Insights from the Remote Phoenix Islands Protected Area by Lillian
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Governing Large Marine Protected Areas: Insights from the Remote Phoenix Islands Protected Area by Lillian Mitchell A thesis presented to The University of Guelph In partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Geography Guelph, Ontario, Canada © Lillian Mitchell, May, 2017 ABSTRACT Governing Large Marine Protected Areas: Insights from the Remote Phoenix Islands Protected Area Lillian Mitchell Advisor: University of Guelph, 2017 Dr. Noella Gray Scholars and practitioners have increasingly identified large marine protected areas (LMPAs) as an effective means of protecting marine life. But despite this recognition, some scientists argue that the political emphasis of LMPAs is undermining the ecological value of these sites and leading to poor social justice outcomes. In attendance to these discourses, this research explores the decision-making processes of LMPAs through a case study analysis of the Phoenix Islands Protected Area (PIPA). In the summer of 2016 I conducted participant observation, document analysis and interviewed 48 actors about PIPA’s governance structure and its outcomes. Through this process, key themes regarding sovereignty, use of science in decision-making, the role of non-state actors, and communication of benefits emerged. Findings indicate that although PIPA is a remote, uninhabited area, even in remote spaces it is important to consider social benefits. As such, this case signals LMPAs are not the low-hanging fruit of conservation. Keywords: large marine protected areas, Kiribati, Phoenix Islands, oceans governance, sovereignty, benefits, conservation. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My first acknowledgement is duly dedicated to the people who took part in this study. These next 100+ pages are filled with their thoughts, struggles and feelings and as such this thesis would not exist without their willingness to share their experiences and knowledge with me. Spending a summer in Kiribati was an amazing opportunity and I am so glad to have met so many great people. Travelling to a country so far from your own always presents its challenges, but the people of Kiribati showed themselves to be overwhelmingly kind. Thanks also to my stellar research partner Evan, with whom I collected this data. I would be remiss if I did not next thank my wonderful parents. No two people know me so well or do as much to help me. They have been a sound-board during the more trying weeks and despite not being experts in human geography, are expert advice-givers. Noella, more than anyone else, helped me in shaping this thesis. From the onset, her guidance from week to week has helping me think through my approach to this thesis and execute that vision. Thank you also to Robin for being a great third set of eyes and for your big- picture feedback. Special thanks to Brad Walters for first introducing me to independent research and to Michael Fox who suggested I might be interested in this project. As someone who moved to Ontario not knowing anyone, my cohort has been an immeasurable source of reassurance and friendship, so thank you all. Specific thanks go to Amy Delorenzo for assuring me that I do in fact know what my thesis is about and to Kendal Clark, who was always there to help solve my word choice conundrums. Finally, thank you to the funders of this work: SSRCH, the Waitt Foundation, the Oak Foundation, the Tiffany and Co. Foundation, and Lyda Hill. iii NOTE TO READERS Conservation scholarship (and its authors) often suffer from the false dilemma that being critical of conservation is assumed to mean ‘opposed to’ or against conservation. Therefore, I wish to clarify my intention has not been to besmirch or denigrate the Phoenix Islands Protected Area (PIPA). Rather, in what follows, I present the perceptions of key actors who have special knowledge of the governance of this protected area. In some instances, these actors present perceived weaknesses of the governance structure of PIPA and discuss unfavourable outcomes that have resulted from its governance process. However, readers should reflect on these features as opportunities for improvement. Overall, despite challenges and shortfalls, most actors perceived PIPA as a program of improvement, not dismissal. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................... ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................ iii NOTE TO READERS ................................................................................................................. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................. v LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................... viii LIST OF TABLES ..................................................................................................................... viii Chapter 1: Introduction ............................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Proliferation of Large Marine Protected Areas ............................................................................. 1 1.2 Research Aim and Objectives .......................................................................................................... 8 1.3 Framework ........................................................................................................................................ 9 1.4 Thesis Outline ................................................................................................................................. 10 Chapter 2: Literature Review .................................................................................................... 11 2.1 Conservation Governance .............................................................................................................. 12 2.1.1 Governance Approaches to Terrestrial Protected Areas ........................................................... 13 2.1.2 Outcomes of PA Governance .................................................................................................... 16 2.1.3 Governance Approaches to Marine Protected Areas................................................................. 18 2.1.4 Scaling Up MPA Governance ................................................................................................... 20 2.1.5 Outcomes of MPA Governance ................................................................................................ 22 2.1.6 Governance of MPAs vs. LMPAs ............................................................................................. 25 2.2 Role of Non-State Actors in Conservation .................................................................................... 30 2.2.1 Private Authority in Global Governance ................................................................................... 31 2.2.2 NGOs in Conservation Governance .......................................................................................... 32 2.2.3 Conservation Activities Within States ...................................................................................... 33 2.2.4 Social Impacts of NGOs in Conservation Governance ............................................................. 35 2.2.5 Role of NGOs in LMPA Governance ....................................................................................... 37 2.3 Role of Science in Conservation .................................................................................................... 38 2.3.1 Science in Conservation ............................................................................................................ 38 2.3.2 Calls for Social Science to Inform Conservation ...................................................................... 40 2.3.3 Arguments for Multiple Knowledges in Conservation ............................................................. 41 2.3.4 Science in LMPAs ..................................................................................................................... 42 2.4 Key Points from Literature Review .............................................................................................. 43 Chapter 3: Research Approach and Methodology .................................................................. 45 3.1 Case Study Approach ..................................................................................................................... 45 3.1.1 Association with Larger Project ................................................................................................ 45 3.1.2 Case Study of the Phoenix Islands Protected Area in Kiribati .................................................. 47 3.1.3 Relevant Economic and Political Context of PIPA ................................................................... 50 3.2 Case Study Justification ................................................................................................................. 52 3.2.1 PIPA’s Intersection with Literature Review ............................................................................. 53 3.3 Methods ........................................................................................................................................... 55 3.3.1 Semi-Structured Interviews ......................................................................................................