Local Ecological Local Ecological KnowledgeKnowledge in Its Social in Its Social

Context Context

Dr. Anthony DavisDr. Anthony DavisDirectorDirector

Social Research for Sustainable Social Research for Sustainable FisheriesFisheries

Associate Vice-President Associate Vice-President (Research)(Research)

Mount Saint Vincent UniversityMount Saint Vincent UniversityHalifax, Nova ScotiaHalifax, Nova Scotia

To Begin With….To Begin With….• Pursuits such as fisheries are human Pursuits such as fisheries are human

activities, not natural biological systems.activities, not natural biological systems.

• Economic, social and political attributes Economic, social and political attributes and contexts are key to understanding and contexts are key to understanding human activities such as fisheries.human activities such as fisheries.

• Social research has turned to Social research has turned to documenting local ecological knowledge documenting local ecological knowledge (LEK) as a way to connect and to (LEK) as a way to connect and to empower harvesters and their empower harvesters and their communities in resource management.communities in resource management.

• LEK is championed as key to developing LEK is championed as key to developing alternative resource management systems alternative resource management systems that support local sustainability – ecological that support local sustainability – ecological and economic.and economic.

• Both sustainability and local empowerment, Both sustainability and local empowerment, especially in resource management, are especially in resource management, are presumed to be desirable.presumed to be desirable.

• LEK is judged as contributory to a more LEK is judged as contributory to a more sophisticated and locally sensitive sophisticated and locally sensitive understanding of fisheries within the marine understanding of fisheries within the marine ecosystem and management context.ecosystem and management context.

Purpose of the Research was…Purpose of the Research was…

• To develop a research design that To develop a research design that documents LEK systematicallydocuments LEK systematically

• To identify and examine the To identify and examine the attributes, strengths, and limitations attributes, strengths, and limitations of LEK for key fisheries (e.g., lobster, of LEK for key fisheries (e.g., lobster, herring, white hake)herring, white hake)

• To connect LEK with marine science To connect LEK with marine science and resource managementand resource management

What is LEK?What is LEK?

• Experience-derived and -based knowledge Experience-derived and -based knowledge of the local ecosystemof the local ecosystem

• Generations of livelihood-based Generations of livelihood-based interactions in the same marine ecosysteminteractions in the same marine ecosystem

• Knowledge informs where to fish for Knowledge informs where to fish for particular species under specific conditions particular species under specific conditions (e.g., time of year, tides/currents, (e.g., time of year, tides/currents, water/ocean floor attributes, solar and water/ocean floor attributes, solar and climate conditions)climate conditions)

• Knowledge informs choice, design, and use Knowledge informs choice, design, and use of particular technologiesof particular technologies

Sustainability is…Sustainability is…• Brundtland Commission – to meet present Brundtland Commission – to meet present

day needs without compromising the day needs without compromising the futurefuture

• Sustainability as reconciliation of human Sustainability as reconciliation of human systems/needs with ‘nature’ (Cabezas et. systems/needs with ‘nature’ (Cabezas et. al. 2003)al. 2003)

• Sustainable Development as improving Sustainable Development as improving human lives within ecosystem carrying human lives within ecosystem carrying capacities (Reed 1996)capacities (Reed 1996)

• Sustainability as Conservation (Robinson Sustainability as Conservation (Robinson and Van Bers 1998)and Van Bers 1998)

• Sustainability as “…Sustainability as “…rearticulat[ing] rearticulat[ing] environments environments towards…equitable towards…equitable forms of natural forms of natural resource use” resource use” (Sandberg and (Sandberg and Sorlin 1998).Sorlin 1998).

