A model for understanding public support for aquaculture & estimating social carrying capacities in RI waters presented at the May 19, 2014 Shellfish Management Plan stakeholder meeting.

1. A model for understanding
public support for aquaculture
& estimating social carrying
capacities in RI waters
RI SG Meet the Researchers
19 May 2014

2. Who are we?
URI-Marine Affairs
Tracey Dalton-Policy Science
Rob Thompson-Planning & Law
WHOI-Marine Policy Center
Di Jin-Resource Economics
Other researchers, practitioners &
stakeholders

3. What are we going to study?
RI General Laws state that “the process of
aquaculture should only be conducted within
the waters of the state in a manner consistent
with the best public interest”
This project will explore the public interest
(or interests) associated with aquaculture in
RI.

4. RESEARCH QUESTION #1
What are the levels of
public support for
aquaculture in Rhode
Island?
Why do people support
(or oppose) aquaculture?

7. RESEARCH QUESTION #2
At what point are the amounts or types of
aquaculture in an area no longer acceptable to
the public (or different parts of the public)?

8. “In the coastal salt
ponds…5% of the
total open water
surface area” (CMP 300.11)
Current levels of
aquaculture
Peak levels of
aquaculture (early 20th
century)
What are
“acceptable levels”
for an area?

9. How will we do the study?
1) Create a photo-questionnaire

10. Boat encounters in a
Hawaiian marine park
Needham et al. 2011

11. Inglis et al.
1999
Snorkelers on the
Great Barrier Reef

12. How will we do the study?
1) Create a photo-questionnaire
3) Analyze responses
2) Distribute to RI residents, waterfront
owners, commercial shellfish harvesters,
aquaculture farmers
4) Coordinate with RI Sea Grant, RI CRMC,
RI DEM, and other stakeholders

13. • Address public concerns early on in
aquaculture siting & permitting
• Develop more targeted education programs
• Inform policy discussions related to social
carrying capacity
What are some
expected outcomes?

14. For more info, please contact:
Dr. Tracey Dalton (URI)
401-874-2434
dalton@uri.edu
http://web.uri.edu/dalton/