SOCIAL TRANSFORMATIONS OF MARINE SOCIAL-ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS (ICES)

Resilient systems are adaptable, flexible, and prepared for change and uncertainty. Most of the research done on marine social-ecological systems (SESs) has been focused on the transformations of marine ecosystems and their ecological functions. It is impossible to address today’s great challenges in global marine change and sustainability without a better understanding of how real and enduring social transformation comes about and how, where appropriate, it can be initiated, promoted or (re)directed. This project went beyond the state of the art by examining social transformations of marine SESs. A social transformation here is defined as a significant change in the structure (e.g., fishers, enterprises, markets, institutions) of SESs, and may be predictable or unpredictable.

Although there is general agreement that understanding where and how humans use the oceans is an essential component of marine resource planning and management, the associated social transformations are still largely unexplored. According to the ICES Strategic Plan (2014-2018), achieving integrated ecosystem understanding requires an interdisciplinary approach including knowledge of marine ecosystems, their connectivity and interdependence of ecosystem components and social and economic activities related to these ecosystems. The project contributed to this goal by investigating global cases of social transformation and the reasons for such transformation as well as carrying out a detailed examination of key case studies in Europe.