Overview
Human wellbeing is inextricably linked to the marine, coastal, and upland environments of the California Current ecosystem. These relations are dependent on qualities of both the biophysical environment and the human social system. The marine ecosystem of the California Current supports human wellbeing through fisheries sustenance and income, aesthetic and recreational opportunities, and a variety of economically and socially discernible contributions. Human wellbeing may be measured at the individual, community, and societal levels, and includes many component elements, some of which have been described and addressed within the output of a CCIEA-originated Social Wellbeing in Marine Management (SWIMM) working group (Breslow et al. 2017).
Like the natural environment, human society is comprised of multiple interrelated components and forces. Human wellbeing – even those aspects related to environmental conditions – is always mediated by broad social forces, local social systems, and human activities. Social indicators provide one means of measuring at least part of the human wellbeing at the center of the California Current IEA.
Indicator Status and Trends
Current human wellbeing indicator evaluation efforts within the California Current focus on: levels of human coastal community fisheries dependence and social vulnerability, vessel and port-level fisheries diversification trends and effects, and "personal use" of fisheries as a preliminary proxy for possible subsistence practices among commercial operators.