Understanding the role of information in marine policy development: establishing a coastal marine protected area in Nova Scotia, Canada

In 2018, a consultation process was launched in Nova Scotia’s east coast communities to designate an Area of Interest surrounding the Eastern Shore Islands as the 15th Oceans Act Marine Protected Area in Canada.

Read this open access article on the FACETS website.

This study explored the role of information within the consultation process, particularly how information interacted with contextual factors among stakeholders and rightsholders, such as, mistrust, regional history, and political pressures.

Through interviews, desktop analysis, and participant observations, the authors found that while information use is context-specific and varied, it is also deeply personal and influenced by collective history, trust, and individual beliefs.

Read the article — Understanding the role of information in marine policy development: establishing a coastal marine protected area in Nova Scotia, Canada by Hali R. Moreland, Elizabeth M. De Santo, and Bertrum H. MacDonald