The missing layer: Geo-technologies, communities, and implications for marine spatial planning

The assessment and management of marine resources is an increasingly spatial affair dependent upon
emerging geo-technologies, such as geographic information systems, and the subsequent production of
diverse layers of spatial information. These rapid developments are, however, focused on biophysical
processes and data collection initiatives; the social landscape of the marine environment is
undocumented and remains a ‘‘missing layer’’ in decision-making. As a result, the resource areas upon
which stakeholders and communities are dependent are neither mapped nor integrated into planning
processes. We report on a participatory method to map the presence of fishing communities at-sea. The
lessons learned concerning the spatial representation of communities informs not only fisheries, but
other sectors struggling to incorporate similarly the human dimensions of the marine environment in
assessment and planning.