Xavier Basurto

All Publications

• Markets, states, and social movements shape commoning and commons JOURNAL OF RURAL STUDIES Gladstone, F., Agrawal, A., Basurto, X. 2026; 124

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.jrurstud.2026.104055

  View details for Web of Science ID 001718312600001

• Governance Arrangements That Fit Social-Ecological Context Are Associated With Fishery Sustainability FISH AND FISHERIES Nenadovic, M., Giron, A., Frawley, T., Munguia-vega, A., Pellowe, K. E., Ferrer, E., Gill, D., Gonzalez-mon, B., Johnson, A. F., Lindkvist, E., Micheli, F., Weaver, A. H., Aburto, O., Flores-morales, A., Gladstone, F., Mansfield, E., Marinone, G., Pares-sierra, A., Quintana, A., Reilly Moman, J., Rodriguez Van Dyck, S., Schlueter, M., Torre, J., Vollan, B., Leslie, H. M., Basurto, X. 2026

  View details for DOI 10.1111/faf.70060

  View details for Web of Science ID 001660822900001

• Five archetypes of small-scale fisheries reveal a continuum of production strategies to guide governance and policymaking. Nature food Aguión, A., Basurto, X., Funge-Smith, S., Gorelli, G., Iversen, E., Mancha-Cisneros, M. D., Gutierrez, N. L. 2025

  Abstract

  The diversity of small-scale producers is often oversimplified, limiting their contribution to effective food systems transformation and positive impact on global development. Here we analyse data for more than 1,000 small-scale marine fisheries, representing two-thirds of the global marine small-scale fisheries catch, and identify five global archetypes defined by operational, socioeconomic, technological and post-harvest attributes. We then apply the Five Principles of Sustainable Food and Agriculture, developed by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, as a guiding framework for policy recommendations that link Sustainable Development Goals targets with context-specific needs and apply to each of these archetypes. This approach recognises the multidimensional contributions of small-scale fisheries and offers a low-cost, easy-to-implement solution that supports decision-making in data-limited contexts, particularly in the global south. Additionally, the approach is potentially transferable to small-scale producers in other food sectors, facilitating targeted policymaking for the benefit of millions globally.

  View details for DOI 10.1038/s43016-025-01237-5

  View details for PubMedID 41087535

  View details for PubMedCentralID 8825297

• Designing gender-inclusive data systems in small-scale fisheries. Ambio Harper, S. J., Williams, M., Kleiber, D., Axelrod, M., Mangubhai, S., Torell, E., Macho, G., Fakoya, K., Gopal, N., Ojea, E., Lawless, S., Franz, N., de la Torre Castro, M., Deeg, C., Gustavsson, M., Oloko, A., Atkins, M., Basurto, X., Soejima, K., Ferrer, A. J., Del Mar Mancha-Cisneros, M., Pedroza, C., Choudhury, A., Cohen, P. J., Siegelman, B., Bradford, K., Duffy-Tumasz, A., Frocklin, S., Gee, J., Kusakabe, K., Appiah, S., Manyungwa-Pasani, C., Virdin, J., Sutaria, S. S., Siyanbola, O., McDougall, C. 2025

  Abstract

  Gender equality is a ubiquitous national goal, yet sectoral gender data gaps to support this goal persist. These gaps are both structural and sexist, concealing women's contributions and impeding actions that would strengthen livelihoods and economic development, food security, and environmental sustainability. The small-scale fisheries sector offers a cogent example of this phenomenon. Building on lessons from the Illuminating Hidden Harvests initiative, we identify systemic changes and specific indicators needed to fill these gaps. This requires multiple data streams, many of which come from outside fisheries agencies, e.g., government statistical or census organizations, sourced from responsible agencies across multiple areas-economy and environment, governance and support services, and health and nutrition. Closing gender data gaps requires making the policy case and working across agencies to create an enabling institutional environment. Only then can data reflect and respond to the lives of the~500 million people who depend on small-scale fisheries.

  View details for DOI 10.1007/s13280-025-02250-5

  View details for PubMedID 41004116

• Governing access and agency: cooperative and non-cooperative forms influence small-scale fisher livelihood vulnerability and adaptation ECOLOGY AND SOCIETY Gladstone, F. J., Basurto, X., Frawley, T., Nadovic, M., Navarro, J., Rodriguez-Van Dyck, S., Weaver, A., Micheli, F., Torre, J., Leslie, H. M. 2025; 30 (3)

  View details for DOI 10.5751/ES-15964-300323

  View details for Web of Science ID 001555674100001

• Illuminating the multidimensional contributions of small-scale fisheries. Nature Basurto, X., Gutierrez, N. L., Franz, N., Mancha-Cisneros, M. D., Gorelli, G., Aguión, A., Funge-Smith, S., Harper, S., Mills, D. J., Nico, G., Tilley, A., Vannuccini, S., Virdin, J., Westlund, L., Allison, E. H., Anderson, C. M., Baio, A., Cinner, J., Fabinyi, M., Hicks, C. C., Kolding, J., Melnychuk, M. C., Ovando, D., Parma, A. M., Robinson, J. P., H Thilsted, S. 2025

  Abstract

  Sustainable development aspires to "leave no one behind"1. Even so, limited attention has been paid to small-scale fisheries (SSF) and their importance in eradicating poverty, hunger and malnutrition. Through a collaborative and multidimensional data-driven approach, we have estimated that SSF provide at least 40% (37.3 million tonnes) of global fisheries catches and 2.3 billion people with, on average, 20% of their dietary intake across six key micronutrients essential for human health. Globally, the livelihood of 1 in every 12 people, nearly half of them women, depends at least partly on small-scale fishing, in total generating 44% (US$77.2 billion) of the economic value of all fisheries landed. Regionally, Asian SSF provide fish, support livelihoods and supply nutrition to the largest number of people. Relative to the total capture of the fisheries sector (comprising large-scale and small-scale fisheries), across all regions, African SSF supply the most catch and nutrition, and SSF in Oceania improve the most livelihoods. Maintaining and increasing these multidimensional SSF contributions to sustainable development requires targeted and effective actions, especially increasing the engagement of fisherfolk in shared management and governance. Without management and governance focused on the multidimensional contributions of SSF, the marginalization of millions of fishers and fishworkers will worsen.

  View details for DOI 10.1038/s41586-024-08448-z

  View details for PubMedID 39814892

  View details for PubMedCentralID 7811336

• A global assessment of preferential access areas for small-scale fisheries NPJ OCEAN SUSTAINABILITY Basurto, X., Virdin, J., Franz, N., DeLand, S., Smith, B., Cleary, J., Vegh, T., Halpin, P. 2024; 3 (1)

  View details for DOI 10.1038/s44183-024-00096-0

  View details for Web of Science ID 001578280800001

• Self-governance mediates small-scale fishing strategies, vulnerability and adaptive response GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE-HUMAN AND POLICY DIMENSIONS Frawley, T. H., Gonzalez-Mon, B., Nenadovic, M., Gladstone, F., Nomura, K., Zepeda-Dominguez, J., Rodriguez-Van Dyck, S., Ferrer, E. M., Torre, J., Micheli, F., Leslie, H. M., Basurto, X. 2024; 84

