Geospatial identification of stakeholders to support dynamic ocean management in transboundary areas.

Dynamic ocean management (DOM), a new frontier in the field of operational ecology for marine resource management, is a means of protecting the dynamic features and species in the ocean by allowing management measures to move and adapt in space and time. Most DOM applications have been implemented within the jurisdictional waters of single nations, avoiding the potential issues and challenges arising from coordination in transboundary regions, which can be challenging due to the overlap of multiple and diverse jurisdictions and governance systems. This study focuses on the implementation of DOM in transboundary regions. A novel approach is presented using a geospatial information system to automatically identify relevant stakeholders from two sectors (i.e., marine traffic and marine fisheries) across multiple maritime boundaries. The objective of this study was to test the geospatial information system and examine the variability of stakeholder networks when DOM was applied in a transboundary marine region. We tested our approach in a complex geopolitical region, the Western Mediterranean Sea, building on simulated management strategies for two highly mobile species, the bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) and the fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus). Substantial differences in stakeholder networks were identified depending on the focal species, highlighting the widespread responsibility among marine users for bluefin tuna compared to fin whale. Potential issues and solutions for identifying the most suitable stakeholder and governance frameworks are discussed, allowing recommendations to support the implementation of DOM in complex geopolitical contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]