Socioeconomic Mini-Symp in Bali

[Leah Bunce]

Dear Coral Listers,

We would like to invite those of you working on socioeconomic issues to
submit an abstract for the 9ICRS mini-symposia entitled, "Bringing the
Social Sciences into Coral Reef Management: The Hows and Whys of
Socioeconomic Assessments" (C1).  This mini-symposium will discuss the
various approaches to conducting socioeconomic assessments (e.g.,
participatory rapid appraisals, ethnographic research, market valuations,
non-use valuations, multicriteria analysis) and the management
implications of these assessments drawing on case study experiences.  
Other contributions that fit the general topic of this mini-symposium are
also welcome. Please see the abstract below.

If you are interested in presenting a paper as part of this
mini-symposium, please send your abstract to the conveners: Leah Bunce
(Leah.Bunce at noaa.gov) and Nohora Galvis (galvis at itc.nl) and to the
co-ordinator of the scientific programme: David Hopley
(David.Hopley at ultrat.net.au). Instructions for abstract submission can be
found on the conference home page (http://www.nova.edu/ocean/9icrs/).

The deadline for abstract submission is 30 APRIL 2000.

See you in Bali.

Regards,
Leah Bunce
International Program Office, National Ocean Service
National Oceanic and Atmsopheric Administration USA
(301) 713-3078x129; -4263 (fax)

Nohora Galvis
Mail Box 115
International Institute for Aerospace Survey and Earth Sciences (ITC)
Hengelosestraat 99, P.O. Box 6
7500 AA Enschede, The Netherlands


Bringing the Social Sciences into Coral Reef Management: The Hows and Whys
of Socioeconomic Assessments

As increasing emphasis has been placed on the human dimension of coral
reef management, there has been growing interest in incorporating the
social sciences into reef management.  Socioeconomic assessments provide a
starting point for incorporating these fields of science into the reef
management process by providing insight into the cultural, social and
economic background of various stakeholder groups.  Recognizing the
significant role of these studies, the Global Coral Reef Monitoring
Network (GCRMN), which has historically focused on biophysical monitoring,
recently published a manual on how to conduct socioeconomic assessments.

This mini-symposium will discuss the hows and whys of conducting
socioeconomic assessments in terms of the alternative methods for
conducting socioeconomic assessments and the importance of the results for
reef management programs. Each presentation will focus on a site-specific
case study and will be presented by the social scientist who conducted the
study and by the reef manager who used the information to address reef
management issues.  The social scientist will discuss the methodology and
the results of the assessments while the reef manager will discuss how the
information was used to further reef management.  The session will
conclude with a discussion of the benefits and the challenges of the
various approaches to addressing reef management issues.