Elsevier

Ocean & Coastal Management

Volume 69, December 2012, Pages 291-298
Ocean & Coastal Management

The perceptions of coastal resource managers in Hawai‘i: The current situation and outlook for the future

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2012.07.028Get rights and content

Abstract

Coastal ecosystems around the world have deteriorated markedly due to anthropogenic impacts such as habitat alteration, resource extraction, pollution, and invasive species. Resource managers deal with these increasingly interrelated impacts as well as considerable uncertainty in scientific knowledge, funding and institutional priorities. Given that these issues can pose a serious impediment to sustainable management, information regarding manager perceptions relative to these challenges can be applied to improve the decisions of policy makers, funding agencies, and management entities. Our objectives will be tested in Hawai‘i as it is a unique system in need of study. Based upon the above considerations, the objectives of this study were to: 1) improve our understanding of who is tasked with managing coastal resources; 2) understand how managers perceive the system they are managing; and, 3) evaluate whether differences in perceptions exist across agencies and demographic attributes. Identified coastal resource managers (N = 87), hereafter referred to as managers, across Hawai‘i’s inhabited islands were surveyed in regards to coastal ecosystems. Respondents were predominately well educated Caucasian males, with state managers comprising the largest portion (50.9%), followed by non-governmental organizations (28.1%) and federal (19.3%). The largest perceived threat to Hawai‘i’s coasts were invasive species, while a lack of funding was the largest management challenge. Managers identified increasing resources, public understanding, and collaboration among agencies, as well as improving zoning and permitting as solutions to these challenges. Perceptions varied little across all respondents.

Highlights

► Coastal resources are important to Hawai’i’s economy and need to be better protected. ► Regardless of demographics or employing agency, managers have similar perceptions. ► Invasive species is the largest perceived threat to Hawai’i’s coastal resources. ► Increased resources (funding/personnel) are the biggest need to improve management. ► Improved public knowledge and stricter enforcement of resource violations are needed.

Introduction

Coastal ecosystems (CE) are valuable resources that provide a wide range of goods and services that benefit humanity (Barbier et al., 2011, Failler, 2010, Luisetti et al., 2011, Newton et al., 2012). Globally, the health of CE has deteriorated due to numerous threats, reflected by declining species richness and abundance and a loss of ecosystem services (Dayton et al., 2005, Failler, 2010, Lotze et al., 2006, Luisetti et al., 2011, Newton et al., 2012, Noss et al., 1995). Habitat modification is among the most serious of all anthropogenic impacts on CE (Lotze et al., 2006, Vitousek et al., 1997). Degradation of CE stems from overpopulation, uncontrolled development and human activities that contribute to habitat alteration and system perturbations (Cohen and Carlton, 1998). Unsustainable resource extraction, invasive species, climate change and the tourism sector place additional stress on coastal resources (Engel et al., 1999, Hoegh-Guldberg et al., 2007, Luers and Moser, 2006).

Hawai‘i’s CE are world renowned attracting more than seven million visitors in 2010 (Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, 2010). Many visitors engage in ocean and coastal related recreational activities. Tourism is the number one industry in Hawai‘i contributing 23% or $12.4 billion of the state gross domestic product in 2005 and providing 200,000 jobs (Hu et al., 2009). The net benefit of coral reefs to the State economy is $360 million annually, with their overall value estimated to be nearly $10 billion (Cesar and Van Beukering, 2004). These public resources make a vital contribution to the livelihoods of many coastal residents and a thorough understanding of how resources are managed is essential.

In the 1980’s, natural resource management systems in Hawai‘i were characterized as under-managed (Derrickson et al., 2002). Water resource jurisdictions were fragmented across federal, state, and county agencies. Decisions were largely made and influenced by state government, large landowners, developers, plantations, and the military. Limited coordination and overlapping authorities were prevalent in watershed management. Problems of multiple agencies only addressing a specific component of pollution became apparent as the state began to develop integrated resource management programs. The number of aquatic systems meeting water quality standards decreased as a result of unresolved jurisdictional issues, continued economic growth, and urban expansion (Derrickson et al., 2002).

Managers globally, are faced with a wide range of issues and responsibilities to address based on relevant scientific, political, economic, and social information. Specifically, managers are responsible for protection, public safety, and providing access to coastal areas (Luers and Moser, 2006, Tribbia and Moser, 2008). While managers have a number of responsibilities, ultimately their charge is to manage resources based upon existing policies and current scientific knowledge. Scientific knowledge is not necessarily tailored to manager needs. A disconnect exists between scientists and decision makers, particularly between the knowledge produced by scientists and the information applied by decision makers (Dabelko, 2005). Given this disconnect, scientists must understand the perceptions and needs of managers to produce information that is coherent and cogent to ensure policies implemented by decision makers, and applied by managers is based on the best knowledge available. Based upon the numerous challenges CE face, there is a great need to understand how those charged with managing resources engaged and perceive management. Hence, the overall goal of our project is to understand how managers view and consider their duties, needs, and system using Hawai‘i as a model. To address this overall goal, we have three specific objectives: 1) improve our understanding of who is tasked with managing coastal resources; 2) understand how managers perceive the system they are managing; and, 3) evaluate whether differences in perceptions exist across agencies and demographic attributes.

Section snippets

Study area

The Hawaiian Islands are the most isolated archipelago in the world lying more than 3200 km from the closest continental land mass (Howarth et al., 1988). Only managers for the inhabited islands of Kaua‘i, O‘ahu, Maui, Moloka‘i, Lāna‘i, and Hawai‘i were included in this study as different resource stressors persist on uninhabited islands. The island of Ni‘ihau was also excluded from the study as it is privately owned with limited access.

Defining coastal and Hawai‘i’s coastal resource managers

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Socio-demographics

State managers made up the largest portion of respondents, followed by NGO, federal, and county managers. Respondents were predominately Caucasian males (Table 1), ranging in age from 27 to 67 years (48.6 ± 11.6 yrs, n = 54) with more than half being > 50 years of age. Respondents were highly educated with the average time in college being > 5 years (5.3 ± 1.8, n = 60). While a higher percentage of federal (60%, n = 10) and state (59.3%, n = 16) respondents held advanced degrees compared to NGO

Socio-demographics

State agency respondents accounted for approximately half the survey population. State jurisdiction includes all terrestrial lands and territorial waters extending from the upper reaches of the waves’ wash seaward for three nautical miles (Jokiel et al., 2011), resulting in coastal resource management falling largely under state jurisdiction. NGO and federal managers may also be less tied to specific locations or focus on more widespread issues such as marine debris, coastal hazards, or

Potential solutions and recommendations

The need to increase funding to better support Hawai‘i managers and ensure the prosperity of island residents is overwhelmingly apparent. Willingness-to-pay studies have shown that individuals are open to donations or fees if they know monies generated will be used for conservation or preservation (Bengston and Fan, 2001, Brown, 2001, Graefe et al., 2003, Kramer and Mercer, 1997). Programs such as ‘Adopt a Whale’ have also proven successful at generating revenue (Smith, 1994) and can be used as

Acknowledgements

This paper is supported by a grant/cooperative agreement from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Project A/AS-1, which is sponsored by the University of Hawai‘i Sea Grant College Program, SOEST, under Institutional Grant No. NA09OAR4170060 from NOAA Office of Sea Grant, Department of Commerce. The views expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of NOAA or any of its subagencies. UNIHI-SEAGRANT-JC-12-05. This research was made possible

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