-
|
-
Background
- The small-scale fisherman, the aquaculture firm, the
tourist industry, the private landowner and local government
all have particular concerns in the
coastal zone and their activities and future are related in
complex ways. Although they all depend on a sustained resource
base in coastal zones, their interests are often in conflict
since different values, goals and interests motivate them. Thus,
there is a need for a collaborative process in addressing complexities
of this nature and deriving a sustainable development of coastal
areas.
|
|
The AQCESS project offers
a holistic approach integrating the dimensions of ecological,
socio-economic, community and institutional sustainability.
These can be defined as follows:
- Ecological sustainability refers
to maintaining individual stocks of species at healthy levels
and enhancing the quality of ecosystem and environment. There
is a need not only to preserve the exploited
- stocks, but to conserve all the components
of the ecosystem .
- Socio-economic sustainability is
connected to the aggregate welfare of individuals, e.g. long-term
employment, food security and livelihood security. Conflicting
biological, social, economic and cultural goals inherent in
fisheries and aquaculture must be balanced through management,
if resource owners are to maximize total socio-economic benefits
in a sustainable way.
- Community sustainability is focused
on the long-term stability of communities and the integration
of the local population into resource management and development
practices. While socio-economic sustainability is focused on
well being at the "individual" level, this component
can be viewed as sustainability at a "group" level.
- Institutional sustainability is
related to the manageability and enforceability of regulations
governing activities such as aquaculture and fisheries. Controls
are needed over the rate of fish stock exploitation, to balance
present-day needs with maintenance of the resource at suitable
levels for future use. A prerequisite for sustainability in
each of the above three components is the maintenance of suitable
financial, administrative and organisational capabilities over
the long-term.
|