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

乔治亚大学的一名博士生的论文研究将调查小规模渔民持有的当地传统生态知识（TEK）与他们在波多黎各东南部Jobos湾的热带河口-珊瑚礁渔业中取得成功之间的关系。要验证的中心假设是，渔民拥有的生态知识越多，他们就越成功。该地区知识渊博的渔民将接受采访，了解他们对当地资源物种和生态系统的了解，以及根据当地标准成功捕鱼的要素。在分析访谈数据后，将从当地人口中随机抽取渔民进行访谈，以评估他们的生态知识。他们的反应将与专业渔民的反应进行比较，以衡量生态知识的变化，然后将生态知识与他们的捕鱼成功相关联。更广泛的影响：这项研究将通过增加对小型热带渔业成功的决定因素的理解，并记录资源使用者对海洋生态系统的经验知识，为解决热带渔业问题的政府机构提供有价值的信息，这些知识可能对未来的管理有用。如果余热是现代小规模渔业社会和经济成功的重要预测指标，那么这项研究可以强调将余热纳入管理计划和活动的必要性。这项研究还让波多黎各的本科生参与研究，为一个传统上代表性不足的群体在科学领域的培训和参与提供了机会，并为波多黎各学生提供了熟悉具有地方和生态重要性的社会/环境问题的工具。

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.