Thesis Defense: Human-Wildlife Conflict in Iberian Waters: Orcinus orca and Vessels’ Encounters...

In the coming weeks, UW master's students will defend their theses. The subjects are varied and the students are from both master's programs, Coastal Marine Management and Coastal Communities and Regional Development. The defenses are accessible to everyone through zoom links but they are also open to the public, at the University Centre of the Westfjords in Ísafjörður.

Student: Sophie Martel
Date & time: September 12th at 14:00
Thesis title: Human-Wildlife Conflict in Iberian Waters: Orcinus orca and Vessels’ Encounters from a Socio-Ecological Systems Approach
Program: Coastal Marine Management
Zoom link: https://eu01web.zoom.us/j/69084877127

Abstract: Since 2020, members of the Iberian Orcinus orca subpopulation have sparked media attention for their sudden interference with small vessels, particularly sailboats and their rudders. The development of this behavior, which is qualified as unusual and disruptive, has been at the heart of scientific research aiming to find its causes and preventive measures. However, damaged steering systems that render boats unable to navigate, and even cause them to sink, have heightened sailors’ concerns for safety and led to tensions along the Portuguese and Spanish coast especially. The conflictual dynamics resulting from these encounters emphasize the need to incorporate the human dimension and the complexity of multimodal needs in conservation strategies. Addressing this case study through a socio-ecological systems approach provides an opportunity to highlight the interactivity of human and nature connections. With Ostrom’s framework as a guiding methodology and overarching tool, this research was conducted using a combination of ecological secondary data collection through cetacean literature and primary social data collection through qualitative research. The results contribute to a cross-scale overview of the Iberian orcas, highlighting familiar cetacean characteristics as potential drivers of interactive behavior and uncovering layers of the human dimension shaped by perception, culture, and social inclinations. Ultimately, this research is an example of an interdisciplinary proposal encouraging convergence and collaboration to move away from human-wildlife conflict dynamics. Appreciating the influential importance of both social and ecological systems, policies are recommended to, on the one hand, not underestimate the impact of human relations on conservation narratives and, on the other hand, to consider the actors of ecological systems as active players and stakeholders in resource management strategies, offering a socio-ecosystem-based management approach with a focus on fostering coexistence.

Defense schedule for this defense season: