SNAPP: Planning for the impacts of land-­uses on coral reef fisheries and livelihoods under different climate scenarios

With nearly half of the world’s population living near the sea, the increase in coastal population and economic development (e.g., agriculture, fishing) has led to growing pressures on coastal and marine natural resources. This problem is pervasive across the globe. The issue becomes acute when people’s livelihoods depend upon the natural resources under threat, such as fisheries, which sustain some of the world’s poorest people. The Science for Nature and People (SNAP) Ridges to Reefs Working Group will focus on how land-use changes and management interventions impact fisheries and livelihoods in regions of high dependence on coastal resources. This Working Group aims to: 1) conduct a meta-analysis about land-use impacts on fisheries, 2) develop a spatial process model that can predict how and where river run-off affects coral reef fisheries, and 3) develop a "return on investment" framework to assess trade-offs between economic development, conservation, fisheries management, and livelihoods. The outcomes of these efforts will help to maximize fisheries and conservation benefits while minimizing costs to resource users by informing the development of integrated coastal management plans and assist in the expansion of protected area networks and fisheries management regulations. This project is supported by the Science for Nature and People (SNAP) initiative, generously funded through founding grants by Shirley and Harry Hagey, Steve and Roberta Denning, Seth Neiman, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Ward W. and Priscilla B. Woods, and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.