Social Resilience in the Anthropocene Ocean

Our oceans are peopled seascapes that nourish communities, support household economies, protect coastal populations from storms, and give us lifesaving medicines. Yet the intersecting threats of overharvesting, climate change, pollution, and habitat destruction continue to threaten the ocean's ability to support the well-being of global humanity, and place at risk the most vulnerable people on earth.This chapter explores what it means for people, communities, and societies to be resilient to a changing sea. We do this by examining factors that undermine and enhance social resilience in the context of overfishing, sea level rise, and habitat degradation. The Anthropocene ocean needs to be managed for social resilience as well as ecological sustainability, ensuring individuals, communities, and societies have the resources necessary to anticipate and adapt to change. This will foster healthy engagement and stewardship of our oceans.