Our research focuses on the human dimensions of marine systems and how social-ecological dynamics shape and are shaped by formal and informal institutions.

Our research focuses on the human dimensions of marine systems and how social-ecological dynamics shape and are shaped by formal and informal institutions.

News & Events

Report from EBFM and co-management workshop now available (November 2017)

New ideas on how social science could change the way we do ocean conservation and management (read more) (October 2017)

Farr to present at upcoming 2017 RARGOM conference on her research on local ecological knowledge among fishermen (October 12, 2017)

Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions hosts Tony Charles seminar on successful approaches to community management (September 28, 2017)

Farr and Cucuzza present at international workshop on the integration of ecosystem-based fisheries management and co-management (September 27, 2017)

Community-based aquaculture effort underway in Maine (article) (August 6, 2017)

Research

We are broadly interested in questions about the design and maintenance of institutions (formal and informal) that support sustainable fisheries and the communities that depend on them. Towards this objective, we are currently working on a range of interdisciplinary research projects related to ecosystem-based fisheries management, seafood distribution and trade, community resilience, and aquaculture.

Publications

E. Fuller, J. Samhouri, J. Stoll, S. Levin, J. Watson. Characterizing fisheries connectivity in marine social-ecological systems. ICES Journal of Marine Science.

Stoll., J. S., Fuller, F., Crona, B. I. (2017) Uneven adaptive capacity among fishers in a sea of change. PLOS One

Stoll, J. S. (2017). Fishing for leadership: The role diversification plays in facilitating change agents. Journal of Environmental Management, 199, 74-82.

Stoll, J. S., Beitl, C. M., & Wilson, J. A. (2016). How access to Maine’s fisheries has changed over a quarter century: The cumulative effects of licensing on resilience. Global Environmental Change, 37, 79-91.

People

Our group is engaged in interdisciplinary and applied research related to sustainable fisheries, marine and coastal governance, food systems, and social-ecological dynamics. What this means is that our research is informed by real-world engagement with marine resource users, coastal community stakeholders, and policymakers. For this reason, much of our work is based in Maine, where opportunities for regular and ongoing collaboration is most possible. However, we also work in many other parts of the United States and abroad.