Not fish, not meat: some guidance on how to study fisheries from an interdisciplinary perspective

Fisheries can best be viewed and understood from a systems perspective, which is defined as a web of interrelated and interacting ecological, biophysical, social, economic, and cultural components. Unfortunately, reductionist approaches focused on single-species fisheries biology as a discipline have long dominated fisheries science. Consequently, many well-intended fisheries-management actions have failed to meet their objectives, either because of unexpected human responses or because of complex ecological dynamics. To address the resulting implementation uncertainty, scholars have increasingly asked for research programs that study the implications of management actions throughout the whole coupled social-ecological system. To achieve this aim, interdisciplinary science and the integration of disparate knowledge sources is needed, something that few graduate programs in fisheries specifically focus on. A key assumption of this essay is that the simplification of key feedback processes and a general lack of integration of the natural and social components of fisheries may lead to system responses that are often characterized by high social and economic costs. To avoid such costs, we need a better understanding of the type and function of cross-scale and nonlinear feedbacks among the human and environmental subsystems because these feedbacks determine how fisheries as systems respond to disturbances and management interventions. We are convinced that the greatest breakthroughs in capture fisheries science wait at the interface of the social and ecological components of fisheries. Here, we offer some advice for the aspiring fisheries professional on how to develop a successful interdisciplinary agenda (see Box 1 for terminological clarification). Before listing our advice, a disclaimer is in order: interdisciplinary projects in fisheries are no panacea, and in many cases it is just fine to work from single disciplines. For example, if the task is to estimate the current stock size for a purely scientific, or a theoretical, purpose, a quantitative stock assessment project that analyses abundance and catch-at-age data workswell and is appropriate. Or, if the task is to learn how the broader angling public in a region feels about an existing fisheries regulation, a survey-based project based on probabilistic sampling conducted by a social scientist knowledgeable with the particular fishery systemis a perfectly suitable approach. However, we can also think of many situations where an interdisciplinary research approach would be superior. Think about situations of marine spatial planning where multiple stakeholders, coastal zones, and transboundary fish stocks are involved. Or consider developing a holistic analysis of the impact of harvest regulations or other policies on ecosystems and fishing communities in a landscape of freshwater fisheries. Surely, integrating the ecological, evolutionary, and human dimensions of fisheries maybe fruitful to solve these and related complex situations where ecological and social systems strongly interact though cross-scale interactions and feedbacks. Here is our (entirely subjective) list of recommendations that should help researchers enjoy the many advantages and mitigate any potential disadvantages of an interdisciplinary research path in fisheries.