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Analyzing the Santa María Bay through the social-ecological system framework : identifying leverage points for sustainability in La Reforma, Sinaloa

Breceda Martos, Alina LU (2020) In Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science MESM02 20202
LUCSUS (Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies)
Abstract
Small-scale fisheries are highly important in terms of economic productivity and environmental relevance in Mexico’s Northwest. The Santa María Bay (SMB), in Sinaloa, México, is the largest bay in the state and is highly productive in terms of fishing and the economic activities derived from it. It is also home to endemic species and the region’s largest mangrove wetland. It faces environmental and social threats and the communities that rely on the common-pool resource are vulnerable. La Reforma, one of the four small-scale finishing communities in the bay, is the focus of this case study. In this community, a local NGO – SUCEDE – works toward sustainability in the SMB.

This thesis’ objective is to study and analyze the SMB as a... (More)
Small-scale fisheries are highly important in terms of economic productivity and environmental relevance in Mexico’s Northwest. The Santa María Bay (SMB), in Sinaloa, México, is the largest bay in the state and is highly productive in terms of fishing and the economic activities derived from it. It is also home to endemic species and the region’s largest mangrove wetland. It faces environmental and social threats and the communities that rely on the common-pool resource are vulnerable. La Reforma, one of the four small-scale finishing communities in the bay, is the focus of this case study. In this community, a local NGO – SUCEDE – works toward sustainability in the SMB.

This thesis’ objective is to study and analyze the SMB as a social-ecological system to find leverage points to increase the system’s sustainability through SUCEDE’s work. I collect qualitative data by conducting 6 semi-structured interviews. I analyze my data by applying common-pool resource (CPR) theory and the social-ecological systems framework (SESF) as an analytical tool to find the most relevant variables in the system. I explain the implications of the variables’ interactions and outcomes and, focusing on the most relevant ones, I look for leverage points that can improve said them and advance sustainable development in the SMB.

I find three of SUCEDE’s existing projects that have a high likelihood of improving the SES’s negative outcomes and propose two new interventions that can further advance socio-economic and ecological sustainability. This study shows SUCEDE can increase a community’s likelihood to organize towards socio-economic and ecological sustainability by intervening where change is most efficient. (Less)
Popular Abstract (Spanish)
La pesca en pequeña escala es de gran importancia para la producción económica y relevancia ambiental en el Noroeste Mexicano. La Bahía Santa María (BSM) en el estado de Sinaloa, México, es la bahía más extensa en el estado y es altamente productiva en cuanto a recurso pesquero. Asimismo, es hogar de especies endémicas y del manglar más extenso de la región. Enfrenta amenazas ambientales y sociales, y las comunidades que dependen del recurso que se deriva de la bahía se encuentran vulnerables. La Reforma, una de las comunidades pesqueras de la BSM, es el enfoque de este caso de estudio. En esta comunidad yace una ONG local – SUCEDE – que trabaja por la sustentabilidad en la BSM.

El objetivo de la presente tesis es estudiar y analizar... (More)
La pesca en pequeña escala es de gran importancia para la producción económica y relevancia ambiental en el Noroeste Mexicano. La Bahía Santa María (BSM) en el estado de Sinaloa, México, es la bahía más extensa en el estado y es altamente productiva en cuanto a recurso pesquero. Asimismo, es hogar de especies endémicas y del manglar más extenso de la región. Enfrenta amenazas ambientales y sociales, y las comunidades que dependen del recurso que se deriva de la bahía se encuentran vulnerables. La Reforma, una de las comunidades pesqueras de la BSM, es el enfoque de este caso de estudio. En esta comunidad yace una ONG local – SUCEDE – que trabaja por la sustentabilidad en la BSM.

El objetivo de la presente tesis es estudiar y analizar la BSM como un sistema socio-ecológico para encontrar áreas de oportunidad para aumentar la sustentabilidad del sistema a través del trabajo de SUCEDE. Recolecté información cualitativa a través de 6 entrevistas en campo. Posteriormente, analicé dicha información aplicando la teoría de recursos de uso común y el marco conceptual de sistemas socio-ecológicos como herramienta analítica para encontrar las variables más relevantes del sistema. Explico las implicaciones de las interacciones de dichas variables y los resultados de éstas y, enfocándome en las más relevantes, encuentro área de oportunidad que pueden mejorar dicho sistema y fomentar el desarrollo sustentable en la BSM.

Encontré tres oportunidades en los proyectos existentes de SUCEDE que tienen altas probabilidades de mejorar los resultados negativos del sistema socio-ecológico y propongo dos nuevas intervenciones que pueden fomentar la sustentabilidad socio-económica y ecológica. Este estudio muestra que SUCEDE puede aumentar las probabilidades de la comunidad de La Reforma de organizarse hacia mayor sustentabilidad socio-económica y ecológica si se interviene donde el cambio es más eficiente. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Breceda Martos, Alina LU
supervisor
organization
course
MESM02 20202
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Socio-ecological system, socio-ecological systems framework, Santa María Bay, smallscale fisheries, common-pool resources, leverage points, sustainability science
publication/series
Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science
report number
2020:050
language
English
id
9031222
date added to LUP
2020-10-22 09:11:03
date last changed
2020-10-22 09:11:03
@misc{9031222,
  abstract     = {{Small-scale fisheries are highly important in terms of economic productivity and environmental relevance in Mexico’s Northwest. The Santa María Bay (SMB), in Sinaloa, México, is the largest bay in the state and is highly productive in terms of fishing and the economic activities derived from it. It is also home to endemic species and the region’s largest mangrove wetland. It faces environmental and social threats and the communities that rely on the common-pool resource are vulnerable. La Reforma, one of the four small-scale finishing communities in the bay, is the focus of this case study. In this community, a local NGO – SUCEDE – works toward sustainability in the SMB.

This thesis’ objective is to study and analyze the SMB as a social-ecological system to find leverage points to increase the system’s sustainability through SUCEDE’s work. I collect qualitative data by conducting 6 semi-structured interviews. I analyze my data by applying common-pool resource (CPR) theory and the social-ecological systems framework (SESF) as an analytical tool to find the most relevant variables in the system. I explain the implications of the variables’ interactions and outcomes and, focusing on the most relevant ones, I look for leverage points that can improve said them and advance sustainable development in the SMB.

I find three of SUCEDE’s existing projects that have a high likelihood of improving the SES’s negative outcomes and propose two new interventions that can further advance socio-economic and ecological sustainability. This study shows SUCEDE can increase a community’s likelihood to organize towards socio-economic and ecological sustainability by intervening where change is most efficient.}},
  author       = {{Breceda Martos, Alina}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  series       = {{Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science}},
  title        = {{Analyzing the Santa María Bay through the social-ecological system framework : identifying leverage points for sustainability in La Reforma, Sinaloa}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}