Systematic literature review of social-ecological changes in fisheries systems

Since the 1990s, the overexploitation of marine resources has led to the degradation of the fisheries’ social-ecological systems (SES). In response to these collapses, scientific fishery studies have tried to develop multiple approaches to improve sustainability of the systems. The purpose of this study is to understand how the scientific literature conceives of the conceptual responses of the fisheries systems to social-ecological changes. Our research, based on a systematic literature review, builds a conceptual framework and highlights the level of importance scientific discourse which has conferred to the notions of uncertainty, resilience, adaptation, and governance in a context of changes in fisheries. The scientific discourse emphasizes relevant paradigms such as social and environmental justice associated with the distribution of resources, consideration of ecological knowledge, and the value associated with marine resources. Conversely, scientific discourse only marginally considers notions of equity, the ecosystem approach, and precaution. In addition to highlighting scientific paradigms framing fisheries systems in the face of social-ecological changes, this study discusses the influence of scientific knowledge-building mechanisms on scientific discourse.