• Need to understand Need to understand the nature of the nature of ‘power’ in ‘power’ in sustainable resource sustainable resource management management systemssystems

LEK and Sustainability….LEK and Sustainability….• Local resource Local resource

users are not users are not ‘environmentalists’‘environmentalists’

• But, livelihood But, livelihood needs create vested needs create vested interest in resource interest in resource sustainabilitysustainability

• Includes health and Includes health and bio-productivity of bio-productivity of the marine eco-the marine eco-systemsystem

• LEK may positively LEK may positively inform resource inform resource managementmanagement

Study RegionStudy Region

Research Design and Methods: A Research Design and Methods: A Results Rich Research ProcessResults Rich Research Process

• Partnership and ConsultationPartnership and Consultation• Phase 1 – Assemble All Secondary Phase 1 – Assemble All Secondary

Data to Build Socio-Economic and Data to Build Socio-Economic and Historical ContextHistorical Context

• Phase 2 – Systematic Surveys to Phase 2 – Systematic Surveys to Identify Peer Recommendations and Identify Peer Recommendations and Document Social AttributesDocument Social Attributes

• Phase 3 – Interview LEK ‘Experts’ Phase 3 – Interview LEK ‘Experts’ Beginning with Those Named most Beginning with Those Named most FrequentlyFrequently

Survey Overview ResultsSurvey Overview Results

CategoriesCategories Research SitesResearch Sites

St. George’s Bay Chedebucto St. George’s Bay Chedebucto BayBay

Total # of Licenses Total # of Licenses 304304 211 211

Total # SampledTotal # Sampled 174 211174 211

Total # of Interviews Total # of Interviews 127 159127 159

Response Rate 73.0 75.4Response Rate 73.0 75.4

Total # LK ExpertsTotal # LK Experts 138138 136 136

% Retired% Retired 15.2 15.2 30.1 30.1

%Active%Active 84.8 84.8 69.9 69.9

Table 1:Table 1: Selected Social and Selected Social and Fishing Attributes by RegionFishing Attributes by Region

Attributes Region

Atlantic Coast Gulf Nova Scotia

Mean S.D. Median Mean S.D. Median

Age 49.9 12.2 49 52.0 11.0 52 Years of Education 9.3 2.7 9 11.1 2.6 11 Years Fishing 27.1 13.4 25 27.5 12.4 25 Weeks Fishing/Year 19.4 11.0 16 18.7 7.8 18.5

Table 2: Family Participation in Small Boat Table 2: Family Participation in Small Boat Fishing by RegionFishing by Region

Family Relation Region

Atlantic Coast Gulf Nova Scotia

(N=159) (N=127) % % Fathers 84.9 76.4 Father’s Fathers*** 77.8 53.5 Father’s Brothers** 66.9 48.8 Brothers 51.0 59.8 Sisters** 7.7 .8 Sons 28.0 26.0 Daughters 7.2 3.9 Mother’s Fathers*** 57.3 33.1 Mother’s Brothers 48.1 39.4 Wives’ Fathers*** 54.1 11.8 Wives*** 35.9 14.2 Sisters’ Husbands*** 30.8 0.0

Customary Family LivelihoodCustomary Family Livelihood

• Family participation in fisheries livelihoods Family participation in fisheries livelihoods remains diverse and richremains diverse and rich

• This quality does not vary much with respect This quality does not vary much with respect to person’s age, number of years they have to person’s age, number of years they have been fishing, and the number of years of been fishing, and the number of years of formal education attainedformal education attained

• This demonstrates the degree to which fishing This demonstrates the degree to which fishing livelihoods are embedded in and express livelihoods are embedded in and express family relationships and historiesfamily relationships and histories

Family Fishing HistoriesFamily Fishing Histories

• Members of the same families have fished on Members of the same families have fished on the same grounds, often from the same harbors the same grounds, often from the same harbors and communities for many generationsand communities for many generations

• In this study, documented as many as six In this study, documented as many as six generations or 120 yearsgenerations or 120 years

• Fishing livelihoods begin with ‘apprenticing’ Fishing livelihoods begin with ‘apprenticing’ as crew in the boats of family (commonly as crew in the boats of family (commonly father or grandfather) and/or friendsfather or grandfather) and/or friends