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2024.102805

  View details for Web of Science ID 001183898400001

• Effective climate change adaptation means supporting community autonomy NATURE CLIMATE CHANGE Pisor, A. C., Basurto, X., Douglass, K. G., Mach, K. J., Ready, E., Tylianakis, J. M., Hazel, A., Kline, M. A., Kramer, K. L., Lansing, J., Moritz, M., Smaldino, P. E., Thornton, T. F., Jones, J. 2022

  View details for DOI 10.1038/s41558-022-01303-x

  View details for Web of Science ID 000762251300001

• Recognize fish as food in policy discourse and development funding AMBIO Bennett, A., Basurto, X., Virdin, J., Lin, X., Betances, S. J., Smith, M. D., Allison, E. H., Best, B. A., Brownell, K. D., Campbell, L. M., Golden, C. D., Havice, E., Hicks, C. C., Jacques, P. J., Kleisner, K., Lindquist, N., Lobo, R., Murray, G. D., Nowlin, M., Patil, P. G., Rader, D. N., Roady, S. E., Thilsted, S. H., Zoubek, S. 2021; 50 (5): 981-989

  Abstract

  The international development community is off-track from meeting targets for alleviating global malnutrition. Meanwhile, there is growing consensus across scientific disciplines that fish plays a crucial role in food and nutrition security. However, this 'fish as food' perspective has yet to translate into policy and development funding priorities. We argue that the traditional framing of fish as a natural resource emphasizes economic development and biodiversity conservation objectives, whereas situating fish within a food systems perspective can lead to innovative policies and investments that promote nutrition-sensitive and socially equitable capture fisheries and aquaculture. This paper highlights four pillars of research needs and policy directions toward this end. Ultimately, recognizing and working to enhance the role of fish in alleviating hunger and malnutrition can provide an additional long-term development incentive, beyond revenue generation and biodiversity conservation, for governments, international development organizations, and society more broadly to invest in the sustainability of capture fisheries and aquaculture.

  View details for DOI 10.1007/s13280-020-01451-4

  View details for Web of Science ID 000608089800001

  View details for PubMedID 33454882

  View details for PubMedCentralID PMC7811336

• Defining Small-Scale Fisheries and Examining the Role of Science in Shaping Perceptions of Who and What Counts: A Systematic Review FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE Smith, H., Basurto, X. 2019; 6

  View details for DOI 10.3389/fmars.2019.00236

  View details for Web of Science ID 000467019300002

• SOCIAL SCIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY. Engage key social concepts for sustainability. Science Hicks, C. C., Levine, A., Agrawal, A., Basurto, X., Breslow, S. J., Carothers, C., Charnley, S., Coulthard, S., Dolsak, N., Donatuto, J., Garcia-Quijano, C., Mascia, M. B., Norman, K., Poe, M. R., Satterfield, T., St Martin, K., Levin, P. S. 2016; 352 (6281): 38-40

  View details for DOI 10.1126/science.aad4977

  View details for PubMedID 27034361

• Integrating simultaneous prosocial and antisocial behavior into theories of collective action SCIENCE ADVANCES Basurto, X., Blanco, E., Nenadovic, M., Vollan, B. 2016; 2 (3): e1501220

  Abstract

  Trust and cooperation constitute cornerstones of common-pool resource theory, showing that "prosocial" strategies among resource users can overcome collective action problems and lead to sustainable resource governance. Yet, antisocial behavior and especially the coexistence of prosocial and antisocial behaviors have received less attention. We broaden the analysis to include the effects of both "prosocial" and "antisocial" interactions. We do so in the context of marine protected areas (MPAs), the most prominent form of biodiversity conservation intervention worldwide. Our multimethod approach relied on lab-in-the-field economic experiments (n = 127) in two MPA and two non-MPA communities in Baja California, Mexico. In addition, we deployed a standardized fishers' survey (n = 544) to verify the external validity of our findings and expert informant interviews (n = 77) to develop potential explanatory mechanisms. In MPA sites, prosocial and antisocial behavior is significantly higher, and the presence of antisocial behavior does not seem to have a negative effect on prosocial behavior. We suggest that market integration, economic diversification, and strengthened group identity in MPAs are the main potential mechanisms for the simultaneity of prosocial and antisocial behavior we observed. This study constitutes a first step in better understanding the interaction between prosociality and antisociality as related to natural resources governance and conservation science, integrating literatures from social psychology, evolutionary anthropology, behavioral economics, and ecology.

  View details for DOI 10.1126/sciadv.1501220

  View details for Web of Science ID 000379620200010

  View details for PubMedID 26973871

  View details for PubMedCentralID PMC4783120

• Global Oceans Governance: New and Emerging Issues ANNUAL REVIEW OF ENVIRONMENT AND RESOURCES, VOL 41 Campbell, L. M., Gray, N. J., Fairbanks, L., Silver, J. J., Gruby, R. L., Dubik, B. A., Basurto, X. edited by Gadgil, A., Gadgil, T. P. 2016; 41: 517-543

  View details for DOI 10.1146/annurev-environ-102014-021121

  View details for Web of Science ID 000398214100020

• Operationalizing the social-ecological systems framework to assess sustainability PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Leslie, H. M., Basurto, X., Nenadovic, M., Sievanen, L., Cavanaugh, K. C., Jose Cota-Nieto, J., Erisman, B. E., Finkbeiner, E., Hinojosa-Arango, G., Moreno-Baez, M., Nagavarapu, S., Reddy, S. M., Sanchez-Rodriguez, A., Siegel, K., Juan Ulibarria-Valenzuela, J., Hudson Weaver, A., Aburto-Oropeza, O. 2015; 112 (19): 5979-5984

  Abstract

  Environmental governance is more effective when the scales of ecological processes are well matched with the human institutions charged with managing human-environment interactions. The social-ecological systems (SESs) framework provides guidance on how to assess the social and ecological dimensions that contribute to sustainable resource use and management, but rarely if ever has been operationalized for multiple localities in a spatially explicit, quantitative manner. Here, we use the case of small-scale fisheries in Baja California Sur, Mexico, to identify distinct SES regions and test key aspects of coupled SESs theory. Regions that exhibit greater potential for social-ecological sustainability in one dimension do not necessarily exhibit it in others, highlighting the importance of integrative, coupled system analyses when implementing spatial planning and other ecosystem-based strategies.

  View details for DOI 10.1073/pnas.1414640112

  View details for Web of Science ID 000354390600049

  View details for PubMedID 25918372

  View details for PubMedCentralID PMC4434725

• Organizational diversity and governance challenges in small-scale fisheries: insights from Southern Jalisco Coast, Mexico MARITIME STUDIES Aranda-Fragoso, A., Castillo, A., Nenadovic, M., Ayala-Orozco, B., Basurto, X. 2026; 25 (3)

  View details for DOI 10.1007/s40152-026-00508-6

  View details for Web of Science ID 001848876500001

• Publisher Correction: Five archetypes of small-scale fisheries reveal a continuum of production strategies to guide governance and policymaking. Nature food Aguión, A., Basurto, X., Funge-Smith, S., Gorelli, G., Iversen, E., Mancha-Cisneros, M. D., Gutierrez, N. L. 2026

  View details for DOI 10.1038/s43016-026-01394-1

  View details for PubMedID 42337342

• How rules shape participation in communal resource management decisions: The institutional analysis and development framework as a tool to assess inclusive decision-making CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE Hayes, T., Murtinho, F., Basurto, X., Grillos, T. 2025

