Environmental variability and governance: The fishery of Octopus maya in Yucatan, Mexico

In the socio-ecological system of the Mayan octopus, climate change, natural variability and human decisions impact the dynamics and population structure of the octopus. Since fishing decisions have been made out of synchrony concerning the octopus’s natural response, the system’s sustainability is...

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Main Authors: Antonio Santamaría, Jorge I. Euán Ávila, Miguel A. Munguia-Rosas, Romeo Saldívar-Lucio, Julia Fraga
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2023-01-01
Series:Frontiers in Marine Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2023.1018728/full
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author Antonio Santamaría
Jorge I. Euán Ávila
Miguel A. Munguia-Rosas
Romeo Saldívar-Lucio
Julia Fraga
author_facet Antonio Santamaría
Jorge I. Euán Ávila
Miguel A. Munguia-Rosas
Romeo Saldívar-Lucio
Julia Fraga
author_sort Antonio Santamaría
collection DOAJ
description In the socio-ecological system of the Mayan octopus, climate change, natural variability and human decisions impact the dynamics and population structure of the octopus. Since fishing decisions have been made out of synchrony concerning the octopus’s natural response, the system’s sustainability is put at risk. Sustainability is a socially desirable, environmentally necessary, and economically viable goal; since it contributes positively to food security, ways, and lifestyles. The objective of this work is to deepen the study of the perception of the fishermen of Progreso, Yucatán regarding the interactions between the Mayan octopus, the variability in the environment, the governance system, and fishing decisions. It was developed from a qualitative and quantitative approach, and bonds of trust were created for a year adopting an ethnographic approach to deepen the use of language, feelings, and emotions. To obtain information, open and semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and documentary research were carried out. For the analysis and evaluation of perceptions and fishing decisions, a non-parametric test was used through the modeling of structural equations with Partial Least Squares (PLS). It was found that, although the quantity to be captured is strongly influenced by the market, the strong incidence of changes in the environment on capture decisions stands out among the results. The experiences and knowledge of the fishermen about the marine environment represent an opportunity to contribute to the process of evolution of the socio-ecological system of the Mayan octopus, towards the establishment of norms and agreements between the different actors and contribute to the construction of resilience and sustainability against the overexploitation and environmental variability.
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spelling doaj.art-f2c7394f263149c6befcc9568ffa39712023-01-30T16:13:35ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Marine Science2296-77452023-01-011010.3389/fmars.2023.10187281018728Environmental variability and governance: The fishery of Octopus maya in Yucatan, MexicoAntonio Santamaría0Jorge I. Euán Ávila1Miguel A. Munguia-Rosas2Romeo Saldívar-Lucio3Julia Fraga4Departamento de Ecología Humana, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (Cinvestav), Unidad Mérida, Mérida, MexicoDepartamento de Recursos del Mar, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (Cinvestav), Unidad Mérida, Mérida, MexicoDepartamento de Ecología Humana, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (Cinvestav), Unidad Mérida, Mérida, MexicoCentro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada, Baja California (CICESE), La Paz, B.C.S., MexicoLaboratorio de Antropología Marítima, Departamento de Ecología Humana, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (Cinvestav), Unidad Mérida, Mérida, MexicoIn the socio-ecological system of the Mayan octopus, climate change, natural variability and human decisions impact the dynamics and population structure of the octopus. Since fishing decisions have been made out of synchrony concerning the octopus’s natural response, the system’s sustainability is put at risk. Sustainability is a socially desirable, environmentally necessary, and economically viable goal; since it contributes positively to food security, ways, and lifestyles. The objective of this work is to deepen the study of the perception of the fishermen of Progreso, Yucatán regarding the interactions between the Mayan octopus, the variability in the environment, the governance system, and fishing decisions. It was developed from a qualitative and quantitative approach, and bonds of trust were created for a year adopting an ethnographic approach to deepen the use of language, feelings, and emotions. To obtain information, open and semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and documentary research were carried out. For the analysis and evaluation of perceptions and fishing decisions, a non-parametric test was used through the modeling of structural equations with Partial Least Squares (PLS). It was found that, although the quantity to be captured is strongly influenced by the market, the strong incidence of changes in the environment on capture decisions stands out among the results. The experiences and knowledge of the fishermen about the marine environment represent an opportunity to contribute to the process of evolution of the socio-ecological system of the Mayan octopus, towards the establishment of norms and agreements between the different actors and contribute to the construction of resilience and sustainability against the overexploitation and environmental variability.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2023.1018728/fullgovernanceenvironmental variabilitysocioecological systemMayan octopusYucatan fishermenfishing decisions
spellingShingle Antonio Santamaría
Jorge I. Euán Ávila
Miguel A. Munguia-Rosas
Romeo Saldívar-Lucio
Julia Fraga
Environmental variability and governance: The fishery of Octopus maya in Yucatan, Mexico
Frontiers in Marine Science
governance
environmental variability
socioecological system
Mayan octopus
Yucatan fishermen
fishing decisions
title Environmental variability and governance: The fishery of Octopus maya in Yucatan, Mexico
title_full Environmental variability and governance: The fishery of Octopus maya in Yucatan, Mexico
title_fullStr Environmental variability and governance: The fishery of Octopus maya in Yucatan, Mexico
title_full_unstemmed Environmental variability and governance: The fishery of Octopus maya in Yucatan, Mexico
title_short Environmental variability and governance: The fishery of Octopus maya in Yucatan, Mexico
title_sort environmental variability and governance the fishery of octopus maya in yucatan mexico
topic governance
environmental variability
socioecological system
Mayan octopus
Yucatan fishermen
fishing decisions
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2023.1018728/full
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