Responses to query on Fisheries Socioeconomics Data Analysis

This message was posted by: Sarah Carr
Dear EBM Tools Listserve folks,

Below are compiled responses to last month's query about marine fisheries socioeconomic data collection and analysis. We highly encourage you to take advantage of this resources for your own tool questions! To send a query to the listserve, send it to <mailto: >. If you have any questions, please contact me, Sarah Carr, at <mailto: >.

Best wishes,
Sarah Carr
EBM Tools Network Coordinator

ORIGINAL INQUIRY TO THE EBM TOOLS NETWORK LISTSERVE

Good day, I am a research officer (Socioeconomist) with the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI), based in Mombasa-Kenya. KMFRI is a government parastatal mandated to conduct research into aspects of all the aquatic bodies (both marine and freshwater) within the country, as well as on the communities that rely on these aquatic resources for their subsistence and commercial welfare. My research basically involves gathering and analysing data from the stakeholders in Kenya's aquatic environments, particularly rural coastal (fishing) communities.
I am very keen to develop both my data collection and (in particular) my data analysis skills, and in this regard wish to inquire as to whether your organization, or any other that you may know of, offers any training courses in Marine/Fisheries Socioeconomics? If not, I would be most appreciative if you would provide me with any written material relating to (Marine) Fisheries Social Science Data Analysis methodology.
I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you.

Edward Waiyaki
Socioeconomics Programme
KMFRI
Mombasa-KENYA
<mailto: >

RESPONSES
From your email I can tell that you and I have very similar jobs. Currently I am working or the Marine Reserves Program for the state of Oregon, U.S.A., and attempting to conduct socioeconomic research on multiple levels. This is a difficult task for us both primarily because the word "socioeconomic" encompasses both the disciplines of social science (sociology, ethnography) and economics (natural resource, market, and non-market).

My first bit of advice is to explore the HumanDimensions.gov website (www.hd.gov/HDdotGov<http://www.hd.gov/HDdotGov>). This site is great for connecting you with other researchers, articles, and analysis methods. My second bit of advice would be to explore the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Sciences (NOAA) websites. You can find information on Marine Protected Area management training (http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/management/international/mpa.html), how the U.S. is approaching fisheries conservation and ecosystem based management, and what socioeconomic trends is currently a focus of research (http://marineeconomics.noaa.gov/socioeconomics/).

I also recommend looking at the Channel Islands, California documents concerning the marine sanctuary and the social science and economic monitoring plans being developed.

I will surely keep you updated on our efforts here in Oregon to implement two marine reserve sites. I should have a finalized socioeconomic monitoring plan completed for these areas by the end of the year.
If you need any specific advice, help, or collaboration on research questions, analysis, or methods please feel free to contact me and I will do my best to help.

Melissa Murphy
Marine Reserves Socioeconomic Analyst
ODFW Marine Resources Program
Newport, OR 97365
<mailto: >
www.oregonocean.info<http://www.oregonocean.info>
________________________________
Our social scientist at TNC, Supin Wongbusarakum, suggested two people who have worked with her on these types of workshops, whom she strongly recommends. They are Dr. Robert (Bob) Pomeroy who works as Principal Scientist at the WorldFish Center in Penang, Malaysia (but is based at University of Connecticut-Avery Point in the US) and Dr. Christy Loper, Social Science Coordinator at NOAA in DC.
Their e-mail addresses:
<mailto: >
<mailto: >
You might also want to check out the SocMon website at http://www.socmon.org/
They have some interesting publications on socioeconomic monitoring in coastal and marine environments: http://www.socmon.org/publications.aspx

Cristina Lasch Thaler
Esp. en Planeación para Conservación
Conservation Action Planning Specialist
The Nature Conservancy
Programa México y Norte de Centroamérica
Mérida, Yucatán, MEXICO
<mailto: >
www.nature.org<http://www.nature.org>
________________________________
The university of Alaska-Fairbanks has a very robust natural resource economics and fisheries program. You can reach them at www.sfos.uaf.edu<http://www.sfos.uaf.edu/>. Other website of interest: Alaska Ocean Observing System www.aoos.org/rfp.html<http://www.aoos.org/rfp.html>.

Joanne M. Schmidt
Natural Resource Specialist
Alaska Department of Natural Resources
Coastal and Ocean Management Program
Juneau, AK

http://dnr.alaska.gov/coastal
________________________________
I am glad to learn of your effort to improve the work of your institute. I am copying this to my colleague, Professor Ralph Mathews, who may be able to help. Let him know how they can help ...

Rashid Sumaila

________________________________
Attached is a PDF you may find useful. Unfortunately my institution doesn't provide any online training courses in social science fishery data analysis. (See www.crc.uri.edu/download/Assessing_Behavioral_Aspects.pdf<http://www.crc...)

Todd Stevenson
<mailto: >
________________________________
Perhaps this may help you in your quest to gain additional knowledge in such an important science field. The deadline is very very close, see what you can do..
Fellowship: Young African Leaders for Adaptation to Climate Change on Ocean and Coastal Zones www.ioc-cd.org<http://www.ioc-cd.org>.

Victor Langenberg
Senior Advisor / Researcher Aquatic Ecologie
DELTARES
Delft
The Netherlands
________________________________
I have worked with KMFRI for more than twenty years, but mostly on the lake side of things. Copied here is Dr. William Ojwang ( <mailto: >), who you may know, based in Kisumu. William may have suggestions as well. It is heartening to see your query. Unfortunately I am not a social scientist, though I work closely with some. Dr. Steve Cadrin ( <mailto: >), copied here, is another fish guy, but he, too, may have advise on schools here that offer the program you are interested in. Finally, I am copying Dr. Jim Wilson of the University of Maine, who actually IS a fisheries economist and who will definitely have some advise for you.
Asente sana everybody.

Les Kaufman
Professor of Biology
Boston University Marine Program
and
Senior Marine Scientist
Conservation International
________________________________
Attached please find a paper about information-sharing networks among fishers in coastal Kenyan villages. (See www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol11/iss2/art7<http://www.ecologyandsociety.o...)

Ken Vance-Borland, Executive Director
The Conservation Planning Institute
Email: <mailto: >
www.conservationplanninginstitute.org<http://www.conservationplanningins...
________________________________
Dear Mr. Waiyaki, I am not involved in socioeconomic work. My Field of expertise is fisheries biology, and environmental law, with emphasis in reproductive biology, though I have ample experience on stock assessment and population dynamics. But Dr. Seijo ( <mailto: >) a former FAO Economist expert has the expertise you need and he leads an outstanding research team, he may be able to assist you.

Erick Baqueiro
<mailto: >
________________________________
A copy of my PhD thesis on the Bluff oyster fishery is available through the Digital Library of the Commons (http://dlc.dlib.indiana.edu/dlc/handle/10535/6113). The title is: Where Did We go Wrong? You need good bandwidth because it a 65Mb download.
Peter Knight