  View details for DOI 10.1111/csp2.70206

  View details for Web of Science ID 001633969800001

• Correction: Designing gender-inclusive data systems in small-scale fisheries. Ambio Harper, S. J., Williams, M., Kleiber, D., Axelrod, M., Mangubhai, S., Torell, E., Macho, G., Fakoya, K., Gopal, N., Ojea, E., Lawless, S., Franz, N., de la Torre-Castro, M., Deeg, C., Gustavsson, M., Oloko, A., Atkins, M., Basurto, X., Soejima, K., Ferrer, A. J., Del Mar Mancha-Cisneros, M., Pedroza-Gutiérrez, C., Choudhury, A., Cohen, P. J., Siegelman, B., Bradford, K., Duffy-Tumasz, A., Fröcklin, S., Gee, J., Kusakabe, K., Appiah, S., Manyungwa-Pasani, C., Virdin, J., Sutaria, S. S., Siyanbola, O., McDougall, C. 2025

  View details for DOI 10.1007/s13280-025-02295-6

  View details for PubMedID 41258961

• Accounting for existing tenure and rights over marine and freshwater systems NPJ OCEAN SUSTAINABILITY Tholan, B., Basurto, X., Cohen, P. J., Franz, N., Himes-Cornell, A., Govan, H., Fakoya, K., Akintola, S. L., Aceves-Bueno, E. 2024; 3 (1)

  View details for DOI 10.1038/s44183-024-00084-4

  View details for Web of Science ID 001580470600001

• Community engagement and power dynamics in conservation philanthropy grant making CONSERVATION BIOLOGY Betsill, M. M., Gruby, R. L., Blackwatters, J., Enrici, A., Le Cornu, E., Basurto, X., English, C., Hudson, C., Meth, L., Fairweather-Morrison, I., Okano, D., Secord, D. 2024; 38 (4): e14272

  Abstract

  Funding decisions influence where, how, and by whom conservation is pursued globally. In the context of growing calls for more participatory, Indigenous-led, and socially just conservation, we undertook the first empirical investigation of how philanthropic foundations working in marine conservation globally engage communities in grant-making decisions. We paid particular attention to whether and how community engagement practices reinforce or disrupt existing power dynamics. We conducted semistructured remote interviews with 46 individuals from 32 marine conservation foundations to identify how conservation foundations engage communities in setting their priorities and deciding which organizations and projects to fund. We found that community engagement in foundation decision-making was limited in practice. Eleven of the 32 foundations reported some form of community engagement in funding decisions. Two of these foundations empowered communities to shape funding priorities and projects through strong forms of engagement. Many engagement practices were one way, one time, or indirect and confined to certain points in decision-making processes. These weaker practices limited community input and reinforced unequal power relations, which may undermine the legitimacy, equity, and effectiveness of conservation efforts. We suggest that foundations aim for stronger forms of community engagement and reflect on how their grant-making practices affect power relations between foundations and communities.

  View details for DOI 10.1111/cobi.14272

  View details for Web of Science ID 001202808100001

  View details for PubMedID 38622959

• Enacting food system transformation through the Small-Scale Fisheries Guidelines MARITIME STUDIES Smith, H., Basurto, X., St Martin, K. 2024; 23 (1)

  View details for DOI 10.1007/s40152-023-00339-9

  View details for Web of Science ID 001125313000001

• Fishing for subsistence constitutes a livelihood safety net for populations dependent on aquatic foods around the world NATURE FOOD Virdin, J., Basurto, X., Nico, G., Harper, S., Mancha-Cisneros, M., Vannuccini, S., Ahern, M., Anderson, C. M., Funge-Smith, S., Gutierrez, N. L., Mills, D. J., Franz, N. 2023; 4 (10): 874-885

  Abstract

  Fishing for subsistence constitutes a livelihood safety net for poverty, malnutrition and gender inequality for populations dependent upon aquatic foods around the world. Here we provide global estimates showing that almost the same amount of small-scale fishers engage in subsistence fishing at some point during the year as in commercial employment and use subsistence estimates to measure small-scale fisheries' livelihood safety net function. In 2016, we estimate that 52.8 million people were engaged in subsistence fishing at some point during the year, while another 60.2 million people were commercially employed (90% of global fisheries employment). From 14 country case studies, it was possible to estimate that the subsistence catch provided an average apparent intake of six nutrients critical for positive health outcomes, equivalent to 26% of the recommended daily nutrient intake for 112.5 million people, higher than the national average contribution of beef or poultry.

  View details for DOI 10.1038/s43016-023-00844-4

  View details for Web of Science ID 001071602600001

  View details for PubMedID 37749393

  View details for PubMedCentralID PMC10589092

• Problematicas: Multi-scalar, affective and performative politics of collective action among fishing cooperatives in Mexico ENVIRONMENT AND PLANNING C-POLITICS AND SPACE Lozano, A., Mendez-Medina, C., Basurto, X., Tovar, M. 2023; 41 (7): 1263-1281

  View details for DOI 10.1177/23996544231194426

  View details for Web of Science ID 001046511600001

• Who's setting the agenda? Philanthropic donor influence in marine conservation ECOLOGY AND SOCIETY Enrici, A., Gruby, R. L., Betsil, M. M., Le Cornu, E., Blackwatters, J. E., Basurto, X., Govan, H., Holm, T., Jupiter, S. D., Mangubhai, S. 2023; 28 (3)

  View details for DOI 10.5751/ES-14091-280302

  View details for Web of Science ID 001030574700002

• Conceptualizing responsible exits in conservation philanthropy CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE Le Cornu, E., Gruby, R. L. L., Blackwatters, J. E. E., Enrici, A., Basurto, X., Betsill, M. 2023; 5 (5)

  View details for DOI 10.1111/csp2.12868

  View details for Web of Science ID 000923001100001

• More than funders: The roles of philanthropic foundations in marine conservation governance CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE Blackwatters, J. E., Betsill, M., Enrici, A., Le Cornu, E., Basurto, X., Gruby, R. L. 2023; 5 (5)

  View details for DOI 10.1111/csp2.12829

  View details for Web of Science ID 000870775100001

• Proximity to small-scale inland and coastal fisheries is associated with improved income and food security COMMUNICATIONS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT Simmance, F. A., Nico, G., Funge-Smith, S., Basurto, X., Franz, N., Teoh, S. J., Byrd, K. A., Kolding, J., Ahern, M., Cohen, P. J., Nankwenya, B., Gondwe, E., Virdin, J., Chimatiro, S., Nagoli, J., Kaunda, E., Thilsted, S. H., Mills, D. J. 2022; 3 (1): 174

  Abstract

  Poverty and food insecurity persist in sub-Saharan Africa. We conducted a secondary analysis of nationally representative data from three sub-Saharan Africa countries (Malawi, Tanzania, and Uganda) to investigate how both proximity to and engagement with small-scale fisheries are associated with household poverty and food insecurity. Results from the analysis suggest that households engaged in small-scale fisheries were 9 percentage points less likely to be poor than households engaged only in agriculture. Households living in proximity to small-scale fisheries (average distance 2.7 km) were 12.6 percentage points more likely to achieve adequate food security and were 15 percentage points less likely to be income poor, compared to the most distant households. Households distant from fishing grounds (>5 km) were 1.5 times more likely to consume dried fish compared to households living close. Conserving the flow of benefits from small-scale fisheries is important for meeting the Sustainable Development Goals in the region.

