Title: 'The role of science in the anticipatory governance of the mesopelagic zone'
Bio: Amanda Schadeberg (Wageningen University & Research) is an interdisciplinary and internationally-oriented researcher studying the different ways that people use the sea. In the past, she has worked on understanding fisher behaviour, marine plastic pollution, citizen engagement, behavioural economics and environmental risk assessment. Her current work (PhD thesis) focuses on topics related to the anticipatory governance of mesopelagic fisheries under the H2020 MEESO project.
Seminar Summary: The mesopelagic zone is the subject of a number of research projects that aim to understand the ecosystem and assess its present and future roles in supporting human life. However, unlike coastal ecosystems, the mesopelagic zone is inaccessible to all but a small group of scientists and fishing industry actors. The future governance of this ecosystem therefore depends on how the mesopelagic zone is understood by these actors.
In this presentation, Amanda will explore the de facto governing role of scientists in several sites of knowledge production: during data collection at sea, when producing models, and in literature and public communication. Drawing examples from empirical study at sea, in research labs, and in the realm of machine learning, she will reflect on the anticipatory nature of scientific practices and the consequences they may have on the current state and future prospects of the mesopelagic zone.
