8. Mortar: Intangible Factors That Propel & Sustain Marine Ecosystem-Based Management

When we began this study of marine ecosystem-based management (MEBM) initiatives, we knew that we needed to probe their structures, legal mandates, information sources, and funding. After all, we wanted to identify features that could be adopted by others trying to advance MEBM. But as much as we would probe these items in our conversations with participants, they would invariably emphasize the less tangible dimensions of their experiences. We came to appreciate that the structures and features represented by the “bricks” described in chapter 7 were only part of the story. What happens within those structures is entirely dependent on the people who are involved. The “mortar” that holds these processes together is a function of how those individuals are motivated to be involved, the relationships that they form, the personal skill sets they bring to the table, and their commitment to the process.