  View details for DOI 10.1038/s43247-022-00496-5

  View details for Web of Science ID 000835679400001

  View details for PubMedID 35966220

  View details for PubMedCentralID PMC9362682

• The vital roles of blue foods in the global food system GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY-AGRICULTURE POLICY ECONOMICS AND ENVIRONMENT Tigchelaar, M., Leape, J., Micheli, F., Allison, E. H., Basurto, X., Bennett, A., Bush, S. R., Cao, L., Cheung, W. W. L., Crona, B., DeClerck, F., Fanzo, J., Gelcich, S., Gephart, J. A., Golden, C. D., Halpern, B. S., Hicks, C. C., Jonell, M., Kishore, A., Koehn, J., Little, D. C., Naylor, R. L., Phillips, M. J., Selig, E. R., Short, R. E., Sumaila, U., Thilsted, S. H., Troell, M., Wabnitz, C. C. C. 2022; 33

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.gfs.2022.100637

  View details for Web of Science ID 000808031100003

• An organizational framework for effective conservation organizations BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION Jimenez, I., Basurto, X. 2022; 267

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.biocon.2022.109471

  View details for Web of Science ID 000791843100005

• Harnessing the diversity of small-scale actors is key to the future of aquatic food systems (vol 2, pg 733, 2021) NATURE FOOD Short, R. E., Gelcich, S., Little, D. C., Micheli, F., Allison, E. H., Basurto, X., Belton, B., Brugere, C., Bush, S. R., Cao, L., Crona, B., Cohen, P. J., Defeo, O., Edwards, P., Ferguson, C. E., Franz, N., Golden, C. D., Halpern, B. S., Hazen, L., Hicks, C., Johnson, D., Kaminski, A. M., Mangubhai, S., Naylor, R. L., Reantaso, M., Sumaila, U., Thilsted, S. H., Tigchelaar, M., Wabnitz, C. C. C., Zhang, W. 2021

  View details for DOI 10.1038/s43016-021-00396-5

  View details for Web of Science ID 000703356800001

• Author Correction: Harnessing the diversity of small-scale actors is key to the future of aquatic food systems. Nature food Short, R. E., Gelcich, S., Little, D. C., Micheli, F., Allison, E. H., Basurto, X., Belton, B., Brugere, C., Bush, S. R., Cao, L., Crona, B., Cohen, P. J., Defeo, O., Edwards, P., Ferguson, C. E., Franz, N., Golden, C. D., Halpern, B. S., Hazen, L., Hicks, C., Johnson, D., Kaminski, A. M., Mangubhai, S., Naylor, R. L., Reantaso, M., Sumaila, U. R., Thilsted, S. H., Tigchelaar, M., Wabnitz, C. C., Zhang, W. 2021; 2 (10): 828

  View details for DOI 10.1038/s43016-021-00396-5

  View details for PubMedID 37117989

• Harnessing the diversity of small-scale actors is key to the future of aquatic food systems NATURE FOOD Short, R. E., Gelcich, S., Little, D. C., Micheli, F., Allison, E. H., Basurto, X., Belton, B., Brugere, C., Bush, S. R., Cao, L., Crona, B., Cohen, P. J., Defeo, O., Edwards, P., Ferguson, C. E., Franz, N., Golden, C. D., Halpern, B. S., Hazen, L., Hicks, C., Johnson, D., Kaminski, A. M., Mangubhai, S., Naylor, R. L., Reantaso, M., Sumaila, U., Thilsted, S. H., Tigchelaar, M., Wabnitz, C. C. C., Zhang, W. 2021

  View details for DOI 10.1038/s43016-021-00363-0

  View details for Web of Science ID 000696165000003

• Harnessing the diversity of small-scale actors is key to the future of aquatic food systems. Nature food Short, R. E., Gelcich, S., Little, D. C., Micheli, F., Allison, E. H., Basurto, X., Belton, B., Brugere, C., Bush, S. R., Cao, L., Crona, B., Cohen, P. J., Defeo, O., Edwards, P., Ferguson, C. E., Franz, N., Golden, C. D., Halpern, B. S., Hazen, L., Hicks, C., Johnson, D., Kaminski, A. M., Mangubhai, S., Naylor, R. L., Reantaso, M., Sumaila, U. R., Thilsted, S. H., Tigchelaar, M., Wabnitz, C. C., Zhang, W. 2021; 2 (9): 733-741

  Abstract

  Small-scale fisheries and aquaculture (SSFA) provide livelihoods for over 100 million people and sustenance for ~1 billion people, particularly in the Global South. Aquatic foods are distributed through diverse supply chains, with the potential to be highly adaptable to stresses and shocks, but face a growing range of threats and adaptive challenges. Contemporary governance assumes homogeneity in SSFA despite the diverse nature of this sector. Here we use SSFA actor profiles to capture the key dimensions and dynamism of SSFA diversity, reviewing contemporary threats and exploring opportunities for the SSFA sector. The heuristic framework can inform adaptive governance actions supporting the diversity and vital roles of SSFA in food systems, and in the health and livelihoods of nutritionally vulnerable people-supporting their viability through appropriate policies whilst fostering equitable and sustainable food systems.

  View details for DOI 10.1038/s43016-021-00363-0

  View details for PubMedID 37117475

  View details for PubMedCentralID 6267158

• Opening the black box of conservation philanthropy: A co-produced research agenda on private foundations in marine conservation MARINE POLICY Gruby, R. L., Enrici, A., Betsill, M., Le Cornu, E., Basurto, X. 2021; 132

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.marpol.2021.104645

  View details for Web of Science ID 000697671900001

• Institutional effects on ecological outcomes of community-based management of fisheries in the Amazon AMBIO Arantes, C. C., Castello, L., Basurto, X., Angeli, N., Sene-Haper, A., McGrath, D. G. 2022; 51 (3): 678-690

  Abstract

  Communities throughout the globe are increasingly being given the responsibility of resource management, making it necessary to understand the factors that lead to success in community-based management (CBM). Here, we assessed whether and how institutional design principles affect the ecological outcomes of CBM schemes for Arapaima sp., an important common-pool fishery resource of the Amazon Basin. We quantified the degree of presence of Ostrom's (Science 325:419-422, 1990) institutional design principles in 83 communities using a systematic survey, and quantitatively linked the design principles to a measure of ecological outcome (arapaima density) in a subset of 39 communities to assess their influence. To understand regional patterns of institutional capacity for CBM, we evaluated the degree of presence of each principle in all 83 communities. The principle scores were positively related to arapaima density in the 39 CBM schemes, explaining about half of the variation. Design principles related to defined boundaries and graduated sanctions exerted the strongest influence on the capacity of CBM to increase arapaima density. The degree to which most principles were present in all 83 communities was generally low, however, with the two most influential principles (defined boundaries and graduated sanctions) being the least present of all. Although the roles of the other principles (management rules, conflict resolution, collective action, and monitoring systems) are probably important, our results indicate that efforts aimed at strengthening the presence of defined boundaries and graduated sanctions in communities hold promise to improve the effectiveness of arapaima CBM regionally.

