Julia Wondolleck and Steven Yaffee are hopeful about marine ecosystem-based management (EBM). Rather than lamenting the persistent conflicts in global marine ecosystems, they spent over five years listening to scientists, planners, managers, community members, fishermen, and environmentalists who are working together to make progress for coastal and marine ecosystems against great odds. Marine Ecosystem-Based Management in Practice is the culmination of their research.  

The first practical guide for the marine conservation realm, the book explores the positive impact of marine ecosystem-based management through a unique collection of case studies, ranging from the Gulf of Maine to Puget Sound. Throughout, it highlights the importance of effective governance systems that enable participants to explore issues, discuss plans, build relationships, and craft solutions in a sustained and collaborative manner. Policy makers, managers, scientists, practitioners, and students will find it an indispensable guide to field-tested, replicable marine conservation practices that work. Read Chapter 8, about the intangible factors that propel and sustain marine EBM, below.