Date of Award
2026
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Marine Affairs
Department
Marine Affairs
First Advisor
Mateja Nenadovic
Abstract
Climate change is impacting the Rhode Island lobster populations through warming waters, modifications in species assemblages, predators, and changes in habitat. In addition, regulation changes in response to a collapsing Southern New England lobster stock have resulted in a reduction in trap allocations. These environmental stressors, combined with trap reductions, have forced many lobstermen out of the industry. At this point, lobstermen need to decide how to adapt to the stressors by strengthening their adaptive capacity strategies to stay in the industry. These strategies can primarily be categorized into 6 main domains, including assets, flexibility, organization, learning, socio-cognitive, and agency. These domains then result in a response pathway, including remain, cope, adapt, or transform. To better understand the perceptions of the lobstermen on these impacts on the industry, researchers conducted 15 in-depth semi-structured interviews with current and past Rhode Island commercial lobstermen. The interviews were based on the three main research questions pertaining to marine ecosystem composition changes, adaptive capacity strategies used by the lobstermen, and the future of the Rhode Island lobster industry. The results of a thematic analysis yielded environmental observations, regulatory impacts, adaptive strategies, and future industry outlooks. The most significant stressors to lobstermen were decreased effort of traps and increased predation on lobsters. In response, lobstermen reported using coping, adapting, and transforming response pathways through diversifying target species, shifting fishing locations, and increasing effort. No participants reported using the remaining pathway, indicating all participants were performing some action in response to stressors. Lastly, participants are wary of the future Rhode Island lobster industry due to a lack of younger generation involvement and the high price to enter the industry. Future research should build off this study to address ecosystem shifts throughout New England and their impact on lobster communities.
Recommended Citation
Miller, Jocelyn, "THE ROLE OF ADAPTIVE CAPACITY IN A CHANGING FISHERY: A CASE STUDY ON THE RHODE ISLAND COMMERCIAL LOBSTER INDUSTRY" (2026). Open Access Master's Theses. Paper 2697.
https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/theses/2697