  View details for DOI 10.1007/s13280-021-01575-1

  View details for Web of Science ID 000662150700001

  View details for PubMedID 34136995

  View details for PubMedCentralID PMC8800982

• Positive Social-Ecological Feedbacks in Community-Based Conservation FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE Quintana, A. C. E., Giron-Nava, A., Urmy, S., Cramer, A. N., Dominguez-Sanchez, S., Rodriguez-Van Dyck, S., Aburto-Oropeza, O., Basurto, X., Weaver, A. 2021; 8

  View details for DOI 10.3389/fmars.2021.652318

  View details for Web of Science ID 000658389800001

• The interplay between top-down interventions and bottom-up self-organization shapes opportunities for transforming self-governance in small-scale fisheries MARINE POLICY Schluter, M., Lindkvist, E., Basurto, X. 2021; 128

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.marpol.2021.104485

  View details for Web of Science ID 000739415400014

• How does the World Bank shape global environmental governance agendas for coasts? 50 years of small-scale fisheries aid reveals paradigm shifts over time GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE-HUMAN AND POLICY DIMENSIONS Hamilton, J., Basurto, X., Smith, H., Virdin, J. 2021; 68

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2021.102246

  View details for Web of Science ID 000663342300014

• Ecology and the science of small-scale fisheries: A synthetic review of research effort for the Anthropocene BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION Smith, H., Lozano, A., Baker, D., Blondin, H., Hamilton, J., Choi, J., Basurto, X., Silliman, B. 2021; 254

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.biocon.2020.108895

  View details for Web of Science ID 000623545800012

• Spatial diversification as a mechanism to adapt to environmental changes in small-scale fisheries ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & POLICY Gonzalez-Mon, B., Bodin, O., Lindkvist, E., Frawley, T. H., Giron-Nava, A., Basurto, X., Nenadovic, M., Schluter, M. 2021; 116: 246-257

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.envsci.2020.11.006

  View details for Web of Science ID 000613645200006

• WTO must ban harmful fisheries subsidies. Science (New York, N.Y.) Sumaila, U. R., Skerritt, D. J., Schuhbauer, A., Villasante, S., Cisneros-Montemayor, A. M., Sinan, H., Burnside, D., Abdallah, P. R., Abe, K., Addo, K. A., Adelsheim, J., Adewumi, I. J., Adeyemo, O. K., Adger, N., Adotey, J., Advani, S., Afrin, Z., Aheto, D., Akintola, S. L., Akpalu, W., Alam, L., Alava, J. J., Allison, E. H., Amon, D. J., Anderies, J. M., Anderson, C. M., Andrews, E., Angelini, R., Anna, Z., Antweiler, W., Arizi, E. K., Armitage, D., Arthur, R. I., Asare, N., Asche, F., Asiedu, B., Asuquo, F., Badmus, L., Bailey, M., Ban, N., Barbier, E. B., Barley, S., Barnes, C., Barrett, S., Basurto, X., Belhabib, D., Bennett, E., Bennett, N. J., Benzaken, D., Blasiak, R., Bohorquez, J. J., Bordehore, C., Bornarel, V., Boyd, D. R., Breitburg, D., Brooks, C., Brotz, L., Campbell, D., Cannon, S., Cao, L., Cardenas Campo, J. C., Carpenter, S., Carpenter, G., Carson, R. T., Carvalho, A. R., Castrejón, M., Caveen, A. J., Chabi, M. N., Chan, K. M., Chapin, F. S., Charles, T., Cheung, W., Christensen, V., Chuku, E. O., Church, T., Clark, C., Clarke, T. M., Cojocaru, A. L., Copeland, B., Crawford, B., Crépin, A. S., Crowder, L. B., Cury, P., Cutting, A. N., Daily, G. C., Da-Rocha, J. M., Das, A., de la Puente, S., de Zeeuw, A., Deikumah, S. K., Deith, M., Dewitte, B., Doubleday, N., Duarte, C. M., Dulvy, N. K., Eddy, T., Efford, M., Ehrlich, P. R., Elsler, L. G., Fakoya, K. A., Falaye, A. E., Fanzo, J., Fitzsimmons, C., Flaaten, O., Florko, K. R., Aviles, M. F., Folke, C., Forrest, A., Freeman, P., Freire, K. M., Froese, R., Frölicher, T. L., Gallagher, A., Garcon, V., Gasalla, M. A., Gephart, J. A., Gibbons, M., Gillespie, K., Giron-Nava, A., Gjerde, K., Glaser, S., Golden, C., Gordon, L., Govan, H., Gryba, R., Halpern, B. S., Hanich, Q., Hara, M., Harley, C. D., Harper, S., Harte, M., Helm, R., Hendrix, C., Hicks, C. C., Hood, L., Hoover, C., Hopewell, K., Horta E Costa, B. B., Houghton, J. D., Iitembu, J. A., Isaacs, M., Isahaku, S., Ishimura, G., Islam, M., Issifu, I., Jackson, J., Jacquet, J., Jensen, O. P., Ramon, J. J., Jin, X., Jonah, A., Jouffray, J. B., Juniper, S. K., Jusoh, S., Kadagi, I., Kaeriyama, M., Kaiser, M. J., Kaiser, B. A., Kakujaha-Matundu, O., Karuaihe, S. T., Karumba, M., Kemmerly, J. D., Khan, A. S., Kimani, P., Kleisner, K., Knowlton, N., Kotowicz, D., Kurien, J., Kwong, L. E., Lade, S., Laffoley, D., Lam, M. E., Lam, V. W., Lange, G. M., Latif, M. T., Le Billon, P., Le Brenne, V., Le Manach, F., Levin, S. A., Levin, L., Limburg, K. E., List, J., Lombard, A. T., Lopes, P. F., Lotze, H. K., Mallory, T. G., Mangar, R. S., Marszalec, D., Mattah, P., Mayorga, J., McAusland, C., McCauley, D. J., McLean, J., McMullen, K., Meere, F., Mejaes, A., Melnychuk, M., Mendo, J., Micheli, F., Millage, K., Miller, D., Mohamed, K. S., Mohammed, E., Mokhtar, M., Morgan, L., Muawanah, U., Munro, G. R., Murray, G., Mustafa, S., Nayak, P., Newell, D., Nguyen, T., Noack, F., Nor, A. M., Nunoo, F. K., Obura, D., Okey, T., Okyere, I., Onyango, P., Oostdijk, M., Orlov, P., Österblom, H., Owens, D., Owens, T., Oyinlola, M., Pacoureau, N., Pakhomov, E., Abrantes, J. P., Pascual, U., Paulmier, A., Pauly, D., Pèlèbè, R. O., Peñalosa, D., Pennino, M. G., Peterson, G., Pham, T. T., Pinkerton, E., Polasky, S., Polunin, N. V., Prah, E., Ramírez, J., Relano, V., Reygondeau, G., Robadue, D., Roberts, C., Rogers, A., Roumbedakis, K., Sala, E., Scheffer, M., Segerson, K., Seijo, J. C., Seto, K. C., Shogren, J. F., Silver, J. J., Singh, G., Soszynski, A., Splichalova, D. V., Spring, M., Stage, J., Stephenson, F., Stewart, B. D., Sultan, R., Suttle, C., Tagliabue, A., Tall, A., Talloni-Álvarez, N., Tavoni, A., Taylor, D. R., Teh, L. S., Teh, L. C., Thiebot, J. B., Thiele, T., Thilsted, S. H., Thumbadoo, R. V., Tigchelaar, M., Tol, R. S., Tortell, P., Troell, M., Uzmanoğlu, M. S., van Putten, I., van Santen, G., Villaseñor-Derbez, J. C., Wabnitz, C. C., Walsh, M., Walsh, J. P., Wambiji, N., Weber, E. U., Westley, F., Williams, S., Wisz, M. S., Worm, B., Xiao, L., Yagi, N., Yamazaki, S., Yang, H., Zeller, D. 2021; 374 (6567): 544

  Abstract

  [Figure: see text].

