The Rahui: Legal pluralism in Polynesian traditional management of resources and territories

Ottino-Garanger, Pierre; Ottino-Garanger, Marie-Noëlle; Rigo, Bernard; Tetahiotupa, Edgar

doi:10.22459/tr.03.2016

Cited by 31 publications

(51 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…Despite fishermen's comprehensive and relevant environmental knowledge of their lagoon, the government alienated locals from the deliberation process through the privileged use of GIS decision-making, a resource not accessible to the majority of Mo'orea's local population (Walker, 2001). As a result, state-mandated MPAs spurred significant political struggles and prompted resistance among locals unlike any previous resource regulation in French Polynesia (Yousing, 2016;Rey, 2016;Bambridge, 2016;Aubanel et al, 2013;Walker and Robinson, 2009;Walker, 2001). Consequently, and, as this current study suggests, absence of local cooperation might ultimately render MPA management plans unsustainable.…”

Section: Temporal Dynamics Lunar Occasionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Westerners, developers, and tourists were handed control of large zones of the lagoon, promoting tourist activities in parts of the lagoon that residents previously relied on for sustenance (Yousing, 2016;Rey, 2016;Walker, 2001). Accordingly, alienated stakeholders formed politicized local associations to defend their own livelihoods and sovereignty, and display their opposition to government interference into lagoon management, as well as foreign exploitation of the lagoon (Bambridge, 2016;Rey, 2016;Walker, 2001). Several of these local associations support a movement to revert to a traditional management system that many islands in French Polynesia previously used, and some islands such as Rapa and Maiao still use (Agence des aires marines protégées, 2012).…”

Section: Temporal Dynamics Lunar Occasionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Vulnerability of parrotfish functional diversity and coral reef health in transitioning island socio-ecosystems

Rice

2016

Preprint

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Mo’orea’s reefs have rebounded from environmental disturbance throughout the years largely due to herbivorous fish that deter damaging algal blooms. This resilience suggests herbivorous fishes act as a keystone species in the coral reef ecosystem, and the greater island community of Mo’orea. Parrotfish support reef health and stability, and reefs support the development of the local economy by way of tourism and access to medicine, nourishment, and protection. Because island communities rely heavily on coral reef ecosystems, identifying the impact of fishing on the morphology and ecosystem function of parrotfish in a time of marine management and demographic transition can increase our knowledge of the vulnerability and resilience of these complex socio-ecosystems. The 2016 study reported here seeks to understand to what extent changes in fisheries management and off-take rates have affected the historically sustainable relationship between Mo’orea’s fishing population, the lagoon’s supply of larger-sized parrotfish, and the ecological stability of the greater coral reef ecosystem. Specifically, this study measured average parrotfish size at various fishing zones and paired Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) around the island, and then used participatory surveys to quantify fishermen observation of changes in parrotfish size since they started fishing. Both field data and participatory survey data show a decrease in parrotfish size since the establishment of MPAs. Island-wide, parrotfish also appear to be smaller in fished sites than in MPAs. Results suggest that the joint effect of zoning, catch-size enforcements and increased fishing pressure have caused a size-selection of parrotfish in the fishing zones of studied lagoons. These findings highlight the vulnerability of Mo’orea’s coral reef ecosystem to transitions in marine management strategy and size-selective fishing.

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Section: Temporal Dynamics Lunar Occasionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Temporal Dynamics Lunar Occasionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vulnerability of parrotfish functional diversity and coral reef health in transitioning island socio-ecosystems

Rice

2016

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Despite fishermen's comprehensive and relevant 558 environmental knowledge of their lagoon, the government alienated locals from the deliberation 559 process through the privileged use of GIS decision-making, a resource not accessible to the 560 majority of Mo'orea's local population (Walker, 2001). As a result, state-mandated MPAs 561 spurred significant political struggles and prompted resistance among locals unlike any previous 562 resource regulation in French Polynesia (Yousing, 2016;Rey, 2016;Bambridge, 2016;Aubanel 563 et al, 2013;Walker and Robinson, 2009;Walker, 2001). Consequently, and, as this current study 564 suggests, absence of local cooperation might ultimately render MPA management plans 565 unsustainable.…”

Section: Lunar Occasionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Westerners, developers, and tourists were handed 569 control of large zones of the lagoon, promoting tourist activities in parts of the lagoon that 570 residents previously relied on for sustenance (Yousing, 2016;Rey, 2016;Walker, 2001). 571 Accordingly, alienated stakeholders formed politicized local associations to defend their own 572 livelihoods and sovereignty, and display their opposition to government interference into lagoon 573 management, as well as foreign exploitation of the lagoon (Bambridge, 2016;Rey, 2016;574 Walker, 2001). 575 576 Several of these local associations support a movement to revert to a traditional management 577 system that many islands in French Polynesia previously used, and some islands such as Rapa 578 and Maiao still use (Agence des aires marines protégées, 2012).…”

