Marine Policy最新文献

{"title":"The impact of natural gas development on the resilience of coastal social-ecological systems amid climate change in Mtwara, Tanzania","authors":"Victoria H. Moshy ,&nbsp;Pius Z. Yanda ,&nbsp;Brown Gwambene ,&nbsp;Anselm Mwajombe","doi":"10.1016/j.marpol.2025.106855","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.marpol.2025.106855","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examines the effects of natural gas development on the sociological systems of coastal communities in the Mtwara region, Tanzania, with a focus on Livelihoods, resilience to climate change, and sustainability. Coastal communities, heavily reliant on marine and coastal resources, face challenges from climate change, environmental degradation, and socioeconomic inequalities. Natural gas investments have introduced opportunities for poverty alleviation, income generation, and infrastructure improvement. However, these developments also present risks such as uneven benefit distribution, environmental degradation, and over-reliance on extractive revenues. The study employs a resilience framework to investigate the impact of natural gas development on community welfare and adaptive capacity. It employed a convergent parallel mixed-methods design, which simultaneously enabled the collection and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data. The mixed-methods approach integrated qualitative techniques (key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and transect walks) with quantitative data collection through a household questionnaire survey. The data were analysed using MS Excel and SPSS to obtain descriptive and inferential statistics for quantitative analysis. The study analysed qualitative data thematically to identify key patterns, relationships, and factors related to governance, resilience, and climate change. Findings reveal positive impacts, including job creation, reduced energy costs, and improved electricity access, alongside challenges like income disparities and resistance to implementation. Communities adopt response strategies such as alternative income-generating activities and environmental conservation to mitigate these challenges. The study emphasises the importance of implementing inclusive policies, capacity-building initiatives, and sustainable practices that strike a balance between economic benefits and environmental and social considerations. Continuous monitoring and stakeholder collaboration are crucial for addressing emerging challenges and ensuring equitable distribution of benefits. The study concludes that sustainable natural gas development can enhance the welfare and resilience of coastal communities, provided it integrates environmental conservation, community empowerment, and adaptive management strategies. Thus, it recommends policymakers and stakeholders to prioritise long-term sustainability over short-term gains that can harness the potential of natural gas investments to support resilient sociological systems in the face of climate change.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48427,"journal":{"name":"Marine Policy","volume":"181 ","pages":"Article 106855"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144713524","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Offshore wind farms in New Jersey, USA: Stakeholder concerns and anticipated impacts on recreational fishing","authors":"Kripa Shrestha ,&nbsp;Pankaj Lal ,&nbsp;Meghann Smith","doi":"10.1016/j.marpol.2025.106854","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.marpol.2025.106854","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Offshore wind farms (OWFs) are being developed to generate renewable, carbon-free electricity for the grid; however, the development of OWFs faces resistance, especially from marine recreational fishers. This research explores charter boat captains’ and owners’ perspectives toward OWF development in New Jersey, USA, based on responses from 87 participants in an online survey, including 10 who also participated in follow-up telephone interviews. The research identifies widespread opposition to OWFs (91 % of respondents), rooted in concerns over ecological disruption, navigation safety, access restrictions, and economic impacts. Respondents reported observed shifts in fish migration patterns, increased marine mammal stranding, and anticipated operational risks tied to OWF infrastructure. Many also expressed dissatisfaction with stakeholder engagement processes and skepticism regarding promised economic benefits. While some participants acknowledged the potential of OWF structures to function as artificial reefs, the prevailing sentiment emphasized a need for stronger safeguards, transparent planning, and inclusive governance. By providing a nuanced understanding of these concerns and the factors shaping them, this research equips policymakers and OWF developers with the knowledge to pursue targeted mitigation strategies, build trust with fishing communities, and ensure that the needs and perspectives of recreational fishers are meaningfully incorporated into the planning and implementation of OWF projects.