Join us for the School of Environmental Studies Colloquium Series featuring MES Candidate Adelle D'Urzo
Location: BioSciences Complex, Room 1120
Developing and Utilizing Qualitative Survey Tools in Emerging Harvester Information Networks: A Community-Engaged Study with Local Catch Canada
Abstract:
Small-scale seafood harvesters in Canada face significant challenges both on and off the water due to the dominance of large-scale industrial fishing. These challenges often manifest as operational barriers including high costs of entry, compensation gaps, high gear costs, and processing monopolies, as well as cultural losses, including the loss of culturally important relationships, waters, and ways of life. In recent years, harvester information networks have emerged as an important space for harvesters to share these experiences, challenges, and solutions to increase awareness of fishing- and market-related opportunities. Often comprised of seafood harvesters, value-chain actors, non-governmental organization (NGO) members, and academics, these networks aim to provide opportunities for peer-to-peer knowledge sharing to address the challenges listed above. However, minimal research has explored the motivations and benefits of harvester participation in information networks in Canada. This thesis sought to address this gap by partnering with emergent harvester information network, Local Catch Canada (LCC), to co-develop an online mixed-methods survey tool that collects information about members and subsequently, the broader network. This partnership was informed by community-engaged research (CEnR) frameworks to ensure that LCC felt empowered to identify their resource needs and wants, and guide project directions and outcomes. As such, we determined the survey would ask LCC seafood harvesters about their operations, food system interactions, challenges, and perspectives on future research with LCC, to address network knowledge gaps and inform future programming. The survey was directly distributed by LCC via email; however, it did not receive any responses. To explore this outcome, six one-on-one consultations were conducted with LCC member volunteers to gain feedback on the successes and limitations of the survey. This feedback provided valuable insights on the scope, content, delivery, and relevance of the tool, which were used to revise the survey for future uses. Other findings emerged from research reflections on the application of CEnR in this context, including the pertinence of certain CEnR principles, and their synergy when applied together. Overarchingly, the findings of this thesis emphasize the importance of qualitative engagement methods within harvester information networks, as well as in the application of CEnR, to ensure members can fully convey their perspectives and contexts.
Bio:
Adelle is in the Master of Environmental Studies program. She completed a BSc Honours in Environmental Science and a Certificate in Law at ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥. Her thesis research is looking at the use of participatory research and survey tools in small-scale fisheries networks.