Monday, July 27, 2026

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Despite the long-standing presence of Indigenous and local knowledge systems in marine and coastal environments, mainstream ethnobiology has historically devoted limited attention to these areas. Yet, such knowledge has played a key role in advancing our understanding of marine biodiversity, supporting innovative management practices—particularly in mangrove ecosystems—revealing ecologically relevant behavioral insights, and even novel bioactive compounds. Over the past decade, however, growing recognition of the social and cultural dimensions of ocean stewardship has begun to shift this landscape. Ethnobiologists are increasingly engaging with the coastal and marine realm, questioning traditional research paradigms and exploring more inclusive, collaborative, and decolonial practices. In this session, we bring together four perspectives from ongoing coastal and marine ethnobiology research conducted in different parts of the world - two cases in Brazil (São Paulo and Pará states), and another in Mexico. Through these case studies, we aim to illustrate how the field is evolving from a utilitarian and extractive orientation—common across many areas of ethnobiology—toward a more ethical, participatory, and transformative engagement with Indigenous Peoples and local communities. Topics addressed include transdisciplinarity, knowledge co-production, decolonial approaches, and the challenges and opportunities of fostering equitable research partnerships in marine and coastal contexts.