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48427,"journal":{"name":"Marine Policy","volume":"181 ","pages":"Article 106854"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144703710","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Advancing multi-use in offshore wind energy planning: Perceived opportunities and barriers in southern New England, U.S.","authors":"Sarah Lindley Smith ,&nbsp;Jennifer McCann ,&nbsp;Julia A. Bingham ,&nbsp;Sereno Diederichsen ,&nbsp;Fredrik Gröndahl ,&nbsp;Josselin Guyot ,&nbsp;Céline Rebours ,&nbsp;Jean-Baptiste E. Thomas ,&nbsp;Carlos V.C. Weiss ,&nbsp;John P. Walsh","doi":"10.1016/j.marpol.2025.106851","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.marpol.2025.106851","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Offshore wind energy development has been accelerating at a rapid pace around the world to address renewable energy goals. As a new use of ocean space, offshore wind developments can create spatial and temporal conflicts with existing ocean uses. The concept of multi-use, which spans from promoting co-existence of uses to identifying synergies between uses, has become an important framework for marine spatial planning and offshore renewable energy development in Europe, where offshore wind farms have been integrated with aquaculture and tourism, among other uses. In the United States, however, where offshore wind energy is at a more nascent stage, multi-use concepts have not been applied to the planning, permitting, and development processes, and multi-use has been considered on a more ad hoc basis. Offshore wind development in the U.S. has consequently been rife with conflict, particularly with the commercial fishing industry, and a lack of consistent policy on multi-use has led to missed opportunities to consider ways to build on synergies. To better understand the state of multi-use in the U.S., we interviewed key informants in the Southern New England region from federal and state agencies, and development, research, conservation, and fisheries sectors. Based on the interviews, we identified perceived opportunities and barriers to multi-use among interviewees, and perceptions of the state of multi-use. Responses were used to share lessons learned in the region, and to develop a set of recommendations related to the implementation of multi-use policies in the U.S.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48427,"journal":{"name":"Marine Policy","volume":"181 ","pages":"Article 106851"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144686897","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Analysis on the effectiveness of International Maritime Organization’s ‘Areas to be Avoided’ policy on vessel traffic in the Bering Strait (2015–2022)","authors":"Izabella R. Block ,&nbsp;Michele F. Remer ,&nbsp;Kelly E. Kapsar ,&nbsp;Jennifer I. Schmidt","doi":"10.1016/j.marpol.2025.106849","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.marpol.2025.106849","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Numerous cargo and tanker vessels every year transit the Bering Sea, and with decreasing sea ice in the Arctic, increasing levels of travel through the Bering Strait to new shipping routes is a contemporary reality. Increased shipping in the region not only intensifies the impact to remote communities but also causes concern for the safety of vessel operators and the environment. Analyzing existing policy within the Bering Sea is useful to determine policy effectiveness as maritime activity is amplified in the region. To examine changes in traffic patterns from 2015 to 2022, and therefore the effectiveness of existing policy, hot spot analysis (Getis-Ord Gi*) was conducted on the Bering Strait ‘Areas to be Avoided’ (ATBAs), implemented in 2018 as a part of the International Maritime Organization’s Polar Code. Additionally, hot spot analysis (Getis-Ord Gi*) was conducted on vessels transiting the region every year (8 of 8 years), frequently (4–7 years), or rarely (1–3 years) to investigate aspects of maritime activity that can impact adherence to the ATBA policy. The analysis conducted on vessel traffic in the Bering Strait from 2015 through 2022 shows that the ATBA policy influenced all vessel types. Determining the effectiveness of current policy in maritime activity in the Bering Strait will be necessary for future policymaking to protect this unique region of Alaska, as well as for the communities who have inhabited it before recorded history.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48427,"journal":{"name":"Marine Policy","volume":"181 ","pages":"Article 106849"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144686898","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Undersea cables and the extension of empire: The rise of Britain, Japan, and the United States and the competition to connect Hawai‘i","authors":"Motohiro Tsuchiya ,&nbsp;Kristi Govella","doi":"10.1016/j.marpol.2025.106844","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.marpol.2025.106844","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This article examines the history of undersea cables from the mid-19th century to the mid-20th century. How did geopolitics affect cable construction historically? What parallels exist in the present day? Drawing on new archival data and Japanese-language sources, the article examines case studies of Britain, Japan, and the United States to demonstrate how the construction of cable networks was historically shaped by rising powers seeking to connect their territories and colonies for strategic purposes, which sometimes put small island nations such as Hawai‘i at the center of competition over connectivity. Geopolitics influenced the structure of cable networks during this period; connections tended to proliferate among countries that shared colonial links, while tensions and distrust among countries stopped potential construction projects. When countries came into conflict with one another, cable networks were disrupted due to intentional sabotage, or they were allowed to fall into disuse in some cases. This article contributes to the existing literature by incorporating data that has previously received little attention into discussions about the history of undersea cables and by bringing the cases of the United Kingdom, Japan, and the United States into dialogue with one another. This historical approach to analyzing the hegemonic activities of three imperial powers through the lens of submarine cables yields findings that have implications for contemporary policy, despite changes in technology and legal frameworks over the years.