Description of a theoretical social-ecological approach to manage artificial reefs

Network analysis is used to address diverse ecological, social, economic and management questions, but few studies combine social and ecological issues in a single analysis. Understanding the links between social and ecological networks helps in establishing coastal management strategy for the sustainable use of marine resources. The aim of this research study is to apply this approach to artificial reefs (AR) along the French metropolitan coasts. For fifty years, AR has been deployed in France with a single main goal: to sustain artisanal fisheries by enhancing resources. Assessing the effectiveness of this tool requires considering each stakeholder’s initial intentions and comparing them to the actual results (social and ecological). Network analysis provides a holistic view of the relations between all the actors of the system that offers a basis for suggesting a suitable management strategy for each objective identified.