Doctoral Dissertation Research: Resource Management and Adaptation in Coastal Regions

This dissertation research studies how traditional resource management systems in coastal regions adapt to new regulations. The investigators specifically test for the social and cultural variables that impact how coastal fishing communities organize their resource management networks and for how these networks adapt to new regulations. In addition to providing training for a graduate student in anthropological science and community-focused anthropological methods, findings will inform the development of educational materials and training modules on resource management techniques for students and the public. In order to understand the impacts of new regulations on local resource management adaptations, the investigators utilize a range of qualitative research methods including interviews, archival analysis, behavioral observations, and oral history. Data will be analyzed using sampling strategies that account for demographic variations in adaptive behavior. The research contributes to studies of resource management, economic and environmental anthropology, and the science of adaptive capacity in fisheries and coastal communities. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.