Situated Learning, Social-ecological Resilience, and Human Health: a Study of Ciguatera Fish Poisoning in Cuban Coastal Communities

Following the collapse of the Cuban economy in the early 1990s, epidemiologists in the Cuban Ministry of Health noticed dramatic increases in reported outbreaks of ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP) in some coastal communities, but not others. This book presents a comparative case study of three Cuban coastal communities, based on an ecosystem approach to human health. Situated learning and complexity theories were used to interpret the results of the investigation. CFP outbreaks are influenced by the interactions between ecological and socio-economic processes. This study found that the level of organization of the local sports fishing community and the degree of degradation of the local nearshore marine ecosystem appear to be key factors influencing the diverging levels of CFP outbreaks recorded in the communities studied. The analysis sheds light on the multitude of factors influencing outbreaks of CFP in Cuba, including its long historical record in the country. It will be particularly useful to scholars and practitioners interested in ecology and health, community development, social learning, social epidemiology, fishery management, and complex adaptive social-ecological systems.