Greetings from Santa Cruz, CA and welcome to the Marine Sanctuary Economics Community of Practice (MS CoP) . 

As Social Science Coordinator for the West Coast Region, I am seeing an increasing need for socioeconomic information to inform management, policy, and public processes.  In response, the MS CoP will create a resource for those intrepid souls who endeavor to use economic data and analyses to inform some of the key things we do at the NMSP: management planning, MPA processes (and marine spatial planning, generally), socioeconomic monitoring, and addressing regulatory requirements, e.g., pursuant to NEPA.  This CoP will also help inform those of us who simply want to enhance the way we treat the human dimension of what we do. 

What is ‘social’ science?

At recent meetings in the Monterey Bay, social scientists were asked several fundamental questions: 

1. What exactly is social science?  Answer: scientific investigation of past and current human behavior and interactions (with the natural environment and other humans).  For our purposes, the relevant academic fields include economics, sociology, psychology, and anthropology.  While the MS CoP focuses on economics, we recognize the ‘non-economic’ dimensions of human-marine interactions and may expand the scope of the CoP after an initial development period. 

2. Do social scientists employ the same scientific principals used by natural scientists?  Answer: yes, social science was developed using the same principals, e.g., we observe behavior in situ, test hypotheses, and strive to design studies that when replicated should produce the same result, statistically speaking (and controlling for differing human populations, etc.)  There is one notable difference: human behavior is motivated by attitudes, beliefs, perceptions- all of which are affected by levels of knowledge, education, environment, and other variables.  In other words, human behaviors and interactions are often temporally dynamic, affected by factors that are difficult to observe or elicit, and challenging to predict. 

How is it relevant?

We seek biological and ecological outcomes by managing human activities over time and space.  Thus, it pays to know what humans are doing, their motivations, and how they are likely to be affected by human interventions, e.g., policies, and in our case environmental change, be it natural or anthropogenic.  How will commercial fishing or charter business be affected by MPAs?  Will so-called ‘non-consumptive’ users of the marine environment benefit if biological and ecological outcomes are realized as hoped for?  These are examples of nuts and bolts questions that we can begin to address with basic economic data and analyses.  We would, of course, also like to know about social and cultural dimensions, e.g., what are the effects to fishing communities on the West Coast, and how might that affect the way coastal users perceive the NMSP and its policies? Not to mention that our work involves managing public trust resources; thus, considering human well-being is an important part of managing resources that are owned by the public. 

Why start a CoP?

Socioeconomic data is often called for in management plan review processes and in environmental impact statements.  However, NMS managers and staff often find themselves at a loss for economic information, or at a loss to apply it.  Plus, we can’t afford to put a qualified social scientist at every site (assuming we would want to). 

This CoP will help by connecting NMS staff to specific data and experts.  With help from experts such as Dr. Linwood Pendleton, we will help sanctuary managers and staff identify the economic data (and experts) needed to evaluate decisions on adding sanctuaries, expanding sanctuary boundaries, establishing no-take areas and research-only areas, or prohibiting some consumptive activities.  We will provide an active forum where sanctuary managers can easily ask questions, get answers, and even find assistance.  A key asset of this CoP is our growing network of expert marine economic researchers around the nation who can help advise and assist staff in all of our 13 National Marine Sanctuaries and one National Monument.

Our collaborator Dr. Vernon (Bob) Leeworthy, Chief Economist of NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuaries Program, has led some of the best socioeconomic research available and has many lessons to share.  Bob’s extensive research in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and at the Channel Island National Marine Sanctuary offers valuable insights for all marine sanctuary managers and staff.  Bob is developing a roadmap for socioeconomic research for the National Marine Sanctuary Program that will guide sanctuary staff in their specific needs for information.  Very soon, the MS CoP will host its first web-meeting to begin our discussions. 

To meet your most basic needs for information, we have a number of guidance documents and published and technical reports available in the MS CoP Documents Library .  You must be a registered member of the MS CoP to access these documents.  At any time, registered members can post questions or comments to the Policy Forum .  We will try to answer the questions or tap one of our experts to help reply.  The idea is for any MS CoP members to join in the discussion and share insights.  As a registered member, you are welcome to review our growing list of expert economists and contact them directly for advice. 

Again, welcome and thank you for your interest in the MS CoP.  Please contact me with questions or comments.
 

Chris LaFranchi

Social Science Coordinator

National Marine Sanctuary Program, West Coast Region

Tel: (415) 602-7302

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