Resource mismanagement versus sustainable livelihoods: The collapse of theNewfoundland cod fishery

The term "sustainable development" is only half of the gestalt of sustainab ility, the other being "sustainable livelihoods." The collapse of the North west Atlantic cod fishery off the province of Newfoundland Canada, provides a case study of the interacting biophysical and socioeconomic elements tha t can decimate a once-abundant natural resource. This collapse has resulted in the devastation of livelihoods, and the long-term impact on the Northwe st Atlantic ecosystem remains unknown. This article analyzes the collapse a s the first step in suggesting a rational fisheries management based on eff ective stewardship of the resource. This evaluation provides the knowledge base vital for guiding and improving fisheries policy. Several strategies a re suggested to bolster a policy goal of sound conservation and management of fisheries for the benefit of the livelihoods dependent on healthy stocks . The strategies are predicated on the concept that living marine resources belong to complex adaptive systems, and are therefore best managed by dece ntralized rather than conventional, scientific, and top-down management sch emes.