Cultivating Solutions

Environmental Change and Oyster Farming in British Columbia

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14288/bcs.no220.197404

Keywords:

Oyster farming, environmental change, governance, coastal communities, British Columbia

Abstract

Climate change is already impacting many coastal ecosystems and the communities that depend upon them. Efforts to mitigate and adapt to it will likely further strain these socio-ecological systems. This points to the need for research exploring the socio-ecological dynamics of environmental change to understand how best to support community resilience during rapid global environmental change. This research uses a case study of the oyster farming industry on the West Coast of British Columbia. It asks: what are the implications of environmental change for the future of this industry and its contributions to coastal communities? Drawing on interview and ethnographic data, we argue that navigating broader social, political, and economic changes is at least as challenging and important to oyster farmers in British Columbia as the specific ecological changes they grapple with. We conclude that governance of the industry must be more responsive to the full range of challenges the industry faces if it is to effectively support the industry’s contributions to the resilience of coastal communities.

Author Biographies

Catriona Mallows, University of Victoria

Catriona Mallows received her master’s in Environmental Studies from the University of Victoria in 2021 and has an undergraduate degree in Social Anthropology from the University of Edinburgh. Her academic research interests lie primarily in environmental justice, alternative economies, and community resilience. She currently works as a researcher and practitioner in policy development and advocacy in Scotland. 

Karena Shaw, University of Victoria - Environmental Studies

Karena (Kara) Shaw is professor in the School of Environmental Studies, academic director of the Transformative Climate Action Certificate and the UVic Sustainability Scholars Program, and a member of the Institute for Integrated Energy Systems – all at the University of Victoria. A political ecologist, she researches and teaches about the social and political dynamics of environmental problems. Her current work, pursued in collaboration with students, fellow researchers, and community partners, explores how energy transitions can support communities that are more just and supportive of ecological, social, and cultural thriving.

Illustration of man facing a sun representative of Salish motifs. wearing a baseball cap with the word Landback.

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Published

2024-04-24

Issue

No. 220: Winter 2023/24

Section

Articles