11th ICRS Abstract book - Nova Southeastern University

21-13
Diet, Health, And Cultural Links With Coral Reef Ecosystems: Dietary Change
Over The Last 40 Years in A Hawaiian Community
Rebecca PRESCOTT* 1 , Bruce WILCOX 2
1 2
Zoology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, Tropical Medicine, Medical
Microbiology, and Pharmacology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI
Native Hawaiian culture has depended heavily on the ocean as a primary food source and
as a cultural component for generations. However, over the past 40 years, rapid socioecological
changes in Hawaii, including the introduction of a market economy, dramatic
increases in tourism, and alterations to social structures and the environment have
changed Hawaiian lifestyles to a more westernized culture. There also has been an
increase in obesity, (67%), heart disease, and diabetes. In this study, researchers
document dietary shifts in the predominately Hawaiian community of Waimanalo on the
island of Oahu (n = 21 individuals interviewed, mean age = 67, 24% female). This pilot
study found large shifts in the type of foods consumed and where the foods were
collected. Pre- WWII and post WWII, marine fish made up 52.6% and 46.4% of diets
respectively, and 100% of fish were caught from sea. During the current post-plantation
era (starting late 1960’s), ocean-caught fish has declined as a major protein source to
19.4% of diet, accoumpined by a dramatic increase in foods obtained from markets. In
interviews, native Hawaiians identified over-fishing and depletion of ocean resources as a
leading cause for shifts in diet. They also discussed restrictions to fishing gear and access
to resources, as well as convienience and price of foods at markets as leading to health
declines and lower fish consumption. Declines in Hawaiian marine fisheries is the
perceived cause of shifts in diet within this community, and other studies have reported
declines in coral reef fisheries that were commonly caught in Native Hawaiian
communities. We propose that although coral reefs in the Hawaiian Islands are
considered to be in fair condition, declines in coral reef ecosystem health may be related
to shifts in diet among Hawaiian people and declines in human health.
21-14
Impacts Of Co-Management Of Marine Protected Areas (Mpas) In The Philippines
Ronald MALIAO* 1,2 , Ralph TURINGAN 1
1 College of Science, Department of Biological Sciences, Fish Ecophysiology Laboratory,
Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL, 2 Aquaculture Department, Southeast
Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) (Previous address), Iloilo, Philippines
While there is a consensus that marine protected areas (MPAs) help rebuild depleted
stocks, several studies reported mixed to negative results regarding the efficacy of MPAs
as a management strategy. Most MPA impact-assessment studies focused on the status of
fisheries, putting the perceptions of local fishing communities on the sideline. We metaanalyzed
the impacts of MPAs in the Philippines using social and biological indicators,
with an aim to accumulate knowledge of the efficacy of MPAs as a management strategy.
Under the social component, we used the co-management impact indicators as prescribed
by the Worldwide Collaborative Research Project on Fisheries Co-management
(WCRPFC). Under the biological component, we used fish trophic guilds and families as
the analytical unit and compared abundance before and after MPA implementation. Our
analysis revealed that under the social component, fish abundance, fisher’s income, and
access to resource were perceived to continually decrease, and the magnitude of decrease
was correlated with the duration of MPA management. In contrast, other co-management
indicators related to operational level dynamics have significantly improved, indicating
that MPAs empower local fishers. The results of the biological component indicated that
while total fish abundance has significantly increased, the bulk of the increase was
accounted by the non-food species (Pomacentridae, omnivores) while all other groups
have either decreased or remained stable relative to the baseline abundance. This result
indicated that the relationship between fishing mortality reduction and fish recovery was
not straightforward. We interpreted our results in the context of other correlates such as
life history traits, effects of habitat alteration, trophic reorganization, genetic responses to
exploitation, and Allee effect (depensation). The results of our analysis, integrating social
and biological indicators, reveal an alternative view of the effectiveness of MPAs as a
management strategy.
Oral Mini-Symposium 21: Social-ecological Systems
21-17
Aspects Of Scaling-Up To Ecosystem Management Of Coral Reefs in The Philippines
Patrick CHRISTIE 1 , Richard POLLNAC* 2
1 School of Marine Affairs, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 2 Marine Affairs, University of
Rhode Island, Kingston, RI
The objective of the paper is to identify socioeconomic and project process variables impacting aspects
of success of coral reef associated management projects in the Philippines. The paper, prepared as part
of an ecosystem based management project supported in part by the National Center for Ecological
Analysis and Synthesis, re-analyzes three distinct data sets from the Philippines which focus on aspects
of coral reef management. The re-analyses focus specifically on variables associated with scaling up
management to ecosystem relevant scales and marine protected area (MPA) networks. Size of
stakeholder groups, size of management area, population size, density and homogeneity within the
context of some 50 environmental, demographic, socioeconomic, cultural, project activity and project
output variables are considered. Path analyses are used to test heuristic models constructed on the basis
of intercorrelations between the numerous variables. The following variables are significantly
correlated with measures of success such as the perception of increased fish near marine protected
areas that are part of a network.
Improved coral condition (.727**)
Fishing grounds threatened by illegal commercial fishing (.372*)
Clear leader for MPA (.440**)
Population size (-.427**)
Number of elected community leaders (-.346 *)
Increased compliance (.491**)
Improved enforcement (.349*)
Strict punishment for rule infraction (.407*)
Local community enforcement group involved in MPA enforcement (-.371 *)
Increased intra-community conflict (.390*)
Increased seriousness of conflict (.406*)
n=36; p