoods. This paper describes how key informants perceive local governance's role in coastal ecosystem health. We applied semi-structured interviews (n = 17) to key informants from artisanal fisheries, community tourism projects, and natural resources conservation programs in three socio-ecological systems (SES). Most stakeholders belong cooperative societies (76.5%). While family members comprise both Isla Arena-RCBR SES 1 and Isla Aguada-LTFFPA SES 3, Campeche PBR SES 2 does not follow this pattern. Cooperatives generally pursue two economic activities (52.9%): conservation and tourism, or fisheries and tourism. In SES 1 and SES 3 most cooperatives grant information to members for decision-making and apply norms in a transparent way. Those key users have skillful knowledge of natural resources conservation, and can identify or participate in ecosystem conservation projects, such as mangrove restoration. The most consistent attributes between them are: accountability and transparency in decision making, and knowing how to perceive, locate, and sustainably use high environmental value areas. However, long-term conservation goals for many SES actors remain key objectives to achieve. While all three SES acknowledge environmental change through time, such as decreased fishery capture indices and coastal erosion, plastic and glass containers pollution levels pose the most severe risk in ecosystems health. All SES key users worry about environmental changes due to excessive fishing, and this factor remains a priority in order to balance local demand. Because this is an extremely complex, multi-causal problem, coastal communities, local government, and the academic sector must work together to achieve sustainable goals.