Collaboration and knowledge networks in coastal resources management: How critical stakeholders interact for multiple-use marine protected area implementation Q2 P. Francisco Cárcamo a, b , Rosa Garay-Flühmann c , Carlos F. Gaymer d, e, * a Departamento de Biología Marina, Universidad Católica del Norte, Programa de Doctorado en Biología y Ecología Aplicada, Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile b Departamento de Medio Ambiente, Instituto de Fomento Pesquero, Doctor Marín 340, Coquimbo, Chile c Centro de Aprendizaje, Universidad Santo Tomás, Sede La Serena, Ruta 5 Norte 1068, La Serena, Chile d Departamento de Biología Marina, Universidad Católica del Norte & Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas (CEAZA), Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile e Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad (IEB), Chile article info Article history: Available online xxx abstract Recent studies have shown that social networks and their properties are key in the search for expla- nations for the success in the governance and management of natural resources. We investigated the structure and properties of inter-organizational social networks involved in the use and management of natural resources in a coastal marine ecosystem in northern Chile proposed as a possible marine pro- tected area. We explored two network configurations: i) relations of collaboration and ii) relations of transfer and exchange of scientific knowledge and information useful to the management of natural resources and the decision-making process involved. Both networks showed little cohesion, with low values of centralization and density indicating a low flow of collaborative and exchange relations among different stakeholders. The knowledge network achieved greater levels of centralization than the collaboration network. National government agencies and fishermen organizations were the most powerful stakeholders in the collaboration network. National government agencies and universities were the most powerful stakeholders in the knowledge network. We found a disconnected network when analyzing the flows of collaboration and knowledge between different administrative operation levels that potentially would hamper the governance of this area. On the other hand, we identified stakeholders that would help to connect the network (bridging stakeholders). Additional analysis of stakeholders using influence-capacity matrix allowed us to identify key stakeholders for planning and implementing the new marine protected area, compare results with the network analysis, and propose network in- terventions. We propose combining Social Network Analysis with other methods of stakeholder analysis to produce more practical and implementable results. Our results are relevant for future interventions aimed at improving or implementing management and governance of coastal areas. Ó 2014 Published by Elsevier Ltd. 1. Introduction Ecosystem-based management (EBM) is promoted as an alter- native to traditional approaches for managing natural resources (Kidd et al., 2011; McLeod and Leslie, 2009). EBM corresponds to a place-based approach that considers the entire ecosystem and the connections between its various components, including the strong connections between social and natural systems, and focuses on maintaining the ecosystem in a healthy, productive, and resilient condition so that it can provide the services that humans want and need (McLeod and Leslie, 2009). An adaptive and flexible man- agement network has been suggested as necessary for imple- menting EBM. This means adopting organizational changes aiming to achieve: i) interdisciplinary collaboration across multiple levels; ii) involving stakeholders and considering their knowledge and opinions; iii) incorporating and sharing relevant scientific infor- mation; iv) integrating science and policies; and v) making * Corresponding author. Departamento de Biología Marina, Universidad Católica del Norte & Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas (CEAZA), Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile. Tel.: þ56 51 2209969; fax: þ56 51 2209812. E-mail addresses: francisco.carcamo@ifop.cl (P.F. Cárcamo), rosagaray@ santotomas.cl (R. Garay-Flühmann), cgaymer@ucn.cl (C.F. Gaymer). Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Ocean & Coastal Management journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/ocecoaman 0964-5691/$ e see front matter Ó 2014 Published by Elsevier Ltd. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2014.01.007 Ocean & Coastal Management xxx (2014) 1e12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 OCMA3347_proof ■ 5 February 2014 ■ 1/12 Please cite this article in press as: Cárcamo, P.F., et al., Collaboration and knowledge networks in coastal resources management: How critical stakeholders interact for multiple-use marine protected area implementation, Ocean & Coastal Management (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/ j.ocecoaman.2014.01.007