Fish Future’s researchers Robin Holmes, Kiely McFarlane, Edward Challies, Calum MacNeil and Jason Arnold suggest in their latest paper published in ECOSPHERE that understanding nature as a system that includes people helps us tackle environmental issues more effectively. This approach is called social–ecological systems (SES) research. It recognises that human actions and ecosystems affect each other in complex ways, often creating feedback loops that can either support healthy environments or lead to long-term damage.
Their review focuses on freshwater systems, especially fish, which are culturally and ecologically important. Looking at global and New Zealand case studies, it identifies four key problems behind degraded systems: poor communication, excluding Indigenous and local voices, changes to water flow, and invasive species. Addressing these is vital for sustainability.