The impact of coastal grabbing on community conservation – a global reconnaissance

Maarten Bavinck1, Fikret Berkes, Anthony Charles, Ana Carolina Esteves Dias, Nancy Doubleday, Prateep Nayak, and Merle Sowman1University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø; j.m.bavinck@uva.nl... [ view full abstract ]

Maarten Bavinck¹, Fikret Berkes, Anthony Charles, Ana Carolina Esteves Dias, Nancy Doubleday, Prateep Nayak, and Merle Sowman

¹University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø; j.m.bavinck@uva.nl (corresponding author)

"Coastal grab" refers to the contested appropriation of coastal (shore and inshore) space and resources by outside interests. This paper explores the phenomenon of coastal grabbing and the effects of such appropriation on community-based conservation of local resources and environment. The approach combines social-ecological systems analysis with socio-legal property rights studies.  Evidence of coastal grab is provided from four country settings (Canada, Brazil, India and South Africa), distinguishing the identity of the 'grabbers' (industry, government) and 'victims', the scale and intensity of the process, and the resultant 'booty'. The paper also considers the responses of the communities. While emphasizing the scale of coastal grab and its deleterious consequences for local communities and their conservation efforts, the paper also recognizes the strength of community responses, and the alliances/partnerships with academia and civil society, which assist in countering some of the negative effects.