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International panelists discuss how science and local knowledge can come together to sustain and restore natural resources during a public forum on May 8 at Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota.
From left: Dr. Gonzalo Macho of Universida de Vigo, Spain; Dr. Michael Crosby of Mote Marine Laboratory; Ed Chiles of The Chiles Group, Anna Maria, Fla.; Dr. Tetsuo Yanagi of Kyushu University, Japan; Ippei Yanagida of NPO INO, Japan; Prof. Tetsu Sato of the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature in Japan
Media: For high-res photos, please contact Hayley Rutger at 941-374-0081 or hrutger@mote.org
International scientists, fisheries representatives and nearly 100 members of the local community gathered Wednesday at Mote Marine Laboratory for a public forum focused on how communities around the world are making science-based conservation happen — and their discussion brought a new notion to town: “Sato-Umi.”
Sato-Umi — a concept that originated in Japan that is gaining ground around the world — is the harmony between human communities and the productivity and biodiversity of marine ecosystems. The idea offers major benefits for Sarasota Bay, from restoring depleted scallop populations to enhancing historic fisheries of Cortez, forum leaders said.
The forum was conducted as part of a global study of science and society led by Japan’s Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (RIHN) titled “Formation of Local Environmental Knowledge Systems for Creation and Sustainable Governance of New Commons.” The study examines how grassroots groups, researchers working in the same area, policymakers and others can blend traditional and scientific knowledge and techniques to restore, conserve and sustainably use natural resources.
Sarasota Bay is among 11 case-study sites in the worldwide RIHN project. Locally, RIHN has been studying the knowledge transfer taking place between residents, scientists and community leaders as part of a scallop restoration effort in Sarasota Bay, which includes Mote, Sarasota Bay Watch, Sarasota Bay Estuary Program and many volunteer “citizen scientists.”
Drawing upon this example and others from Japan and Spain, forum leaders revealed how Sato-Umi concepts are being put into practice as new paradigms for environmental restoration and sustainable use of natural resources are being created in locales around the world, leading to tangible conservation benefits.
Forum panelists included:
- Dr. Michael Crosby, Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, Fla.
- Prof. Tetsu Sato, RIHN, Japan
- Dr. Tetsuo Yanagi of Kyushu University, Japan
- Ippei Yanagida of NPO INO, Japan
- Dr. Gonzalo Macho, Universida de Vigo, Spain
- Ed Chiles, The Chiles Group, Anna Maria, Fla.
Forum highlights included the ideas that:
- Human uses of natural resources can be damaging, but wise use of natural resources can help resources flourish. For example, some fishing communities in Japan work to support the fish populations they depend on by maintaining and restoring habitats the fish depend on for survival — like coral reefs.
- Wise use of natural resources depends on many groups working together. For example, artisanal fishermen in northwestern Spain have benefited from working with technical assistants. These scientifically trained aides help monitor the status of local fisheries, learn from the local fishing community and help represent locals’ interests in fishery management discussions.
- Many parts of the world could benefit from Sato-Umi practices — by developing ways to share and exchange scientific and traditional or local knowledge.
- Sarasota Bay is a promising site for implementing concepts of Sato-Umi. Here, world-class scientists at Mote work closely with successful grassroots efforts and have strong connections with local fishing communities.
“Scientists have as much to learn from those who live and work in the natural environment as we have to offer them,” said Dr. Michael Crosby, Mote’s Senior Vice President for Research, who will become the Lab’s President on May 16. “Knowledge is not a one-way street from the scientists to the public — it’s about circulation and sharing of knowledge amongst all stakeholders. That is the core of Mote’s philosophy and of our participation in the international RIHN project.”
As an example, Mote is working with the community groups Sarasota Bay Watch, Sarasota Bay Estuary Program and others to release scallop larvae into the Bay and monitor their success to inform continuing restoration efforts. Local high school students have joined these efforts by creating scallop-monitoring devices.
Forum panelist Ed Chiles, owner and CEO of the Chiles Group operating the Sandbar, BeachHouse and Mar Vista restaurants, and board member with Sarasota Bay Watch, also pointed out the importance of groups working together to add value to local sustainably produced products. For instance, he explained one idea to support the historic fishing community of Cortez and add value to a product they already produce — mullet roe. Traditionally, the fishers have been paid $6 to $15 a pound to export the roe to other countries where it is turned into a high-value product called bottarga, which is mullet roe that is dried and pressed — which sells for $150-$180 per pound.
“By making bottarga here, we’re changing the model and shifting the paradigm,” he said. “We’re able to move to a value-added system instead of just a commodity-based system.”
Chiles also said he was surprised by the similarities in the examples of Sato-Umi presented during the forum. “I’m struck by how connected we are all over the world because we all have the same issues,” Chiles said. “To know and realize that I’m part of Sato-Umi and that many of us out here today are part of Sato-Umi – it really defines what a big group of us have been about in this area.”
For his part, the leader of the RIHN project, Prof. Tetsu Sato, said he was most impressed by the interaction that is occurring in Sarasota between residents and scientists. “I was very deeply impressed by the mutual trust on this floor between scientists, like the Mote scientists here, and community members,” he said. “This type of trust has been cultivated through years of interaction and I really respect Mote’s history with this community. It’s important to respect and support the decisions of the community, and this is a shared attitude among us.”
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