| Variable Type | Ordinal |
|---|---|
| Variable Component Type | Actor |
| Variable Kind | Interaction |
| Theme | Institutional-biophysical linkage (learn about themes) |
| Projects | SESMAD |
| Question | How how would you rate the vulnerability of this actor group to changes with respect to the commons that they depend on? |
| Select Options | 1 Low, 2 Medium, 3 High |
| Unit | |
| Role | CommonsUser |
| Importance | |
| Definition | This variable describes the extent to which a particular commons using actor group is vulnerable to changes in the commons it uses. Vulnerability here is seen to be constituted by three main elements (Polksy et al. 2007): (1) exposure to disturbance associated with the stream of benefits obtained by their use of the commons, (2) sensitivity to this disturbance, and (3) their ability to adapt their behaviors to respond to this disturbance. These concepts are also measured by other variables in the sesmad database. Sensitivity has most often been measured based on the level of dependence a commons user group has on a commons (see Cinner et al. 2012). This is most directly measured by the "economic dependence" variable. There is also a variable called "actor adaptive capacity" which is designed as a measure of the final component. This in turn is sometimes seen as function of other variables, including the sesmad variable "commons alternatives" and "livelihood alternatives." High vulnerability in this case means that a commons using actor group tends to have high values for the first two components and little adaptive capacity, while low vulnerability would tend to mean the reverse.
|
| Sectors |
Theory Usages
| Theory | Value Used |
|---|---|
| Technical solutions and shifting the burden | Increased |
| Gilded traps | High |
Associated Studies
Case Usages
| Case | Interaction Type | Component | Value Used | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Barrier Reef Marine Park | Governance | GBR recreational fishers | Low (1) | Indirect. Fish recreationally, and fish rely on healthy reefs; some would argue that fishing cannot be replaced with other leisure activities |
| Great Barrier Reef Marine Park | Governance | GBR commercial fishers | Medium (2) | Live within a well-functioning economy though the skills and life-style choices of fishers can mean they are sensitive to changes in the common they use. |
| Raja Ampat (National Act No. 32 2004) | Governance | Raja Ampat Tourism | Medium (2) | Tourism is heavily based on high coral cover - that's the reason people visit the area, but coded as moderately dependent as some declines in coral cover would probably not impact tourism too much. |
| Gulf of Nicoya, Costa Rica fisheries governance | Governance | Paquera-Tambor AMPR Costa Rica | High (3) | |
| Galapagos Marine Reserve (GMR) | Governance | Galapagos Artisan Fishermen | Low (1) | Fishery has crashed and so the fisherman have moved into other industries - mainly tourism and a range of activities from guiding to sport fishing (Alex Hearn pers comm) |
| Macquarie Island Marine Park | Governance | Australian Toothfish Fishers | Medium (2) | Fishers are vulnerable to the loss of this fishery; but can access other resources. |
| Galapagos Marine Reserve (GMR) | Governance | Galapagos Tourism Sector | Medium (2) | Green turtles are a component of dive tourism in the Galapagos, and overall the tourism industry is reliant on a healthy park as this is the attraction of visiting the Galapagos - coded as medium as some degradation probably wouldn't effect tourism too much, but larger degradations might. |
| Wakatobi National Park | Governance | Wakatobi Bajau fishers | High (3) | Bajau are highly dependent on marine resources |
| Wakatobi National Park | Governance | Wakatobi Bajau fishers | Low (1) | Bajau are highly dependent on the multi-species fishery, but not so much on turtles specifically |
| Wakatobi National Park | Governance | Wakatobi Bajau fishers | High (3) | Bajau are highly dependent on the coral reef-associated fishery for subsistence |
| Central California National Marine Sanctuaries | Governance | California Sanctuary Recreational Users | Medium (2) | Whale-watching companies are exposed to disturbance and sensitive since they are dependent on whale populations. However, they can adapt by viewing other species (e.g. sea lions, dolphins) and since their business is not a guarenteed whales, they can still have visitors. Other recreational companies are adaptable to whales in the area, whether it means more business (e.g. kayaking companies), or hampering business (e.g. recreational fishers needing to distance themselves from whales). |
| Central California National Marine Sanctuaries | Governance | California Academic Researchers | Low (1) | Researcher vulnerability is not tied to the well-being of the humpback whale population. The benefits to researchers are not exposed to much disturbance and research is not quite sensitive to it, as research adapts and reflects the fluctuations observed in the resource system. |
| Central California National Marine Sanctuaries | Governance | California Academic Researchers | Low (1) | Researcher vulnerability is not tied to the well-being of the rocky intertidal. The benefits to researchers are not exposed to much disturbance and research is not quite sensitive to it, as research adapts and reflects the fluctuations observed in the resource system. |
| Falkland Islands squid | Governance | Patagonian Squid Trawlers | Medium (2) | Sensitive is medium in that this is their main source of income, exposure is low. Adaptive capacity is high (lots of options to diversify, can communicate to create innovative solutions). |
| Raja Ampat (National Act No. 32 2004) | Governance | Raja Ampat Artisanal Fishers | High (3) | Not necessarily dependent on the corals themselves but are dependent on a healthy ecosystem. Because fishing of coral-associated species is an important livelihood coded vulnerability as high |
