Peer-reviewed publications

Marine fishery sustainability depends, among others, on broader governance factors affecting fishery value chains, including the division and distribution of gender roles. This study investigates the roles of women in artisanal (billfish) fisheries in Kenya, identifies the constraints to their participation, and makes policy recommendations to enhance women’s contribution to the growth and sustainability of this important sector. Qualitative and quantitative data through surveys (n=25), semi-structured interviews(n=75), group discussions (n=104), and observations in the selected study sites on the Kenya coast show that key factors influencing women’s involvement are market access, financial resources, and skillsets. From a value chain approach, women primarily engage in secondary activities like processing and trading, while their involvement in primary roles, such as managing fishing crews, is minimal. Historical social, cultural, and economic barriers, including lower education levels and traditional gender roles, contribute to this disparity. Existing gender dynamics reinforce inequalities in resource access and decision-making. This study seeks to fill knowledge gaps regarding women’s participation in billfish fisheries in the Western Indian Ocean, using Kenya as a case study. While women are known to participate in sport and recreational fisheries, their roles in artisanal fisheries are underrepresented in research. The analysis underscores the need for context-specific policies to enhance women’s roles and for integrating gender considerations into fisheries management, so that women can become crucial stakeholders in billfish fisheries. Overall, the findings have significant implications for promoting gender equity and sustainable fisheries practices in artisanal fisheries in Kenya and beyond.

In the face of rapid ecological decline, biodiversity information is essential for safeguarding life on Earth. Although this information is increasingly valued by governments, businesses, and other stakeholders, it remains insufficiently accessible and usable. Because the rarity and functions of biodiversity vary greatly across land- and seascapes, the global and local ecological and social significance of biodiversity change within and among regions can differ greatly. Measuring biodiversity at both scales is therefore critical for effective monitoring and conservation—an expectation embedded in global frameworks. We review the challenges and opportunities in biodiversity measurement, examining key users, producers, and use cases, and the role of emerging technologies. As catalysts for a more robust, efficient, and collaborative global measurement system we highlight Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBVs) as a flexible foundation to integrate across scales by linking local data into global significance assessments. EBVs also underpin indicators, geospatial data products, and an evolving ‘bag of metrics’ required by different users. We call for improved incentives and organization around thematic and regional networks to produce EBVs and structured end-to-end initiatives and workflows as a blueprint for the next phase of coordinated biodiversity measurement globally

As the coverage of area-based conservation increases across the globe, it is critical to improve understanding of the social and ecological outcomes of such measures and the pathways to their outcomes. A social–ecological systems approach to monitoring and evaluation is increasingly advocated; yet, applications remain scarce. We sought to facilitate operationalization of this approach through prioritization of indicators when resources are scarce and to improve capture of social–ecological interactions. We convened a working group of practitioners and academics to explore linked social and ecological interactions through a case study of marine protected areas (MPAs). We used causal models (implemented through causal loop diagrams) in participatory and future-oriented approaches to identify interactions among key nodes of the system that can be a focus of monitoring. These nodes and their interactions provided insight into linked indicators of key system components, for example, biomass, compliance, perceived legitimacy, catches, and perceived fairness. We called these indicator bundles. Indicator bundles can be applied to analyze causal modeling diagrams, identify essential elements to monitor, and inform analytical and reporting protocols. The bundles can also help identify key leverage points for adaptive management to improve outcomes of existing interventions. This approach can inform monitoring and evaluation and, ultimately, the design and adaptive management of conservation areas that maximize social and ecological benefits and minimize negative trade-offs.

The 100th anniversary of the first scientific account of roadkill recognizes the growing awareness of roads’ ecological impacts. Since the first scientific record of roadkill in 1925, global road networks have expanded to over 21.6 million km. Roads result in the mortality of millions of animals annually, threatening biodiversity by reducing populations, fragmenting habitats, and raising extinction risks. Although it was not until the early 2000s that road ecology became formally established as a discipline, research has since advanced substantially. A recent global roadkill dataset spanning 2,283 species in 54 countries is an example of this advancement, and it highlights the urgency of this issue. As road expansion accelerates, especially into intact habitats, it is essential to align infrastructure development with both ecological sustainability and economic objectives. We need to build better roads that meet human needs while safeguarding biodiversity, promoting conservation, and preventing another century of major ecological harm.

Much recent research has focused on the impact of human recreation on wildlife, but relatively few studies have used causal inference approaches; doing so would strengthen recreation management and decision-making. Here, we use tools from the causal analysis literature and a multi-year observational dataset to assess how human road- and trail-use affects an apex predator, the grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis). Our study leverages a natural experiment that reduced—via access restrictions and changes to tourism operator conditions—peak-season human recreation by ∼ 85% in 2023 compared to levels in 2018–2022.We used structural time series forecasting to quantify how weekly detection rates of grizzly bears changed in 2023 versus previous years, and “placebo tests” to strengthen causal inference and rule out competing hypotheses. We show that grizzly bear detections and temporal trends were 185% higher in late summer 2023 due to reduced human trail-use, providing robust evidence that human recreation can cause reduced wildlife activity in protected areas.

