Incorporating fishing community perceptions into fisheries management through semantic network analysis: Case studies of the U.S. Virgin Islands and Fiji

Historical review illustrates that humans have had a profound impact on the coastal marine ecosystem, with overfishing eclipsing all other human disturbances. Recognition of this anthropogenic impact and attempts at managing fisheries over time highlight the need to manage the behaviors of people, not just fish, when managing fisheries. This study explores the application of a software program to present qualitative data in a format more in line with a management system largely driven by quantitative analysis. Utilizing the case studies of reef fish spawning aggregation management in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Fiji, this research addresses the need to represent and incorporate fishing community perspectives into fisheries management. Through in-depth interviews and the application of semantic network analysis, qualitative open-ended responses to questions related to: 1) changes in marine resources, 2) reef fish spawning aggregations, and 3) local fisheries management are presented as semantic networks. These networks provide snapshots identifying the collective knowledge, feelings, and perspectives of the fishing communities in these two locations with different community and fisheries management structures. The identification and representation of shared resource management themes can aide managers in identifying appropriate management strategies given the specific social context.