• Apprenticing – acquire knowledge of local Apprenticing – acquire knowledge of local fishing ground, fishing practices, technical fishing ground, fishing practices, technical know-howknow-how and suchand such

An LEK ‘Expert’ Fishing Family GenealogyAn LEK ‘Expert’ Fishing Family Genealogy

Blue outline – males Black = Primary fish harvester (no berth)Red outline – Females Green = Primary fish harvester (berth)

Blue = Some fishing experience

Table 3: Basis of Familiarity by Table 3: Basis of Familiarity by

Order of Recommendation by RegionOrder of Recommendation by Region Basis of Familiarity Region

Atlantic Coast Gulf Nova Scotia

1st Named 2nd Named 1st Named 2nd Named

(N=135) (N=65) (N=122) (N=121) % % % % Family Friend 45.9 58.2 50.0 51.2 Immediate Relative 34.1 20.0 26.2 13.2 Fished With 46.7*** 27.7** 10.7 10.7 Fishing Reputation 81.5* 89.1*** 69.7 62.8 Fishing Success 83.7*** 89.1*** 58.7 54.2 Quick to Adopt New Technologies 50.0 62.5 47.5 49.6 Community Leader 58.2*** 60.9* 35.2 42.1

Table 4: Basis of Familiarity by Order of Table 4: Basis of Familiarity by Order of Recommendation for Paq’tnkek Mi’kmaqRecommendation for Paq’tnkek Mi’kmaq

Basis of Familiarity 1st Named Expert 2nd Named Expert (N=100) (N=82) % %

Relative 48.0 47.6 Friend 44.0 46.3 Fished With 6.0 7.3 Fishing Reputation 13.0 14.6 Fishing Success 7.0 9.8 Community Leader 0.6 1.2 Other 2.2 6.1

Table 5: Basis of Familiarity by Table 5: Basis of Familiarity by Whether Fishing or Retired by RegionWhether Fishing or Retired by Region

Basis of Familiarity Region Atlantic Coast Gulf Nova Scotia Fishing Retired Fishing Retired (N=96) (N=37) (N=105) (N=14) % % % % Family Friend 54.3 50.0 52.4 35.7 Immediate Relative 29.2 43.2 23.8 42.9 Fished With 49.0*** 40.5* 11.4 7.1 Fishing Reputation 82.3* 81.1 68.6 78.6 Fishing Success 84.4*** 83.8** 58.7 50.0 Quick to Adopt New Technologies 56.8 35.1 50.5 35.7 Community Leader 57.9** 62.2* 36.2 28.6

Lessons and Meanings…..Lessons and Meanings…..

• While LEK is a shared local knowledge While LEK is a shared local knowledge system, not all locals are perceived by system, not all locals are perceived by peers to hold or use LEK similarly.peers to hold or use LEK similarly.

• Heterogeneous communities of resource Heterogeneous communities of resource users sharing core social attributes – users sharing core social attributes – ideas such as fishermen/community may ideas such as fishermen/community may hide more than they reveal.hide more than they reveal.

• Family, friendship, and direct fishing Family, friendship, and direct fishing experience were much less determinant experience were much less determinant of perceptions/recommendations than of perceptions/recommendations than anticipated.anticipated.

• Local social status dynamics Local social status dynamics (reputation/success) notably inform (reputation/success) notably inform judgments of who is most judgments of who is most knowledgeable.knowledgeable.

• Retired harvesters less likely to be Retired harvesters less likely to be acknowledged as LEK ‘experts’ than acknowledged as LEK ‘experts’ than anticipated in a ‘traditional’ setting.anticipated in a ‘traditional’ setting.

• LEK social research must be LEK social research must be designed to document for intra- and designed to document for intra- and inter-community differences.inter-community differences.

• Research must account for these Research must account for these differences in documenting, differences in documenting, analyzing, and representing LEK.analyzing, and representing LEK.