| Raja Ampat (National Act No. 32 2004) | Governance | Raja Ampat Artisanal Fishers | Low (1) | local fishers highly dependent on the multi-species fishery, but not so much on turtles specifically |
| Raja Ampat (National Act No. 32 2004) | Governance | Raja Ampat Artisanal Fishers | High (3) | Dependent on the fish for livelihood, although most households are also engaged in farming, fishing is still an important component |
| Svalbard Nature Reserves | Governance | Svalbard Tourism | Medium (2) | The Polar Bear is one of many species that tourists are interested in viewing. However, if the polar bear declines rapidly, likely many other species are in trouble as well. |
| Central California National Marine Sanctuaries | Governance | California Groundfish Fishermen | Medium (2) | A healthy groundfish habitat is essentially for healthy groundfish populations, that without, these fishermen would have lost most of their source of income. They do feel the effects of disturbance on this ecosystem and are sensitive to changes (e.g. trawling decreasing stock populations over time), but they have the ability to switch fisheries or find other sources of income (adaptive capacity available). |
| Great Barrier Reef Marine Park | Governance | GBR recreational fishers | Low (1) | Use the resource recreationally, though some would argue that fishing cannot be replaced with other leisure activities |
| Great Australian Bight Marine Park (GABMP) (Commonwealth Waters) | Governance | GABMP (Commonwealth Waters) Commercial Fishers | Low (1) | Commerical fishers do not depend on the southern right whale. The SBT has undergone serious population declines yet the industry is still profitable, suggesting their vulnerability to be low. |
| Svalbard Nature Reserves | Governance | Svalbard Shrimp Fishers | High (3) | Since shrimp fishing is the primary source of income for many of the fishers involved, they are vulnerable to changes. Although not directly related to the status of the commons, a recent fall in shrimp prices has made fishing unprofitable for some boats; numerous boats are opting not to fish. This suggests that they have little alternative to adapt their behaviour. |
| Great Australian Bight Marine Park (GABMP) (Commonwealth Waters) | Governance | GABMP (Commonwealth Waters) Commercial Fishers | Low (1) | The SBT has undergone serious population declines yet the industry is still profitable, suggesting their vulnerability to be low. |
| Macquarie Island Marine Park | Governance | Australian Toothfish Fishers | Low (1) | This actor group is not sensitive to changes in the conditions of Light-mantled albatross on Macquarie Island. |
| Heard and McDonald Islands Marine Reserve | Governance | Australian Toothfish Fishers | Low (1) | HIMI toothfish fishers are not sensitive to changes in the conditions of light-mantled albatross in the HIMI region. |
| Heard and McDonald Islands Marine Reserve | Governance | Australian Toothfish Fishers | Medium (2) | Fishers are vulnerable to the loss of this fishery; but can access other resources. |
| Great Australian Bight Marine Park (GABMP) (Commonwealth Waters) | Governance | GABMP (Commonwealth Waters) Commercial Fishers | Low (1) | Commerical fishers do not depend on the Australian sealion. The SBT has undergone serious population declines yet the industry is still profitable, suggesting their vulnerability to be low. |
| Svalbard Nature Reserves | Governance | Svalbard Tourism | Low (1) | Kittiwake population declines would be unlikely to impact numbers of tourists or revenue. |
| Great Barrier Reef Marine Park | Governance | GBR commercial fishers | Medium (2) | Some target species are dependent on coral cover and structure for their productivities and resilience. Coral decline can lead to fisheries impacts in the long term. |
| Seaflower MPA | Governance | Seaflower artisanal fishers | Not Applicable | |
| Seaflower MPA | Governance | Seaflower artisanal fishers | High (3) | Since groupers are one of the most important commercial species for them, I would say high. |
| Cenderwasih National Park | Governance | Cenderwasih fishers | High (3) | Dependent on the fish for livelihood, although most households are also engaged in farming, fishing is still an important component. Lower than Raja Ampat, but because it is still subsistence use coded as high. |
| Cenderwasih National Park | Governance | Cenderwasih fishers | High (3) | Dependent on the fish for livelihood, although most households are also engaged in farming, fishing is still an important component. Lower than Raja Ampat, but because it is still subsistence use coded as high. |
| New Zealand squid | Governance | New Zealand Arrow Squid Fishers | Medium (2) | Squid can be economically profitable. Not fully dependent, but could cause major rifts in industry without. Fishery is exposed to management (closures from sea lion incidental take) and oceanic changes. |
| California squid | Governance | California market squid fishermen | Medium (2) | Can move to other fisheries, have finances to sustain themselves, but exposed to many fluctuations. |
| Pond aquaculture on Lombok, Indonesia | Governance | Lombok aquaculture farmers | Medium (2) | |
| Pond aquaculture on Lombok, Indonesia | Governance | Lombok aquaculture farmers | ||
| Caete-Teperacu Extractive Reserve (RESEX) in Braganca, Brazil | Governance | Association of Users in the Caete-Teperacu RESEX (ASSUREMACATA) in Brazil | High (3) | |
| Gili Trawangan Coastal Tourism | Governance | SCUBA diving businesses on Gili Trawangan | Medium (2) | |
| Gili Trawangan Coastal Tourism | Governance | Gili Indah Dive Association (GIDA) | Medium (2) | |
| Gulf of Nicoya, Costa Rica fisheries governance | Governance | Isla Caballo AMPR Costa Rica | High (3) | |
| Gulf of Nicoya, Costa Rica fisheries governance | Governance | Palito-Montero AMPR Costa Rica | High (3) |