ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses current research approaches to unpacking the social, economic, institutional and ecological factors that are relevant to promoting green economic development in the marine sector, with a focus on small-scale fisheries (SSFs) operating within/close to MPAs. It discusses the importance of SSFs in the context of the United Nations Environmental Programme's (UNEP) four key recommendations for greening the fisheries sector. The chapter explores three theoretical frameworks namely Institutional Analysis and Development, Social-Ecological Systems (SES), and Robustness Frameworks from the institutional analysis literature that have permeated the study of resource governance. It summarizes the lessons learned from implementing these frameworks from conservation planning and resource management perspectives. The chapter explains how these frameworks applied to two case studies in the Gulf of California, Mexico to assess whether MPAs constitute an appropriate mechanism for promoting a transition to Green Economy in areas with SSFs.
