Area closures have been widely used in the management of migratory fish and conservation of endangered marine species, but very few economic models are available to assess the impacts of a closure because economists have paid little attention to complexities in fishery management, such as spatial heterogeneity in fish stocks and fleet dynamics. This study presents a spatial economic model that features (i) heterogeneously distributed stocks of multiple species, (ii) their movement across areas, (iii) travel costs depending on fishing location, and (iv) optimal allocation of fishing trips to areas and of the primary target in each fishing set. Because catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) diminishes with effort, trips are alternately allocated to several areas, where the expected crew's wages are equalized. While this optimal allocation of trips derives a demand for labor (DDL), fishermen's tradeoff between offshore days (labor) and onshore days (leisure) yields an upward-sloping labor supply curve, which determines, together with the DDL, the equilibrium level of wage and labor. Using catch and effort data summarized from the federally mandated commercial logbooks into 5° square monthly strata, auction price data, and survey data for longliner's cost structure, this model is applied to the Hawaii longline fishery to conduct policy simulations. While a near-shore area closure leads to fewer trips of longer duration, a closure of the North Pacific to protect sea turtles significantly reduces swordfish catch and significantly increases the catch of near-shore species, which may endanger the stocks of near-shore species or affect the harvests by other boats. The impacts of prohibiting swordfish sets on the industry could be more severe than the above closure for turtle conservation. A revenue tax is not effective in reducing fishing effort. A closure increases fish movement (FM) from the closed area to open, neighboring areas, resulting in higher levels of the stocks in those open areas. This FM effect benefits the fishery industry, and could reduce the fishermen's income loss from a closure--estimated by the model without FM--by half, if fish are mobile and the closed area(s) is a "source" in terms of the direction of movement.

Tourism sector has been one of the most affected sectors by the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the sectors that comprises economies in many countries is ski sector. However, the winter season 2020/2021 was suspended in many ski destinations all over the world. The aim of this research is to investigate the adaptation of downhill skiers to ski area closures in the Czech Republic during the COVID-19 pandemic. The methodology draws upon an online discussion forum which provides good data for a content analysis, a method used for both quantitative and qualitative approaches. By utilizing both approaches a good comprehension of downhill skiers' adaptation to ski area closures in the Czech Republic during the COVID-19 pandemic is provided. Particularly, four key findings can be concluded based on this research. Firstly, both the quantitative and qualitative analyses have shown that information substitution was the most frequent one among all discussion forum users. Secondly, involuntary/forced substitution proved to be a significant form of behavioural adaptation and should be considered especially when assessing the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic or dealing with other threats and challenges such as natural disasters, wars, terrorist attacks or another pandemic. Thirdly, the great number of non-substitutional responses mentioned in the discussions' posts was attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic. Fourthly, female downhill skiers do not participate in online discussion forums as much as male downhill skiers. Potential reasons for this are also discussed.

Natural resources and rural livelihoods in Africa are under pressure due to climate change and ineffective management. It particularly affects countries where most of the population depends on natural resources for their livelihood, like Ethiopia. Even though, there is scientific and local knowledge on environmental management in the form of national strategies, stakeholders, and actions at multiple governance levels, it is lacking a proper interlinkage and public communication. This research aims to contribute to narrow gaps between knowledge systems and enhance adaptive capacity by understanding barriers and drivers for knowledge generation and management in climate change adaptation. The study interlinks political ecology and social theoretical concepts for climate change adaptation and knowledge management in a multi-level governance framework representing one country. Ethiopia