The design and goals of management policies are primarily influenced by the fisheries and marine ecosystems health mental concepts. The Cognitive Maps: Cartography and Concepts for an Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Policy article, discusses how these mental concepts that are held by some individuals are fostered by the approach of Back to the Future (BTF) to the policy of fisheries (Tony & Nigel 1976). Such cognitive maps are normally obtained from local and traditional knowledge and the interplay of science. The approach of Back to the Future action employs all the sectors in remedial and positive and is meant to engage the abundance and the structure of the ecosystems of the past to ensure the success of the restoration policy. This essay is a review of the Cognitive Maps: Cartography and Concepts for an Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Policy article.
This article talks about a major powerful and fundamental concept: the Back to the Future approach. It is used to show that contrary to the popular believe by some practitioners of science, fisheries science has never been drawn on a blank cognitive map, such as the snark hunters by Lewis Caroll. It does this by encouraging the employment of cognitive maps that are more complete than the ones used previously in the attempts to coming up with management goals.
Firstly, it comprises of the famous call for management that is based on the ecosystem approach. Questions that might seem purely to be involved with policy realm when using the ecology of single species are seen to have better-defined answers when an individual looks into the consequences of all the ecosystem using a rebuilding policy. An example of such questions is that of what is the acceptable level of restriction during harvesting?
Secondly, in the approach of Back to the Future, the starting point relationship of the structure of the map and the present state perception are important. However, ecosystem structure changes can be seen as more conceivable. This is because the map has the comparative elements of previous and current aspects already; this is not like the geomorphologic shadows of previous river beds or coastlines found on a landscape map.
In the application, the Back to the Future: A Backcasting based Approach to Planning for an Energy System Transition in the Danish Region of Zealand article used the BTF approach in a case study on renewable energy planning. The case study was meant for the introduction of an action plan for the full adoption of renewable energy in a region in Zealand. It applied an approach that was target-oriented and systemic in utilizing and outlining the BTF methodology. The approach was depicted to help in solving significant challenges during the project (Tue, Thomas & Tyge 2014).
Finally, the concept of Back to the Future approach found in this article can be used in the future. The malleable, complex, subtle, and profound cognitive maps made by humans can be used to accommodate better and significant changes even if there is evidence that opposes this. In the future, with the utilization of the information on BTF, there is hope that the ecosystems and fisheries will be healthier both in Canada and the rest of the world. Even if there is no empirical evidence on this, it is way better to anticipate for better things in the future even when not sure, than to fail to anticipate at all.
Works cited
Tony J. P., & Nigel H. (1976). Cognitive Maps: Cartography and Concepts for an Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Policy. Fisheries Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver V6T 1Z4
Tue, D., Thomas B. C., & Tyge K. (2014). Back to the Future: A Backcasting based Approach to Planning for an Energy System Transition in the Danish Region of Zealand. The Journal of Transdisciplinary Environmental Studies vol. 13, no. 2
