Using transdisciplinary research solutions to support governance in inland fisheries

Abstract

The diverse nature of internal and external threats and fishery attributes in inland fisheries indicates that the development of long-term solutions to governance issues will require interaction among multiple disciplines and actors. Pollution, habitat alteration, invasive species, and hydropower development are widespread problems that are often external to threats imposed by inland fisheries, but greatly impact fishery productivity. Within inland fisheries, challenges of overfishing, equitable access, conflict, and an overall lack of political will to sustain inland fisheries at the regional, national, and international policy levels serve to pressure the sector further. Power dynamics, governance systems, and regulations play a role in determining the perspectives from which solutions to these issues are viewed, and thereby the perspectives from which they are defined as a success. Promoting transdisciplinary research in inland fisheries can support development of successful governance solutions by providing relevant insights to identify and inform these perspectives.