is focused on in this study because it is and will be greatly affected by climate change and has elaborated a national strategy to become a climate resilient middle-income country by 2025. The governance levels are analyzed with (1) determining the institutional framework, stakeholders, and networks at national level, (2) analyzing the structure, role and capacity of the extension system, (3) investigating local capacities and thresholds for access and participation in knowledge and governance processes for natural resource management. A focus is put on (4) area closures, as an example for an applied and common intervention of natural resource management in Ethiopia, which can serve as contribution to cope with climate change consequences. In a final step (5) interlinkages and compatibility of the governance levels in Ethiopia are evaluated to draw conclusions for a generalization of obstacles and potentials. A two-level case study design was applied incorporating the national and local level of Ethiopia:Acknowledgements I Abstract III Zusammenfassung V Table of Content VII List of Abbreviations X List of Figures XII List of Tables XIV List of Appendices XV 1. Introduction 1 1.1. Social and Governance Limits to Climate Change Adaptation 1 1.2. Justification of the Study and Focus on Knowledge Management 3 1.3. Objectives and Structure of the Study 6 2. Theoretical Framework 9 2.1. State of Scientific Knowledge: Multi-Level Governance and Knowledge in Environmental Management in Africa 9 2.1.1. Multi-Level Governance for Environmental Management 9 2.1.2. Knowledge Systems and Social Dimensions in Climate Change Adaptation and Governance in Africa 11 2.1.3. Environmental Situation and Governance in Ethiopia 14 2.1.4. Area Closures for Climate Change Adaptation and Governance in Ethiopia 16 2.2. Conceptual Framework: Knowledge Management for Climate Change Adaptation in a Multi-Level Governance System 17 3. Methodology 19 3.1. Research Design and Concept 19 3.1.1. Multi-Level Case Study Design for Multi-Level Social Research 19 3.1.2. Description of the Case Study Country and Local Sites in Ethiopia 21 3.1.3. Research Matrix and Phases 23 3.2. Data Collection Methods & Materials 27 3.2.1. Secondary Literature and Data Review 27 3.2.2. Interviewing Techniques with Organizations 27 3.2.3. Community Survey 30 3.2.4. Observation 34 3.3. Data Analysis 35 3.3.1. Data base and processing 35 3.3.2. Qualitative Content Analysis 35 3.3.3. Statistical Evaluation 38 3.3.4. Social Network Analysis 38 3.4. Research Ethics and Limitations of the Study 40 4. Climate Change Adaptation at Country Level in Ethiopia 43 4.1. Legal Framework and Perceptions of Activities tackling Climate Change and Adaptation in Ethiopia 43 4.2. Organizational, Collaboration and Communication Structures 48 4.3. The Extension System: Function and Performance 57 4.4. Institutionalization and Perception of Area Closure Management 63 5. Knowledge Systems and Natural Resource Management at Local Level in Rural Ethiopia 67 5.1. Case Study I: Adami Tulu Jido Kombolcha Woreda, Oromia Region 67 5.1.1. Facts and Description of the Study Area 67 5.1.2. Climatic and Environment Change: Perceptions and Activities 72 5.1.3. Information, Communication, and Social Networks 76 5.1.4. Development and Extension Structure and Processes 84 5.1.5. Organizational Capacities and Collaboration Structures 90 5.1.6. Management and Performance of Area Closures 95 5.2. Case Study II: Wogera Woreda, Amhara Region 104 5.2.1. Facts and Description of the Study Area 104 5.2.2. Climatic and Environment Change: Perceptions and Activities 107 5.2.3. Information Access, Communication, and Social Networks 111 5.2.4. Development and Extension Structure and Processes 115 5.2.5. Organizational Capacities and Collaboration Structures 121 5.2.6. Management and Performance of Area Closures 126 5.3. Synopsis of the Local Case Studies 132 5.3.1. Comparative Analysis of the Woredas ATJK and Wogera 132 5.3.2. Conclusions on Structures and Conditions for Knowledge Generation and Management at Local Level 138 6. Synthesis: Knowledge Management for Climate Change Adaptation 143 6.1. (In)Compatibility of National Visions and Local Reality in Ethiopia 143 6.2. Future Pathways: Three Scenarios for Knowledge Management and Climate Change Adaptation in Ethiopia 146 6.2.1. Scenario I: Business-As-Usual 146 6.2.2. Scenario II: Collective Action at Community Level 148 6.2.3. Scenario III: Multi-Level Stakeholder Dialogue 150 6.2.4. Recommendations for Actions in Ethiopia 152 6.3. Framework of Multi-Level Governance for Strengthening Knowledge Management on Climate Change Adaptation 155 7. Conclusion 159 7.1. Lessons Learned 159 7.2. Methodological critique and suggestions for further research 160 References 161 Appendices 177