Perspectives on the dynamic human-walrus relationship / by Martin D. Robards.

Robards, Martin D.

2008.

Walrus--Effect of human beings on--Bering Sea.
Walrus--Ecology--Climatic factors--Bering Sea.
Marine mammals--Conservation--Law and legislation--Bering Sea.
United States. Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972.
Walrus--Conservation--Law and legislation--Bering Sea.
Walrus--Effect of hunting on--Bering Sea.

xii, 140 leaves : ill., maps ; 28 cm.

Introduction -- Problems and perspectives -- The relationship between humans and their environment -- The human-walrus relationship in the Northern Bering Sea -- Scope of dissertation -- Bounding of research -- Caveats to the research and data collection -- References -- 1. Spatial and temporal dynamics of the spring pacific walrus migration and Alaska Native subsistence hunt: 1952-2004 -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Background and hypotheses -- Walrus ecology -- Climate change and sea-ice -- Alaska Native subsistence -- Methods -- Walrus catch data -- Results -- Timing of the spring walrus harvest among villages and between regimes -- Size of the spring walrus harvest among villages and between regimes -- Hunting behavior versus climate variability -- Discussion -- Variation in season of village harvests -- Variation in size of village harvests -- Implications to Pacific walrus ecology -- Implications to communities -- Acknowledgements -- References -- Tables -- Figures -- 2. Pacific walrus management: considering the value of numbers in a changing environment -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Pacific walrus and their changing environment -- Current knowledge about the size of the pacific Walrus population -- Ecosystems and the marine mammal protection act -- Population-based approaches to marine mammal management -- Waiting for a crisis in walrus management? -- A fresh approach -- Potential elements of ecosystem-based management for Pacific walrus -- Avoid habitat degradation -- Minimize the risk of irreversible change within ecosystems -- Obtain and maintain long-term socioeconomic benefits without compromising the ecosystem -- Use robust and precautionary management measures that favor the ecoystem -- Generate knowledge of ecosystem processes -- Conclusion -- Acknowledgements -- References -- Figures -- 3. Co-management without collaboration: avoiding spatial and temporal 'fit' for pagophilic pinniped subsistence in Alaska -- Abstract -- Introduction -- Scale -- Types of resource and property rights -- Allocation of rights to common-pool resources -- Temporality of rights and resources -- Allocation of rights to marine mammals under the marine mammal protection act -- Legal discourses of scale -- Alaska native -- Depleted -- Subsistence -- Authenticity -- Failing to efficiently co-manage pagophilic pinnipeds -- Failure to unify ecological and sociopolitical scales -- Failure to effectively monitor Arctic pinnipeds -- Failure to match scales of utilization and ecological processes -- The collective choice context of operational level subsistence -- A pragmatic approach to achieving conservation objectives in co-management -- Conclusions -- Acknowledgements -- References -- Figures -- Conclusions -- References -- Appendix -- Related publications.

"Changes in sea ice conditions have direct bearing on ice-associated species such as Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens), which are an important component of subsistence for Alaska Native communities in the Bering Sea. I explore the relationship between walrus, sea ice, and Alaska Native subsistence at Diomede, Gambell, and Savoonga between 1952 and 2004 to better understand walrus ecology and subsistence under different climatic regimes. I then consider how the inability to reliably and regularly count walrus and other ice-associated pinnipeds in this dynamic environment challenges effective management of walrus and subsistence under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). However, the primary management goals of the MMPA, which are intended to be ecosystem-based, have been bypassed in favor of a numerical population assessment approach. Governance approaches such as adaptive co-management, using a suite of ecological and population indicators have theoretical promise for making management responsive to both observed ecosystem and population changes. Nevertheless, understanding outcomes of co-management has proven difficult. To address this, I argue that such an understanding requires not only a review of a statute's ecosystem-oriented goals, but also a critical consideration of the specific goals of each co-management partner. To sustain natural resources, mismatches between the scale of ecological processes regulating resources, and the social or political processes governing resource use should logically be reduced, thus improving what is termed 'fit.' I argue that failures to foster fit of these processes might better reflect underlying co-management partner goals, rather than a focus on the statutory goals of policy. I examine this claim by assessing the spatial and temporal 'fit' of boundaries defining the political context of walrus co-management under the MMPA. I find that the ability to address the uncertainty of walrus population status in a manner benefiting adaptation of both walrus and Alaska Natives to a dynamic environment is compromised by a focus on values, rather than better matching policy with ecological and social conditions. My interdisciplinary findings are broadly applicable to community-based conservation partners seeking to foster resilience and adaptation of both natural resources and of the indigenous or rural communities dependent on them"--Leaves iii-iv.

"August 2008."
Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2008.
Includes bibliographical references.

ocn261158570