Prateep Kumar Nayak

Governance goes beyond government, involving relevant actors, including government, civil society and the market, in governing natural resources. Centralized and unidirectional governance strategies are more likely to fail to cope with the dynamic changes and complexities of natural resources. Natural resource governance is tending towards increased decentralization, allowing a range of actors to participate in decision-making processes and incorporating multiple perspectives from a range of disciplines. Newer forms of governance consider the importance of state-society interactions and the integration of the knowledge and experiences of non-state actors. This chapter reflects on the rationale of a number of governance approaches, including polycentric governance, environmental governance, co-management, adaptive governance and interactive governance, to sustainable natural resources governance. It also discusses the scope and limitations of these approaches and suggests ways forward. The chapter recommends that a multidisciplinary lens is crucial for imagining a comprehensive governance approach for the sustainability of natural resources.

This perspective paper examines transition pathways that move small‐scale fisheries from vulnerability towards viability. We understand ‘vulnerability to viability transition pathways’ as integrative and one that extends beyond economic concerns to include social, political, cultural and ecological aspects of small‐scale fisheries. Our findings draw on a reflexive and qualitative assessment of country‐specific case studies from across Africa and Asia to collaboratively identify transition pathways reflected in these contexts. Common pathways that emerged included: (1) building governance networks and partnerships; (2) centring small‐scale fisheries tenure and rights; (3) advancing a gender and intersectional perspective on viability pathways; (4) enhancing opportunities for ecologically sensitive and diversified livelihoods; and (5) co‐creating and co‐producing the knowledge required to catalyse transition pathways. Outcomes of this analysis provide context‐specific foundations upon which to further co‐develop a research agenda on small‐scale fisheries vulnerability to viability transitions. Insights from this analysis also contribute to the identification of the transdisciplinary capacities needed to build more viable and resilient small‐scale fisheries in the context of ongoing debates about blue economy expansion, and in relation to country‐level commitments to implement provisions of the FAO small‐scale fisheries guidelines. In advancing a vulnerability to viability pathways lens, this paper frames small‐scale fisheries transitions as governance‐mediated, justice‐oriented, relational and inherently non‐linear processes. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Indigenous Peoples, despite being crucial stewards of biodiversity, continue to face deep social injustices and marginalization. They endure ongoing criminalization in the name of conservation and sustainable development, while their knowledge systems and rights are consistently undermined and neglected by dominant policies and narratives. In this paper, we argue that understanding social injustice requires acknowledging the enduring legacy of colonization, we introduce the Ărramăt Project and propose the Maslow's hierarchy as a methodological framework aimed at decolonizing narratives and research, to achieve social justice, healing, and reconciliation among all our relations and with Mother Earth. We acknowledge the support of the Government of Canada's New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF), NFRFT-2020-00188.

This paper synthesizes the key contributions and lessons learned from Integrated Marine Biosphere Research (IMBeR), a large-scale global research project aimed at fostering ocean sustainability under global change for the benefit of society. The UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development has catalyzed a renewed focus on the importance of transforming ocean science. IMBeR’s global activity over the past decade has focused on promoting transformative science by generating, mobilizing, and communicating the knowledge needed to support ocean governance. Key contributions from IMBeR participants include quantifying and comparing historic and present structure and functioning of linked ocean and human systems, advancing interdisciplinarity in ocean science, establishing a strong global network that has supported long-term collaboration, capacity building, and career development for participants. In synthesizing IMBeR contributions, we also highlight several challenges identified by the IMBeR community in developing and implementing this global research initiative. These include an uncertain and rapidly changing (and often limited) funding landscape, the reliance on significant additional workload on researchers to catalyze novel science initiatives, and the structural complexity of global networks that can at times impede rapid responses to new questions, opportunities, and overall adaptability. Opportunities for transformative ocean science include developing more resilient and equitable funding models, fostering agile, inclusive, and transdisciplinary collaborations, and strengthening the science–policy interface. This synthesis is intended to help inform and guide large-scale ocean research efforts and contribute to ongoing global initiatives to foster transformative science that links people and oceans for healthy and sustainable futures.

