Abstract

Small-scale fisheries in the eastern Caribbean are examples of complex adaptive social-ecological systems. However, there is an urgent need to strengthen capacity and networks for adaptation and resilience in order to facilitate fishery sustainability through present and planned marine resource governance initiatives. This takes into account organizations and institutions of governance operating at different scales and levels. Conventional governance perspectives and approaches are inadequate. Using a conceptual framework of complex adaptive system and social-ecological system perspectives, and using cross-scale network analysis (organizational and social), this research focuses on examining the characteristics of networks that determine resilience and adaptability in marine resource governance in the eastern Caribbean at trans-boundary to local levels. The results will be applied to enable present and planned marine and coastal resource governance initiatives to become more adaptive and resilient for the benefit of diverse fisheries stakeholders at various scales in the eastern Caribbean.

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