  View details for DOI 10.1126/science.abm1680

  View details for PubMedID 34709891

• Commoning and the commons as more-than-resources A historical perspective on Comcaac or Seri fishing MAKING COMMONS DYNAMIC Basurto, X., Lozano, A. edited by Nayak, P. K. 2021: 167-190

  View details for Web of Science ID 001072369500011

• Understanding Collective Action from Mexican Fishers' Discourses: How Fishers Articulate the Need for the State Support and Self-Governance Capabilities INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF THE COMMONS Mendez-Medina, C., Garcia-Lozano, A., Weaver, A., Van Dyck, S., Tercero, M., Nenadovic, M., Basurto, X. 2021; 15 (1): 395-413

  View details for DOI 10.5334/ijc.1127

  View details for Web of Science ID 000717772000003

• Political making of more-than-fishers through their involvement in ecological monitoring of protected areas BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION Quintana, A., Basurto, X., Rodriguez Van Dyck, S., Weaver, A. 2020; 29 (14): 3899-3923

  View details for DOI 10.1007/s10531-020-02055-w

  View details for Web of Science ID 000575028300001

• Community-based conservation strategies to end open access: The case of Fish Refuges in Mexico CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE Quintana, A. C. E., Basurto, X. 2021; 3 (1)

  View details for DOI 10.1111/csp2.283

  View details for Web of Science ID 000572440200001

• Achieving coordination of decentralized fisheries governance through collaborative arrangements: A case study of the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve in Mexico MARINE POLICY Mendez-Medina, C., Schmook, B., Basurto, X., Fulton, S., Espinoza-Tenorio, A. 2020; 117

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.marpol.2020.103939

  View details for Web of Science ID 000541263200007

• Governing the commons beyond harvesting: An empirical illustration from fishing PLOS ONE Basurto, X., Bennett, A., Lindkvist, E., Schluter, M. 2020; 15 (4): e0231575

  Abstract

  Harvesting has received most theoretical, empirical, and policy attention towards understanding common-pool resource dilemmas. Yet, pre-harvesting and post-harvesting activities influence harvesting outcomes as well. Broadening the analytical focus beyond harvesting is needed to imagine new ways of theorizing and governing the commons. Fishing-which is synonymous with harvesting-is a case in point. We contribute to a beyond-harvesting research agenda by incorporating concepts from common-pool resources theory that have not received enough attention in the literature. We compare two ubiquitous self-organizing strategies (i.e., fishing cooperatives and patron-client relationships) fishers use to access means of production and analyze their effects on the distribution of benefits resulting from harvesting. We use rarely available longitudinal data of monetary loans to fishers in Mexican small-scale fisheries and find that cooperatives can deliver broader distribution of benefits than patron-client relationships. Our study highlights the importance of historically and contextually situating analyses linking the effects of pre-harvesting processes on harvesting outcomes, and the benefits of broadening the scope of inquiry beyond a narrow policy attention on harvesting to move towards a fuller understanding of commons dilemmas.

  View details for DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0231575

  View details for Web of Science ID 000536033700021

  View details for PubMedID 32324767

  View details for PubMedCentralID PMC7179885

• Navigating Complexities: Agent-Based Modeling to Support Research, Governance, and Management in Small-Scale Fisheries FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE Lindkvist, E., Wijermans, N., Daw, T. M., Gonzalez-Mon, B., Giron-Nava, A., Johnson, A. F., van Putten, I., Basurto, X., Schluter, M. 2020; 6

  View details for DOI 10.3389/fmars.2019.00733

  View details for Web of Science ID 000507985700001

• Rethinking Scale in the Commons by Unsettling Old Assumptions and Asking New Scale Questions INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF THE COMMONS Smith, H., Basurto, X., Campbell, L., Lozano, A. 2020; 14 (1): 714-729

  View details for DOI 10.5334/ijc.1041

  View details for Web of Science ID 000605348900034

• "Lies build trust": Social capital, masculinity, and community-based resource management in a Mexican fishery WORLD DEVELOPMENT Siegelman, B., Haenn, N., Basurto, X. 2019; 123

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.worlddev.2019.05.031

  View details for Web of Science ID 000486107800001

• Small-scale fish buyers' trade networks reveal diverse actor types and differential adaptive capacities ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS Gonzalez-Mon, B., Bodin, O., Crona, B., Nenadovic, M., Basurto, X. 2019; 164

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2019.05.018

  View details for Web of Science ID 000480374500011

• Weaving governance narratives: discourses of climate change, cooperatives, and small-scale fisheries in Mexico MARITIME STUDIES Lozano, A., Smith, H., Basurto, X. 2019; 18 (1): 77-89

  View details for DOI 10.1007/s40152-018-0125-5

  View details for Web of Science ID 000468193000005

• Hunting for common ground between wildlife governance and commons scholarship CONSERVATION BIOLOGY Smith, H., Marrocoli, S., Lozano, A., Basurto, X. 2019; 33 (1): 9-21

  Abstract

  Wildlife hunting is essential to livelihoods and food security in many parts of the world, yet present rates of extraction may threaten ecosystems and human communities. Thus, governing sustainable wildlife use is a major social dilemma and conservation challenge. Commons scholarship is well positioned to contribute theoretical insights and analytic tools to better understand the interface of social and ecological dimensions of wildlife governance, yet the intersection of wildlife studies and commons scholarship is not well studied. We reviewed existing wildlife-hunting scholarship, drawing on a database of 1,410 references, to examine the current overlap with commons scholarship through multiple methods, including social network analysis and deductive coding. We found that a very small proportion of wildlife scholarship incorporated commons theories and frameworks. The social network of wildlife scholarship was densely interconnected with several major publication clusters, whereas the wildlife commons scholarship was sparse and isolated. Despite the overarching gap between wildlife and commons scholarship, a few scholars are studying wildlife commons. The small body of scholarship that bridges these disconnected literatures provides valuable insights into the understudied relational dimensions of wildlife and other overlapping common-pool resources. We suggest increased engagement among wildlife and commons scholars and practitioners to improve the state of knowledge and practice of wildlife governance across regions, particularly for bushmeat hunting in the tropics, which is presently understudied through a common-pool resource lens. Our case study of the Republic of Congo showed how the historical context and interrelationships between hunting and forest rights are essential to understanding the current state of wildlife governance and potential for future interventions. A better understanding of the interconnections between wildlife and overlapping common-pool resource systems may be key to understanding present wildlife governance challenges and advancing the common-pool resource research agenda.