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48427,"journal":{"name":"Marine Policy","volume":"181 ","pages":"Article 106844"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144679370","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Feasibility of implementing ecological compensation for offshore wind power in the Finnish Baltic Sea area","authors":"Vilma Herronen,&nbsp;Jamie Jenkins","doi":"10.1016/j.marpol.2025.106848","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.marpol.2025.106848","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The expansion of offshore wind power in the Baltic Sea raises concerns about biodiversity impacts. Ecological compensation (EC) is a potential strategy to mitigate these effects, but its feasibility remains uncertain. This study examines the viability of EC for offshore wind projects in the Finnish Baltic Sea region from ecological, governance, financial, and social perspectives. Through expert interviews with industry, government, NGOs, and researchers, we identify key challenges and opportunities of implementing EC measures, using Finland as a case study. While governance and social acceptance support EC, ecological and financial constraints pose significant barriers due to the limited knowledge and uncertainties considering marine ecosystems. Four suggestions are highlighted to improve the feasibility of EC, including 1) establishing a specialised authority for implementation and market management of EC, 2) initiate pilot projects in collaboration with stakeholders, industry and research institutes, 3) conduct further research on offshore wind impacts in the Baltic Sea and 4) adopt flexible and transparent policy frameworks supporting implementation of EC.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48427,"journal":{"name":"Marine Policy","volume":"181 ","pages":"Article 106848"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144679369","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impacts of fishery policy on the distribution of access and community benefits","authors":"Daniel R. Mombourquette ,&nbsp;Anthony Charles ,&nbsp;Robert L. Stephenson","doi":"10.1016/j.marpol.2025.106830","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.marpol.2025.106830","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper provides an illustration of how fishery policies, particularly relating to transferability of licenses and quota holdings, can alter the distribution of fishery access, rights and benefits across fishing communities. Such distributional changes have consequences, but these are rarely made explicit within management, and there is too often a lack of effort to predict, monitor or mitigate those consequences. As seen in this paper, the lack of attention to distributional impacts can produce possibly-unintended but certainly highly negative impacts on some fishing communities. In particular, a temporal analysis of the distribution of access and benefits for lobster, groundfish and herring fisheries in part of the Atlantic region of Canada shows how a specific community (Grand Manan) lost fishery access and benefits, linked to policy changes over a four-decade time period. The resulting community-level impacts, including a decline in local prosperity, and a loss of diversity and resilience in the local economy, were largely untracked by government. This experience demonstrates the importance of establishing and monitoring explicit objectives related to community viability and wellbeing, within fishery management and policy processes. Greater attention to the distributional consequences of fisheries policies (and regulations) can contribute to policy that better balances multiple management objectives and trade-offs among these, and that can better consider concerns regarding fairness and equity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48427,"journal":{"name":"Marine Policy","volume":"181 ","pages":"Article 106830"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144672480","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Balancing economy and ecology: Ecosystem approach to enhanced traditional demersal fisheries management in West Papua, Indonesia","authors":"Nur Ismu Hidayat ,&nbsp;Fery Kurniawan ,&nbsp;Zairion Zairion","doi":"10.1016/j.marpol.2025.106843","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.marpol.2025.106843","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Implementing the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM) at the local scale could maintain a vital role of small-scale demersal fisheries and address their numerous challenges, including resource depletion, overfishing, biodiversity loss, and ineffective management. Periodic coral reef monitoring in Kaimana Regency, West Papua, Indonesia, indicates a decline in these high-market-value fisheries. However, no comprehensive study has been conducted on small-scale