Nicole Mazur

Risk Perceptions, Aquaculture, and Issues of Trust: Lessons From Australia

Aquaculture is heralded as a way of helping to feed a growing global population by supplementing supplies of wild–sourced seafood. Australian aquaculture has the potential to become a

Understanding community perceptions of aquaculture: lessons from Australia

1 billion per year industry and to provide employment needed in some rural areas. However, concerns about aquaculture have led to disputes about the industrys access to highly valued marine and coastal environments. The lack of research on this topic has confounded efforts to build a more socially acceptable and sustainable aquaculture industry. This research used key stakeholder interviews and a household mail survey to reveal differences in perceptions of aquaculture risks. Community groups (particularly conservation), ecotourism industries, researchers, some state and local government staff, and informed members of the general public were more likely to focus on aquacultures risks, and seek improvements in aquaculture planning and management to substantially reduce those risks and make the industry more acceptable to diverse interests.

Understanding the Social Impacts of Floods in Southeastern Australia

Aquaculture is a growing and high-value industry that depends on access to and wise use of shared inland, coastal and marine resources. Varied stakeholders and communities are very interested in these public resources, and there has been conflict about how the aquaculture industry uses them. Prior to the research discussed in this article, there have been few large-scale studies of community perceptions of aquaculture. Our research drew upon an extensive literature review, stakeholder interviews and a survey mailed to the public in two regional case studies in Australia: the Eyre Peninsula in the state of South Australia and Port Phillip Bay in the state of Victoria. The data revealed some public support for aquaculture’s socioeconomic benefits and strong interest in minimizing the risk of its environmental impacts. There were mixed opinions about the trustworthiness of governments’ aquaculture decisions and actions. Some industry sectors attracted greater trust and lower perceived environmental risks. The importance and credibility of different information sources varied. There was strong support for improved dialogue among governments, the aquaculture industry and communities. Key differences between the regions included levels of awareness of and knowledge about aquaculture. Our research is consistent with literature on risk communication and perception that suggests that conflict and subsequent costs to industry and the community can be overcome or mitigated if government and industry understand, acknowledge and respond to community perceptions of the industry.

The influence of cognitive processes on rural landholder responses to climate change

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the theory of risk perception and social impact assessment (SIA) to explore the principal social dimensions of floods. Social dimensions include, but are not restricted to, negative impacts, such as loss of life, livelihood, property, or recreation opportunity, and positive impacts derived from floodplain rejuvenation, including increased agricultural production and tourism. The chapter focuses on four of the seven steps of the SIA model: identification of impacts of floods (scoping), evaluation of those impacts (evaluation), set priorities for strategies that mitigate some of those impacts (mitigation), and development of a monitoring program (monitoring). The model is applied to the analysis of three case studies drawn from floods and flood regulation schemes experienced in the state of Victoria, southeastern Australia. Winners and losers resulting from floods and flood control interventions are predictable along with the identity of individuals and communities at risk consequently it is possible to act plans aimed at minimizing negative effects of floods on humans. This process must be inclusive, participatory, and informative, with local communities being fully aware of relevant knowledge acquired by experts in different fields of research.