From January to March 2025, the MaHeWa project’s Work Package 3 (WP3) hosted eight methodological webinars to assess the socio-economic vulnerability of Pacific Island societies to marine heatwaves (MHWs). These sessions united researchers from diverse units to develop innovative approaches tailored to island contexts like New Caledonia and Fiji.
Each webinar explored specific methodologies applied to WP3’s tasks:
Task 3.1: Documentation of lagoon fishing practices, local ecological knowledge, and biocultural values through tools such as AI, logbooks, children’s drawings, and ethnoecological methods to inform socio-economic and biocultural vulnerability indicators.
Task 3.2: Analysis of risk cultures and resilience strategies, examining risk perceptions by gender, age, and ethnicity, and studying knowledge transmission via experience, social media, and traditional teachings.
Task 3.3: Review of public policies to evaluate the integration of MHW risks and development of biocultural indicators to enhance adaptation policies at local and territorial levels.
These discussions established a shared methodological toolkit, strengthened interdisciplinary collaboration, and prepared the ground for future postdoctoral and intern contributions. The webinars also advanced understanding of marine socio-ecosystem resilience and island community well-being, fostering cross-cutting research opportunities.
