Their world is an oyster : sustainability of emerging environmentally sensitive oyster aquaculture communities on the South Australian Eyre Peninsula : final report to the Eyre Regional Development Board
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2008
Authors
Pierce, J.
Thompson, K.
Sharp, R.
McKay, J.
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The Eyre Peninsula oyster aquaculture industry has grown rapidly over the last 15 years since the passing of the Aquaculture Act South Australia 2001. This project arose out of a research interest to see if the industry was promoting longer-term social sustainability. The study considered aquaculture in relation to social, natural and economic systems. It extended the five capitals framework (environmental, produced, social, institutional and human assets) for assessing rural sustainability, developed by Cocklin and Alston (2003) of the Association of Social Science in Australia, by applying it to the oyster industry on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. The study combined quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques to assess the strengths and vulnerabilities of oyster aquaculture, and changes in the stocks of community capital or assets as oyster aquaculture has developed on the Eyre Peninsula. A key aim of the research was to understand the capitals and sustainability from the perspectives of oyster aquaculture industry and community members. The data were collected over the period from 2005 to 2007.
The results indicated a strong awareness of, and commitment to, water guardianship. Although human capital in the form of increased skills and training has been enhanced since oyster farming began, it has not been equally distributed across all levels of employment. Many jobs are low skilled with no career paths. Community members believe that since the advent of oyster farming, more young people are continuing to live in their communities, although oyster workers are still in short supply. Oyster farming has strengthened the community's social fabric,although there are a few concerns over values and norms introduced by people new to oyster communities. There has been some increase in institutional capital, but there are frustrations due to the government not meeting the oyster industry's needs in a timely manner. Oyster farming has had a strong influence on the economies of all the communities in this study and members acknowledge this, although the produced capital was seen as varying across the oyster communities. There is interdependence between the five capitals, and participants in the study indicated their understanding of these interdependencies in various ways. For example,community spirit, or social capital in these resource-dependent communities tended to be lifted or lowered, depending on the state of the environmental health or the profitability of the oyster industry.
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Copyright 2008 University of South Australia