ABSTRACT
This chapter documents experiences in the Shiretoko World Natural Heritage Site (WNHS), where local initiatives transformed the area into an example of community conservation success, catalysed in particular by the local fisheries sector. It focuses mainly on the fisheries sector actors involved in the emergence and success of the Shiretoko heritage site, examines the actions and strategies that led to conservation success in this case, and reflects on the strengths and weaknesses of the Shiretoko experience more generally using a social-ecological systems lens. Fishers in Rausu organise beach cleaning days twice a year, to remove rubbish from the coastline, and to support conservation in the place on which their livelihoods rely. The chapter examines the emergence and success of the Shiretoko WNHS in fostering a transformative change in social and ecological conditions. The Shiretoko Approach is a continuous process to conserve the environment of the Shiretoko Peninsula while protecting the local livelihoods and improving the living standards of the community.