Section: Lunar Occasionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…575 576 Several of these local associations support a movement to revert to a traditional management 577 system that many islands in French Polynesia previously used, and some islands such as Rapa 578 and Maiao still use (Agence des aires marines protégées, 2012). Referred to as "Rahui," this 579 traditional style of management accounts for local understanding of, and relationship with, 580 natural resources, embracing holistic and rational modes of enforcement and avoiding 581 overregulation (Bambridge, 2016). The ocean and the reef ecosystem have survived centuries of 582 disturbance without human interference.…”

Section: Lunar Occasionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Supplemental Information 2: Average Body Size According to Site, Location, Habitat Type, and Lunar Occasion

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Mo'orea's reefs have rebounded from environmental disturbance throughout the years largely due to herbivorous fish that deter damaging algal blooms. This resilience suggests herbivorous fishes act as a keystone species in the coral reef ecosystem, and the greater island community of Mo'orea. Parrotfish support reef health and stability, and reefs support the development of the local economy by way of tourism and access to medicine, nourishment, and protection. Because island communities rely heavily on coral reef ecosystems, identifying the impact of fishing on the morphology and ecosystem function of parrotfish in a time of marine management and demographic transition can increase our knowledge of the vulnerability and resilience of these complex socio-ecosystems. The 2016 study reported here seeks to understand to what extent changes in fisheries management and off-take rates have affected the historically sustainable relationship between Mo'orea's fishing population, the lagoon's supply of larger-sized parrotfish, and the ecological stability of the greater coral reef ecosystem. Specifically, this study measured average parrotfish size at various fishing zones and paired Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) around the island, and then used participatory surveys to quantify fishermen observation of changes in parrotfish size since they started fishing. Both field data and participatory survey data show a decrease in parrotfish size since the establishment of MPAs. Island-wide, parrotfish also appear to be smaller in fished sites than in MPAs. Results suggest that the joint effect of zoning, catch-size enforcements and increased fishing pressure have caused a size-selection of parrotfish in the fishing zones of studied lagoons.These findings highlight the vulnerability of Mo'orea's coral reef ecosystem to transitions in marine management strategy and size-selective fishing.PeerJ Preprints | https://doi.org/10.7287/peerj.preprints.2657v1 | CC BY 4.0 Open Access |

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Progress, opportunities and challenges for marine conservation in the Pacific Islands

Friedlander

Gaymer

2020

Aquatic Conservation

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1. The people of the Pacific have long relied on the ocean for sustenance, commerce and cultural identity, which resulted in a sophisticated understanding of the marine environment and its conservation. 2. The global declines in ocean health require new and innovative approaches to conserving marine ecosystems. Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) have been shown to be a highly effective means of conserving biodiversity and managing fisheries, while also restoring and preserving overall ecosystem function. 3. Traditional ecological knowledge held by many island peoples in the Pacific is critical to the development, design and implementation of contemporary MPAs. 4. Chile's offshore islands are among the few oceanic archipelagos along the west coast of South America. These islands have cultural and ecological connections to the broader insular Pacific, yet our scientific understanding of them is extremely limited. 5. Chile has created several large-scale MPAs around their offshore archipelagos. By protecting these unique ecosystems, Chile has established itself as a global leader in marine conservation. 6. Effective management and a better understanding of social-ecological interactions are currently the biggest challenges facing MPAs in the Pacific Islands.

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The Rahui: Legal pluralism in Polynesian traditional management of resources and territories

Cited by 31 publications

References 8 publications

Vulnerability of parrotfish functional diversity and coral reef health in transitioning island socio-ecosystems

Vulnerability of parrotfish functional diversity and coral reef health in transitioning island socio-ecosystems

Untitled

Progress, opportunities and challenges for marine conservation in the Pacific Islands

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The Rahui: Legal pluralism in Polynesian traditional management of resources and territories

Cited by 31 publications

References 8 publications

­Vulnerability of parrotfish functional diversity and coral reef health in transitioning island socio-ecosystems

­Vulnerability of parrotfish functional diversity and coral reef health in transitioning island socio-ecosystems

Untitled

Progress, opportunities and challenges for marine conservation in the Pacific Islands

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

Vulnerability of parrotfish functional diversity and coral reef health in transitioning island socio-ecosystems

Vulnerability of parrotfish functional diversity and coral reef health in transitioning island socio-ecosystems