Abstract
Coastal management without scientific data or modern techniques has been implemented successfully by many coastal communities, and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), which is regarded as a culturally framed belief system, has played an important role in the successful cases. TEK of flyingfish culture in the Orchid Island was proved to have a theoretical basis and advantages in managing the flyingfish resource. However, modernization, introduction of modern techniques (motorized boats), development of tourism, and numerous other factors have caused TEK to change or disappear, and integration of TEK with the modern science of environmental management may be a solution to sustain the marine resource. TEK constitutes numerous taboos and norms (T&N). This study, for the first time, itemized the T&N of the flyingfish culture by category, with plausible motives explained by the respondents through in-depth interviews of tribespeople in 2014 and 2015, and identified the T&N with ecological conservation implications. The study also implemented a sampling scheme to provide the first records of fishery composition, flyingfish catch amount (about 260,000–280,000 fish per year), and the catch rate for the island. Finally, this study discussed three interrelated approaches for sustainable management of the flyingfish resource, including integration of TEK with science-based monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS), and research.
Highlights
Coastal management without scientific data or modern techniques has been implemented successfully by many coastal communities globally for centuries [1,2,3]. This management utilized traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) or local ecological knowledge (LEK), which local or indigenous people developed through their direct contact with the environment over hundreds or thousands of years [4]
To fulfill the above needs, this study serves three purposes: (1) identifying and providing the first itemized list of the major taboos and norms (T&N) relating to the flyingfish culture and plausible explanations for the T&N based on a literature review and in-depth interviews; and identifying the T&N from the list that have ecological conservation implications; (2) investigating the catches of flyingfish from the fishery aspect and from the biological aspect, to provide the first record of flyingfish catch estimates of the region and scientific knowledge about the resource; and (3) proposing an integrated resource management scheme and advice for sustaining the flyingfish resource of the island
This study attempted to understand the views of Tao people on the various T&N of flyingfish culture and how these arise to achieve the first purpose of the study mentioned above
Summary
Coastal management without scientific data or modern techniques has been implemented successfully by many coastal communities globally for centuries [1,2,3]. The Tao’s marine TEK is known by the flyingfish (the Exocoetidae) culture [7,8]. To fulfill the above needs, this study serves three purposes: (1) identifying and providing the first itemized list of the major T&N relating to the flyingfish culture and plausible explanations for the T&N based on a literature review and in-depth interviews; and identifying the T&N from the list that have ecological conservation implications; (2) investigating the catches of flyingfish from the fishery aspect (fishing methods, total amount, and catch rate) and from the biological aspect (species composition and biological features), to provide the first record of flyingfish catch estimates of the region and scientific knowledge about the resource; and (3) proposing an integrated resource management scheme and advice for sustaining the flyingfish resource of the island
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