111
M. Bavinck et al. (eds.), Governability of Fisheries and Aquaculture:
Theory and Applications, MARE Publication Series 7, DOI 10.1007/978-94-007-6107-0_7,
© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013
Abstract The importance of marine and ocean ecosystems to the livelihoods
and wellbeing of fi shing and coastal communities around the world is well recognized. Global efforts have been made to prevent these ecosystems from deteriorating, but the challenges are huge, with ongoing pressures and stresses
driven largely by a wide range of human activities. In this chapter, we fi rst
employ the governability concept to examine these stressors in terms of their
diversity, complexity, dynamics and scales in relation to the natural and social
systems-to-be-governed, the governing systems and the governing interactions.
Recognizing that the health of the ecosystem is an outcome of governing efforts
and interactions between governing institutions and social actors, we apply the
governability perspective to assess factors affecting the ability of the social system-to-be-governed and the governing system to cope with the present state of
the marine and ocean ecosystems, and draw policy implications based on that
analysis.
Keywords Human ecosystems • Ecosystem health • Fisheries • Coastal zone •
Aquaculture • Global warming • Governability
J. J. Pascual-Fernández (*)
Institute of Social and Political Sciences , University of La Laguna , Tenerife , Spain
e-mail: jpascual@ull.es
R. Chuenpagdee
Department of Geography , Memorial University of Newfoundland , St. John’s , NL , Canada
e-mail: ratanac@mun.ca
Chapter 7
Ecosystem Health in the Context of Fisheries
and Aquaculture – A Governability Challenge
José J. Pascual-Fernández and Ratana Chuenpagdee
M. Bavinck et al. (eds.), Governability of Fisheries and Aquaculture:
Theory and Applications, MARE Publication Series 7, DOI 10.1007/978-94-007-6107-0_7,
© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013
Abstract The importance of marine and ocean ecosystems to the livelihoods
and wellbeing of fi shing and coastal communities around the world is well recognized. Global efforts have been made to prevent these ecosystems from deteriorating, but the challenges are huge, with ongoing pressures and stresses
driven largely by a wide range of human activities. In this chapter, we fi rst
employ the governability concept to examine these stressors in terms of their
diversity, complexity, dynamics and scales in relation to the natural and social
systems-to-be-governed, the governing systems and the governing interactions.
Recognizing that the health of the ecosystem is an outcome of governing efforts
and interactions between governing institutions and social actors, we apply the
governability perspective to assess factors affecting the ability of the social system-to-be-governed and the governing system to cope with the present state of
the marine and ocean ecosystems, and draw policy implications based on that
analysis.
Keywords Human ecosystems • Ecosystem health • Fisheries • Coastal zone •
Aquaculture • Global warming • Governability
J. J. Pascual-Fernández (*)
Institute of Social and Political Sciences , University of La Laguna , Tenerife , Spain
e-mail: jpascual@ull.es
R. Chuenpagdee
Department of Geography , Memorial University of Newfoundland , St. John’s , NL , Canada
e-mail: ratanac@mun.ca
Chapter 7
Ecosystem Health in the Context of Fisheries
and Aquaculture – A Governability Challenge
José J. Pascual-Fernández and Ratana Chuenpagdee