Dissertation research: Ecological knowledge and success in a Puerto Rican small-scale fishery

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This dissertation research by a doctoral student at the University of Georgia will investigate the relationships between local Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) held by small-scale fishers and their success in a tropical estuarine-reef fishery in Jobos Bay, southeastern Puerto Rico. The central hypothesis to be tested is that the more ecological knowledge fishers have, the more successful they will be. Highly knowledgeable fishers in the area will be interviewed on their knowledge of local resource species and ecosystems and what constitutes success in fishing according to local standards. After analyzing the interview data, a random sample of fishers from the local population will be interviewed to assess their ecological knowledge. Their responses will be compared with the responses of the expert fishermen to measure variation in ecological knowledge, which will then be correlated with their success in fishing. Broader Impacts: This research will provide valuable information for government agencies addressing tropical fisheries issues by adding to the understanding of the determinants of success in small-scale tropical fisheries, and documenting resource users' empirical knowledge of the marine ecosystem that could prove useful for future management. If TEK is an important predictor of social and economic success in this modern small-scale fishery, then this research can serve to underscore the need to integrate TEK into management schemes and activities. This study also engages Puerto Rican undergraduate students in the research, providing: opportunities for the training and involvement of a traditionally underrepresented group in the sciences, and a vehicle for Puerto Rican students to become familiar with social/environmental issues of local and ecological importance.