Contemporary fisheries have been shaped by a paradigm of perpetual growth, characterized by increasing global production and consumption. While this growth has driven economic benefits and technological progress, it has jeopardized the sustainability of marine ecosystems, with implications for the long-term livelihoods and wellbeing of fishers, consumers and resource dependent coastal populations worldwide. This paper advocates for a shift beyond growth towards a wellbeing economy. It considers how five fundamental principles intrinsic to a wellbeing economy - purpose, nature, fairness, participation and dignity - can help reorient the fisheries sector. The paper then provides ten actionable recommendations for reshaping the composition and structure of economic activity in fisheries to enhance societal wellbeing and equity within ecological boundaries. In a world grappling with the consequences of unchecked economic growth, this paper offers insights into fostering a regenerative fisheries system that safeguards human prosperity and environmental integrity.

Sustainability of food chains may be improved when circularity principles are integrated, nutrients are retained in the food chain and biomass losses are reduced. In this context, redesigning livestock systems to more circular and regenerative approaches is a critical step. The foundation of this special issue arises from the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization’s Livestock Environmental Assessment & Performance (UN, FAO LEAP) Partnership who assembled a Technical Advisory Group of 36 experts from 23 different countries spread over five continents to investigate the role of livestock in circular bioeconomy systems. This special issue explores specifically the synergies, trade-offs, and interactions of livestock production within this context. Livestock play a fundamental role within a circular bioeconomy by converting nonedible biomass, such as pastures and forages, agricultural residues, and food industry byproducts into high-value animal-sourced foods Beyond food production, livestock systems support bio-based industries by valorizing animal byproducts (ABP) such as hides, bones, and fats into materials for pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and bioenergy. Additionally, manure-based biogas production provides renewable energy while mitigating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. By recycling nutrients and utilizing low-opportunity-cost biomass, livestock contribute to reducing food-feed competition, enhance soil health, provide renewable energy and close nutrient cycles, improving the sustainability of agricultural systems and strengthening global food security. Furthermore, livestock play an integral role in promoting circularity in agricultural systems, a reflection of the coevolution of plant and animal agriculture over millennia. Not all livestock production systems optimize circularity and as a result transformative circular agricultural practices that promote the integration of crop–livestock–pasture systems that reuse, recycle, and valorize nutrients are needed to enhance sustainability.

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Aquaculture interventions and policies are now fundamental in sustainability agendas, particularly in supporting small-scale fisheries and coastal communities. These policies often rely on the “blue transitions” theory of change, which posits that an expansion of aquaculture will aid in recovering declining fish stocks and enhancing livelihoods. However, the blue transitions theory is relatively new, leaving many aspects uncertain, especially regarding how transition stages unfold and impact communities as they are expected to transform livelihoods. Frequently, these policies adopt a top-down approach driven by political and corporate interests at global or national levels, emphasizing environmental and economic benefits while neglecting local social, cultural, and historical contexts. This study aims to identify gaps in current blue transition policies at the local level through two empirical case studies in Baja California Sur, Mexico. Additionally, it evaluates the suitability of existing frameworks for incorporating justice in food system transitions for seafood system transitions and provides insights for developing more equitable blue food policies. Using an exploratory mixed methods approach from 2021 to 2023, including ethnography, interviews, surveys, and focus groups, this research delves into the complexities of aquaculture policies for communities going through blue transitions. Findings indicate that these policies often prioritize economic development over social, cultural, and historical considerations, leading to injustices within communities. The case studies reveal impacts and challenges such as intra-community conflict, illegal fishing, and threats to food security and resilience, as well as benefits like momentary economic gains. Applying a framework for just food system transitions, we advocate for flexible, community-centric policies that recognize local heterogeneity and empower communities to shape their transitions, including deciding whether a transition is appropriate. This study underscores the limitations of viewing aquaculture as a panacea for small-scale fisheries’ challenges, emphasizing the need for holistic, multiscale management approaches. Contextualizing blue transitions within local realities and prioritizing food justice can promote just and equitable outcomes that address the nuanced needs of diverse coastal communities amidst global pressures.

Terrestrial ecosystems could contribute to climate mitigation through nature-based climate solutions (NbCS), which aim to reduce ecosystem greenhouse gas emissions and/or increase ecosystem carbon storage. Forests have the largest potential for NbCS, aligned with broader sustainability benefits, but—unfortunately—a broad body of literature has revealed widespread problems in forest NbCS projects and protocols that undermine the climate mitigation of forest carbon credits and hamper efforts to reach global net zero. Therefore, there is a need to bring better science and policy to improve NbCS climate mitigation outcomes going forward. Here we synthesize challenges to crediting forest NbCS and offer guidance and key next steps to make improvements in the implementation of these strategies immediately and in the near-term. We structure our Perspective around four key components of rigorous forest NbCS, illuminating key science and policy considerations and providing solutions to improve rigour. Finally, we outline a ‘contribution approach’ to support rigorous forest NbCS that is an alternative funding mechanism that disallows compensation or offsetting claims.