Abstract
Every community-based marine resource management (CBMRM) inherently takes place in a highly complex social-ecological environment, and stakeholder perceptions related to various aspects of the natural and social environment guide behavior in every stage of the management process. This paper provides an introduction to the psychology of perception with regard to marine resource management. In particular, it offers a typology of CBMRM relevant perceptions along with an analysis of psychological, societal, and physical factors that modulate them. Based on this analysis, we propose the introduction of specially trained local Perception Experts (PE’s), whose role will be to recognize and reflect individual perceptions of involved stakeholders, and to communicate them at community meetings where decisions are made. This empirically testable addition to current CBMRM schemes could help to increase participation, develop management measures that fit the capacities of the involved stakeholders more accurately, and hence, contribute to a faster rehabilitation of marine resources.
Highlights
In times of increasing socio–ecological pressures, sustainable resource management is more important than ever
Community-based marine resource management (CBMRM), where communities manage the marine resources upon which they depend for daily life, constitutes a common management scheme that makes apparent the essential role stakeholder perceptions play in such efforts
The main objective of this paper, is to offer practitioners involved in CBMRM an introduction to the psychology of perception as it relates to resource management within local coastal communities
Summary
In times of increasing socio–ecological pressures, sustainable resource management is more important than ever. Every CBMRM procedure inherently takes place in a highly complex social–ecological environment (Glaeser and Glaser, 2010, 2011). As such, it is influenced by external factors (e.g., environmental changes, market access, and demands) as well as internal community-specific conditions (e.g., inherited ownership structures, hierarchies, religious influences, or societal obligations). The specific responses to such given challenges might be considered efficacious by some, yet completely unsuccessful by others Throughout this process, the perceptions that stakeholders have of each other can lead to further dissonance among them. Going a step further than merely acknowledging the importance of perceptions, we propose the introduction of specially trained Perception Experts (PE’s) as a possible, empirically testable addition to community-based resource management approaches
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