demersal fisheries and the implementation of EAFM in Kaimana. This research aims to evaluate the current conditions of small-scale demersal fisheries using the EAFM framework and formulate tactical decision options to improve the fisheries’ sustainability. Limited fisheries data from the biggest traditional landing site in Kaimana from June 2021 to December 2023 and interview data from September to December 2024 of traditional fishers with over five years of experience were analyzed. The findings indicated that small-scale demersal fisheries in Kaimana fulfilled a good implementation of EAFM principles, with an aggregate score of 74.09 %. While the economic domain scored highest (100 %), the fish resources domain scored lowest (58.67 %), indicating the need to improve small-scale demersal fisheries management. Considering these findings, various tactical decisions were explored, focusing on strengthening fish resources, habitat, and ecosystem, fishing techniques, social and institutional domains, while maintaining strengths in economic domains of EAFM.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48427,"journal":{"name":"Marine Policy","volume":"181 ","pages":"Article 106843"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144662527","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"SDG attributes: A sustainability assessment framework for Brazilian ports","authors":"Darliane Ribeiro Cunha ,&nbsp;Markus Dannyllo Carneiro Costa ,&nbsp;Clóvis Bôsco Mendonça Oliveira ,&nbsp;Newton Narciso Pereira","doi":"10.1016/j.marpol.2025.106841","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.marpol.2025.106841","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The maritime transport sector plays a vital role in Brazil’s economy, yet port sustainability remains a critical challenge. In response, this study develops and applies a sustainability index model specifically designed for the port sector, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 17). The model integrates 20 thematic dimensions and 84 indicators, enabling a quantitative assessment of port sustainability performance. It was applied to six Brazilian ports, representing 30 % of the country's cargo throughput in 2023. Results reveal that Ports B and E demonstrated the highest alignment with sustainability principles, particularly in partnerships (SDG 17) and responsible consumption (SDG 12). Conversely, significant gaps were identified in climate action (SDG 13) and clean energy adoption (SDG 7). The findings highlight strategic areas for improvement and offer a practical framework for decision-making and policy development within the port sector. By bridging operational practices and the global sustainability agenda, this model provides actionable insights to enhance governance structures and foster resilience in port operations. The study contributes to advancing sustainable maritime governance and offers a replicable tool for port authorities and policymakers aiming to align port development with international sustainability goals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48427,"journal":{"name":"Marine Policy","volume":"181 ","pages":"Article 106841"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144654879","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Disturbance impacts of planned offshore wind expansion on UK sediment blue carbon stocks","authors":"Daniel Donald ,&nbsp;Rachael Priest ,&nbsp;Christopher Sweeting ,&nbsp;Clare Fitzsimmons","doi":"10.1016/j.marpol.2025.106847","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.marpol.2025.106847","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The growth of offshore wind to meet the UK’s green energy targets will have impacts on marine ecosystems and other marine users. The large-scale construction of offshore wind infrastructure to meet these requirements could affect the blue carbon stocks stored in the UK’s seafloor sediments. Two pathways of disturbance from offshore wind expansion were identified in the present study: from the displacement of bottom-towed gear fishing and from infrastructure construction. These pressures were spatially modelled to determine if future offshore windfarm expansion in UK waters poses a threat to sediment blue carbon stocks. Results showed that only 2.02 % of the UK’s sediment blue carbon stock would be de-facto protected by planned offshore wind areas. Fisheries displacement from planned offshore windfarm areas to proximate seabed areas increased blue carbon disturbance in the UK waters by 0.35 % from the baseline disturbance scenario. Secondly, disturbance from planned offshore windfarm infrastructure construction was found to range from 29,600 to 141,000 tonnes for minimum and maximum scenarios respectively. Inter-array cable laying was responsible for ∼90 % of sediment blue carbon disturbance when compared to construction of scour protection and foundations. In conclusion, blue carbon disturbance in the top 10 cm of sediment from fisheries displacement and infrastructure construction are relatively small. But, due to the possibility of future fisheries displacement from continued spatial expansion of offshore wind, the present study supports the introduction of marine spatial planning measures that would reduce disturbance and protect sediment blue carbon.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48427,"journal":{"name":"Marine Policy","volume":"181 ","pages":"Article 106847"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144654878","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}