Fishers' multidimensional knowledge advances fisheries and aquatic science

Area of Science:

• Fisheries science
• Aquatic ecosystem science
• Conservation biology

Background:

• Indigenous and Local Knowledge (ILK) from fishers is crucial for understanding and managing aquatic ecosystems.
• ILK encompasses a wide range of ecological and management insights, from marine algae to whale populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the significant contributions of fishers' ILK to fisheries and aquatic science.
• To identify challenges in sustaining ILK and integrating it into resource management and decision-making processes.

Main Methods:

• Review and synthesis of existing literature on fishers' ILK in fisheries and aquatic science.
• Analysis of the scope and applications of ILK across various ecological and management domains.
• Identification of key challenges and barriers to ILK integration.

Main Results:

• ILK provides multidimensional contributions across fisheries management, conservation, ecology, and impact assessment.
• Knowledge spans diverse taxa, from algae to marine mammals.
• Significant challenges exist in knowledge sustainment, value recognition, and inclusion of ILK holders.

Conclusions:

• Fishers' ILK is an indispensable asset for advancing fisheries and aquatic ecosystem science.
• Effective strategies are needed to sustain ILK and ensure the meaningful participation of ILK holders in governance.