  View details for DOI 10.1111/cobi.13200

  View details for Web of Science ID 000455121500003

  View details for PubMedID 30055022

• Marine resource management and conservation in the Anthropocene ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION Aswani, S., Basurto, X., Ferse, S., Glaser, M., Campbell, L., Cinner, J. E., Dalton, T., Jenkins, L. D., Miller, M. L., Pollnac, R., Vaccaro, I., Christie, P. 2018; 45 (2): 192-202

  View details for DOI 10.1017/S0376892917000431

  View details for Web of Science ID 000432394500010

• Counterpoint to Obura ICES JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE Basurto, X. 2018; 75 (3): 1200

  View details for DOI 10.1093/icesjms/fsx142

  View details for Web of Science ID 000434070900058

• Linking MPA effectiveness to the future of local rural fishing societies ICES JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE Basurto, X. 2018; 75 (3): 1193-1194

  View details for DOI 10.1093/icesjms/fsx075

  View details for Web of Science ID 000434070900054

• Basurto's Final Word Reply ICES JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE Basurto, X. 2018; 75 (3): 1197

  View details for DOI 10.1093/icesjms/fsx134

  View details for Web of Science ID 000434070900056

• Local Institutional Responses to Global Market Pressures: The Sea Cucumber Trade in Yucatan, Mexico WORLD DEVELOPMENT Bennett, A., Basurto, X. 2018; 102: 57-70

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.worlddev.2017.09.006

  View details for Web of Science ID 000417657500004

• Evaluating the best available social science for natural resource management decision-making ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & POLICY Charnley, S., Carothers, C., Satterfield, T., Levine, A., Poe, M. R., Norman, K., Donatuto, J., Breslow, S., Mascia, M. B., Levin, P. S., Basurto, X., Hicks, C. C., Garcia-Quijano, C., St Martin, K. 2017; 73: 80-88

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.envsci.2017.04.002

  View details for Web of Science ID 000401880600010

• A novel framework for analyzing conservation impacts: evaluation, theory, and marine protected areas ANNALS OF THE NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES Mascia, M. B., Fox, H. E., Glew, L., Ahmadia, G. N., Agrawal, A., Barnes, M., Basurto, X., Craigie, I., Darling, E., Geldmann, J., Gill, D., Rice, S., Jensen, O. P., Lester, S. E., McConney, P., Mumby, P. J., Nenadovic, M., Parks, J. E., Pomeroy, R. S., White, A. T. 2017; 1399 (1): 93-115

  Abstract

  Environmental conservation initiatives, including marine protected areas (MPAs), have proliferated in recent decades. Designed to conserve marine biodiversity, many MPAs also seek to foster sustainable development. As is the case for many other environmental policies and programs, the impacts of MPAs are poorly understood. Social-ecological systems, impact evaluation, and common-pool resource governance are three complementary scientific frameworks for documenting and explaining the ecological and social impacts of conservation interventions. We review key components of these three frameworks and their implications for the study of conservation policy, program, and project outcomes. Using MPAs as an illustrative example, we then draw upon these three frameworks to describe an integrated approach for rigorous empirical documentation and causal explanation of conservation impacts. This integrated three-framework approach for impact evaluation of governance in social-ecological systems (3FIGS) accounts for alternative explanations, builds upon and advances social theory, and provides novel policy insights in ways that no single approach affords. Despite the inherent complexity of social-ecological systems and the difficulty of causal inference, the 3FIGS approach can dramatically advance our understanding of, and the evidentiary basis for, effective MPAs and other conservation initiatives.

  View details for DOI 10.1111/nyas.13428

  View details for Web of Science ID 000406832400006

  View details for PubMedID 28719737

• Micro-level explanations for emergent patterns of self-governance arrangements in small-scale fisheries-A modeling approach PLOS ONE Lindkvist, E., Basurto, X., Schluter, M. 2017; 12 (4): e0175532

  Abstract

  Small-scale fisheries (SSFs) in developing countries are expected to play a significant role in poverty alleviation and enhancing food security in the decades to come. To realize this expectation, a better understanding of their informal self-governance arrangements is critical for developing policies that can improve fishers' livelihoods and lead to sustainable ecosystem stewardship. The goal of this paper is to develop a more nuanced understanding of micro-level factors-such as fishers' characteristics and behavior-to explain observed differences in self-governance arrangements in Northwest Mexico. We focus on two ubiquitous forms of self-governance: hierarchical non-cooperative arrangements between fishers and fishbuyers, such as patron-client relationships (PCs), versus more cooperative arrangements amongst fishers, such as fishing cooperatives (co-ops). We developed an agent-based model of an archetypical SSF that captures key hypotheses from in-depth fieldwork in Northwest Mexico of fishers' day-to-day fishing and trading. Results from our model indicate that high diversity in fishers' reliability, and low initial trust between co-op members, makes co-ops' establishment difficult. PCs cope better with this kind of diversity because, in contrast to co-ops, they have more flexibility in choosing whom to work with. However, once co-ops establish, they cope better with seasonal variability in fish abundance and provide long-term security for the fishers. We argue that existing levels of trust and diversity among fishers matter for different self-governance arrangements to establish and persist, and should therefore be taken into account when developing better, targeted policies for improved SSFs governance.

  View details for DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0175532

  View details for Web of Science ID 000399955400066

  View details for PubMedID 28406935

  View details for PubMedCentralID PMC5391074

• Capacity shortfalls hinder the performance of marine protected areas globally. Nature Gill, D. A., Mascia, M. B., Ahmadia, G. N., Glew, L., Lester, S. E., Barnes, M., Craigie, I., Darling, E. S., Free, C. M., Geldmann, J., Holst, S., Jensen, O. P., White, A. T., Basurto, X., Coad, L., Gates, R. D., Guannel, G., Mumby, P. J., Thomas, H., Whitmee, S., Woodley, S., Fox, H. E. 2017; 543 (7647): 665-669

  Abstract

  Marine protected areas (MPAs) are increasingly being used globally to conserve marine resources. However, whether many MPAs are being effectively and equitably managed, and how MPA management influences substantive outcomes remain unknown. We developed a global database of management and fish population data (433 and 218 MPAs, respectively) to assess: MPA management processes; the effects of MPAs on fish populations; and relationships between management processes and ecological effects. Here we report that many MPAs failed to meet thresholds for effective and equitable management processes, with widespread shortfalls in staff and financial resources. Although 71% of MPAs positively influenced fish populations, these conservation impacts were highly variable. Staff and budget capacity were the strongest predictors of conservation impact: MPAs with adequate staff capacity had ecological effects 2.9 times greater than MPAs with inadequate capacity. Thus, continued global expansion of MPAs without adequate investment in human and financial capacity is likely to lead to sub-optimal conservation outcomes.