A keystone species is one whose influence is disproportionate to its abundance, the absence of which would change the dynamics of an ecological or human community. Despite its widespread use in the scientific literature, there is a limited understanding of how the keystone concept is defined or measured, or applied in practice, and especially in aquatic systems. This paper summarizes current uses and knowledge gaps associated with different approaches to applying keystone species concepts to fish and fisheries, based on a systematic scoping review of refereed literature published over the last decade. Cultural dimensions for keystone designation have not been applied to the same extent as ecological criteria. As well, only 13% of studies reviewed applied the term ‘keystone’ to a species by testing its status in the fish and fisheries domain. In general, ecological keystone species designation generally follows a systematic framework that involves using ecosystem dynamic modelling. We recommend that keystone species designation should be explicitly described and defined and should ideally incorporate both social and ecological dimensions of an ecosystem. From a socioeconomic perspective, inclusion of economic, sustenance and historical dimensions as well as cultural significance would provide a more robust application of the keystone species concept. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Winter Migratory Bagnet fishery (WBNF) in Indian Sundarbans contributes significantly to local food security and livelihoods, yet they are increasingly threatened by rising sea levels, declining fish stocks, and recurring cyclones. The main objective of the study is assessing its vulnerabilities and focusing on the adaptive response strategies employed by stakeholders to mitigate the challenges to sustain fisheries and fisher livelihoods. Baseline data were collected from 2019 to 2024 to assess species diversity and fishery dynamics. The findings reveal that WBNF not only provides a steady source of fish protein and income for thousands of households but also serves as a governance model for similar ecosystems, showcasing how community‐based practices, traditional knowledge, and adaptive management can sustain fisheries under ecological and socio‐economic pressures. Research further evaluates the vulnerability of Bagnet fisheries in response to current cyclonic events and climate change, which impacts reduced catches and also the damage to fishing crafts and gears. The Livelihood Vulnerability Score for winter bagnet fisheries in the Sundarbans ranged from 0.253 at Kalisthan to 0.402 at Fraserganj, indicating an overall high‐risk situation faced by fishing communities. Several environmental and socio‐economic drivers such as sea level rise, dependence on middlemen, decrease in species richness, decrease in Catch Per Unit Effort, shift in fish spawning season, changes in rainfall patterns, different adaptation strategies, and so on. influencing the sustainability of these fisheries were also identified and documented for the first time. To address these challenges, the study highlights adaptive management approaches, including stronger community participation, livelihood diversification, and institutional support.

ICAR-CIFRI has been continuously working to develop wetland fisheries in a transdisciplinary knowledge-to-action mode to upscale the livelihood of vulnerable small-scale fishermen communities. The integrated development approach was initiated in different lower Gangetic floodplain wetlands of North 24 Parganas, West Bengal, India, to increase the fish production and socio-economic development of small-scale fishermen communities of the wetlands. Duma is one of the most extensive horseshoe-shaped wetlands in Asia. To augment the fish production from this wetland, the pen culture system was adopted by the fishers under the supervision of ICAR-CIFRI in 2021. Within a year, they received 15 tons of commercial fish, valued at around 30 lakhs apart from the small indigenous fish. It has recently been advised that auto-stocked, high-value minor carp in the wetland be adopted to improve income and conserve small indigenous species. In this article, SDG 14 (Life below water) addresses sustainable ecosystem management and livelihood enhancement for the wellbeing of the local people (SDG 3). Nutritional security of the local people is maintained through the small indigenous fish species which is crucial for addressing ‘No hunger’ as per SDG-2. The research also proves that women can play a crucial role in small-scale fisheries and they can economically stand alone, which is the main aim of SDG-5 (gender equality). However, significant issues such as lack of jurisdictional coordination, ecological changes, inequitable distribution of benefits, and income reduction persist in wetland management. The need for urgent reformation of policy and resource management systems is crucial to boost the economic efficiency of the SSF in the wetland. Training for more knowledge on fishing and fish farming, acquiring alternative livelihood and education on financial management should be brought to the fishermen’s communities. These could develop a resilient community that is more equipped to respond to future crises.