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Last updated: 01/16/2009
OverviewEcotrust's engagement with marine resource users in a spatially specific framework began with the Groundfish Fleet Restructuring Information and Analysis Project in 2001. Ecotrust adapted and extended the functionality of Environmental Defense's OceanMap tool -- now called Open OceanMap -- to interview fishermen in their port communities and aggregate information about the Pacific groundfish fishery off the coasts of
Interviewing
Using Open OceanMap, fishermen are asked to draw shapes representing their various fishing grounds and then allocate 100 imaginary pennies based on the relative economic importance of each. That information is then aggregated for port groups, fisheries, and so on. Open OceanMap ensures data confidentiality, as stakeholders and managers are only able to access aggregated GIS data layers. The portside interview process is supplemented by a web-based interface, providing greater scalability. The web is also used for QA/QC, allowing interviewees to verify information and provide comments through a password-protected interface.
Tool
Ecotrust developers used the open source PyQt to write the Open OceanMap application in Python -- which allows for distribution on any desktop platform -- utilizing the highly scalable and very popular QT system. The Python bindings to the QGIS open source desktop GIS system were utilized to provide a mapping component to the application. An open source installer framework called INNO was utilized to create a fully functional Windows-based installer for the application.
Economic Analysis
Ecotrust staff calculated the potential impacts on fishermen's gross and net economic revenue on a percentage basis. Net impacts were calculated using estimates of operating costs provided by fishermen. Staff then utilized this information to calculate the maximum potential economic impacts of both individual MPAs and MPA networks proposed by the regional stakeholder group. Results were presented to the regional stakeholder group by port and by each fishery within the ports. Stakeholders were then able to adjust their MPA designs to mitigate impacts to particular fisheries and ports.
With many coastal communities dependant upon the near-shore environment for their livelihoods, the creation of MPAs can become a contentious process. The type of engagement described here builds trust into the process of designing MPAs. Data confidentiality is an important factor in that trust building. Ecotrust's outreach efforts within each coastal region, as well as its efforts to continuously improve upon the interview process, have earned positive responses from interviewees, many of whom support the process and encourage others to participate.
Along the central coast 29 MPAs were adopted, constituting 18% of the state's coastal waters with an estimated 10% loss of profit to commercial fishermen. In that first phase, decision makers had area-of-value maps provided by Ecotrust but did not have information on potential socioeconomic impacts. In the subsequent north central coast process, socioeconomic impact data has been available from the onset, and a preferred alternative that sets aside 20% of the waters for conservation with only about a 6% loss of estimated profits is under consideration by the California Fish and Game Commission.
The use of open source technologies in the creation of Open OceanMap facilitates knowledge transfer and development. Beyond its work with the MLPA Initiative, Ecotrust is supporting Comunidad y Biodiversidad A.C. (COBI) to utilize Open OceanMap in evaluating marine protected area networks in the
The analytical processes and tools described here can also be utilized in support of a larger decision support framework. Ecotrust and COBI are developing this framework to facilitate discussion of marine reserve design proposals in a public setting, with stakeholders that include recreationists, scientists, guides and fishermen.
Publications
Gathering Local Knowledge, Building Transparency
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