Exploring stakeholder groups through a testimony analysis on the Hawaiian aquarium trade

ABSTRACT

A remote archipelago, Hawai'i, offers a plethora of sought after coastal and marine tourism experiences. The same unique marine fauna that draws tourists also makes Hawai'i a major player in the international ornamental aquarium trade. For many residents of Hawai'i, the marine realm is part of their island home and interactions with tourists and tourism activities are a part of everyday life. For many residents, the ocean is an important resource and for some a staple source of livelihood, be it through tourism, fisheries, or the aquarium trade. This variance between extractive and non-extractive marine resource use creates conflicts between stakeholder groups in Hawai'i. This study thematically analyzes public testimony records, which included 1652 individual testimonies, from proposed legislation aimed to establish ‘an aquatic life conservation program in the Division of Aquatic Resources to implement conservation measures, including limited entry areas and certification requirements, to regulate the collection of fish and other aquatic life for aquarium purposes. Public opinions evident in individual testimonies are representative of the disagreement in the literature regarding the stability and health of reef fishes populations in Hawai'i and broader resource-user conflicts. This study aims to better describe the user conflict between stakeholder groups in the marine resources of Hawai'i by exposing themes concerning change in natural environments.

摘要

夏威夷这个边远群岛不仅能够提供各种寻求海岸与海洋旅游体验的机会, 同样吸引旅游者的还有其海洋生物群落, 从而使其成为国际装饰用水生物贸易的重要一员。对很多居民来说, 海洋领域是他们岛屿家园的一部分, 与旅游者交往, 参与各种旅游活动也是其日常生活的一部分。对很多居民来说, 海洋是一种重要的资源, 对另一些人来说, 不管从事旅游、渔业还是水生物贸易的居民, 海洋还是不可或缺的生计来源。这种消耗性与非消耗性海洋资源使用的差异造成夏威夷利益群体之间的冲突。本研究从理论上分析了公众的证词记录, 从水资源部门为了保护水生物项目的建议立法 (包括限制进入区域、认证许可) 到对以水生物贸易目的采集鱼类及其它水生物资源进行管治(夏威夷2015年 873号法案)。在公民个别证词里面表现出的看法反映了文献中对保护夏威夷礁石鱼类种群稳定与健康以及广泛意义上的资源使用者冲突。本文通过曝光自然资源环境变化议题旨在较好地描绘夏威夷海洋资源利益群体的资源使用冲突。

KEYWORDS:

• Aquarium trade
• resource-user conflict
• testimony analysis
• Hawai'i
• marine tourism
• marine environments
• citizen science

关键词:

• 水生物贸易
• 资源使用者冲突
• 证词分析
• 夏威夷
• 海洋旅游
• 海洋环境
• 公民科学

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Brooke A. Porter

Brooke Porter is a specialist in the human dimensions of the fisheries and the marine environment. Her work is focused on developing simple and effective development and conservation strategies for coastal communities. She has worked in various capacities with NGOs, international aid agencies, and educational institutions. She currently serves as a scientific adviser to The Coral Triangle Conservancy, an NGO that focuses on reef protection and restoration in the Philippines, and as an adjunct professor of environmental science at Umbra Institute in Perugia, Italy.