  View details for DOI 10.1038/nature21708

  View details for PubMedID 28329771

• Evaluating indicators of human well-being for ecosystem-based management ECOSYSTEM HEALTH AND SUSTAINABILITY Breslow, S., Allen, M., Holstein, D., Sojka, B., Barnea, R., Basurto, X., Carothers, C., Charnley, S., Coulthard, S., Dolsak, N., Donatuto, J., Garcia-Quijano, C., Hicks, C. C., Levine, A., Mascia, M. B., Norman, K., Poe, M., Satterfield, T., St Martin, K., Levin, P. S. 2017; 3 (12)

  View details for DOI 10.1080/20964129.2017.1411767

  View details for Web of Science ID 000442306900001

• Marine Conservation as Complex Cooperative and Competitive Human Interactions CONSERVATION FOR THE ANTHROPOCENE OCEAN: INTERDISCIPLINARY SCIENCE IN SUPPORT OF NATURE AND PEOPLE Basurto, X., Blanco, E., Nenadovic, M., Vollan, B. edited by Levin, P. S., Poe, M. R. 2017: 307-332

  View details for DOI 10.1016/B978-0-12-805375-1.00015-5

  View details for Web of Science ID 000463397300016

• Conceptualizing and operationalizing human wellbeing for ecosystem assessment and management ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & POLICY Breslow, S. J., Sojka, B., Barnea, R., Basurto, X., Carothers, C., Charnley, S., Coulthard, S., Dolsak, N., Donatuto, J., Garcia-Quijano, C., Hicks, C. C., Levine, A., Mascia, M. B., Norman, K., Poe, M., Satterfield, T., St Martin, K., Levin, P. S. 2016; 66: 250-259

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.envsci.2016.06.023

  View details for Web of Science ID 000389089300027

• Contribution of Subsidies and Participatory Governance to Fishers' Adaptive Capacity JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENT & DEVELOPMENT Nenadovic, M., Basurto, X., Hudson Weaver, A. 2016; 25 (4): 426-454

  View details for DOI 10.1177/1070496516670448

  View details for Web of Science ID 000386691800003

• Describing the diversity of community supported fishery programs in North America MARINE POLICY Bolton, A. E., Dubik, B. A., Stoll, J. S., Basurto, X. 2016; 66: 21-29

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.marpol.2016.01.007

  View details for Web of Science ID 000371552800004

• Towards a typology of interactions between small-scale fisheries and global seafood trade MARINE POLICY Crona, B. I., Basurto, X., Squires, D., Gelcich, S., Daw, T. M., Khan, A., Havice, E., Chomo, V., Troell, M., Buchary, E. A., Allison, E. H. 2016; 65: 1-10

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.marpol.2015.11.016

  View details for Web of Science ID 000370096200001

• <i>Zostera marina</i> meadows from the Gulf of California: conservation status BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION Lopez-Calderon, J. M., Riosmena-Rodriguez, R., Torre, J., Meling, A., Basurto, X. 2016; 25 (2): 261-273

  View details for DOI 10.1007/s10531-016-1045-6

  View details for Web of Science ID 000370137100004

• Re-defining co-management to facilitate small-scale fisheries reform: An illustration from northwest Mexico MARINE POLICY Finkbeiner, E. M., Basurto, X. 2015; 51: 433-441

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.marpol.2014.10.010

  View details for Web of Science ID 000348003700051

• The challenges of incorporating cultural ecosystem services into environmental assessment. Ambio Satz, D., Gould, R. K., Chan, K. M., Guerry, A., Norton, B., Satterfield, T., Halpern, B. S., Levine, J., Woodside, U., Hannahs, N., Basurto, X., Klain, S. 2013; 42 (6): 675-684

  Abstract

  The ecosystem services concept is used to make explicit the diverse benefits ecosystems provide to people, with the goal of improving assessment and, ultimately, decision-making. Alongside material benefits such as natural resources (e.g., clean water, timber), this concept includes-through the 'cultural' category of ecosystem services-diverse non-material benefits that people obtain through interactions with ecosystems (e.g., spiritual inspiration, cultural identity, recreation). Despite the longstanding focus of ecosystem services research on measurement, most cultural ecosystem services have defined measurement and inclusion alongside other more 'material' services. This gap in measurement of cultural ecosystem services is a product of several perceived problems, some of which are not real problems and some of which can be mitigated or even solved without undue difficulty. Because of the fractured nature of the literature, these problems continue to plague the discussion of cultural services. In this paper we discuss several such problems, which although they have been addressed singly, have not been brought together in a single discussion. There is a need for a single, accessible treatment of the importance and feasibility of integrating cultural ecosystem services alongside others.

  View details for DOI 10.1007/s13280-013-0386-6

  View details for PubMedID 23436145

• Emerging frontiers in social-ecological systems research for sustainability of small-scale fisheries CURRENT OPINION IN ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY Kittinger, J. N., Finkbeiner, E. M., Ban, N. C., Broad, K., Carr, M. H., Cinner, J. E., Gelcich, S., Cornwell, M. L., Koehn, J. Z., Basurto, X., Fujita, R., Caldwell, M. R., Cowder, L. B. 2013; 5 (3-4): 352-357

  View details for DOI 10.1016/j.cosust.2013.06.008

  View details for Web of Science ID 000325741500011

• Humans and Nature: How Knowing and Experiencing Nature Affect Well-Being ANNUAL REVIEW OF ENVIRONMENT AND RESOURCES, VOL 38 Russell, R., Guerry, A. D., Balvanera, P., Gould, R. K., Basurto, X., Chan, K. M., Klain, S., Levine, J., Tam, J. 2013; 38: 473-502

  View details for DOI 10.1146/annurev-environ-012312-110838

  View details for Web of Science ID 000326691100020

• Where are Cultural and Social in Ecosystem Services? A Framework for Constructive Engagement BIOSCIENCE Chan, K. M., Guerry, A. D., Balvanera, P., Klain, S., Satterfield, T., Basurto, X., Bostrom, A., Chuenpagdee, R., Gould, R., Halpern, B. S., Hannahs, N., Levine, J., Norton, B., Ruckelshaus, M., Russell, R., Tam, J., Woodside, U. 2012; 62 (8): 744-756

  View details for DOI 10.1525/bio.2012.62.8.7

  View details for Web of Science ID 000307626100007

• Lack of Cross-Scale Linkages Reduces Robustness of Community-Based Fisheries Management PLOS ONE Cudney-Bueno, R., Basurto, X. 2009; 4 (7): e6253

  Abstract

  Community-based management and the establishment of marine reserves have been advocated worldwide as means to overcome overexploitation of fisheries. Yet, researchers and managers are divided regarding the effectiveness of these measures. The "tragedy of the commons" model is often accepted as a universal paradigm, which assumes that unless managed by the State or privatized, common-pool resources are inevitably overexploited due to conflicts between the self-interest of individuals and the goals of a group as a whole. Under this paradigm, the emergence and maintenance of effective community-based efforts that include cooperative risky decisions as the establishment of marine reserves could not occur. In this paper, we question these assumptions and show that outcomes of commons dilemmas can be complex and scale-dependent. We studied the evolution and effectiveness of a community-based management effort to establish, monitor, and enforce a marine reserve network in the Gulf of California, Mexico. Our findings build on social and ecological research before (1997-2001), during (2002) and after (2003-2004) the establishment of marine reserves, which included participant observation in >100 fishing trips and meetings, interviews, as well as fishery dependent and independent monitoring. We found that locally crafted and enforced harvesting rules led to a rapid increase in resource abundance. Nevertheless, news about this increase spread quickly at a regional scale, resulting in poaching from outsiders and a subsequent rapid cascading effect on fishing resources and locally-designed rule compliance. We show that cooperation for management of common-pool fisheries, in which marine reserves form a core component of the system, can emerge, evolve rapidly, and be effective at a local scale even in recently organized fisheries. Stakeholder participation in monitoring, where there is a rapid feedback of the systems response, can play a key role in reinforcing cooperation. However, without cross-scale linkages with higher levels of governance, increase of local fishery stocks may attract outsiders who, if not restricted, will overharvest and threaten local governance. Fishers and fishing communities require incentives to maintain their management efforts. Rewarding local effective management with formal cross-scale governance recognition and support can generate these incentives.

  View details for DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0006253

  View details for Web of Science ID 000268036000009

  View details for PubMedID 19606210

  View details for PubMedCentralID PMC2705799