Cooperative research, co-management and the social dimension of fisheries science and management

Failures in the communication process have led to adversarial relations and tensions among various fisheries stakeholders and between the government sector and fishing community in particular. Co-operative research and co-management techniques should be used to increase transparency and accountability of the management process. Social science offers a way to better understand people who engage in the fisheries activities to be regulated; the social dimensions of fishing communities and the impact of policies and regulations on people should be included from the onset and become a central part of the management process.