People

Research Interests

I am an environmental social scientist with expertise in equitable governance of fisheries in the developing world. My primary research contribution have been to illuminate interactions between governance scale, productivity and distribution of fisheries goods and services – particularly for food and nutrition security.

My research is often applied, conducted in partnership with local communities and governments, concurrent with development activities. I employ an interdisciplinary approach to critically evaluate the contributions of community-based and cross-scale fisheries governance to ecological, gender equity, human wellbeing, and food and nutrition security outcomes.

As the Program Leader for the Small Scale Fisheries Research Flagship of WorldFish and the CGIAR Research Program on Aquatic Agricultural Systems (FISH), I lead research that looks across scales (from local to global) in the WorldFish and FISH CRP regions of focus – Asia, Africa and the Pacific. I examine policy environments and innovations that enable development outcomes through and within small-scale fisheries (SSF), and innovations along SSF value-chains that optimise food and nutrition security benefits.

At the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, I am a Partner Investigator, Adjunct Research Fellow, and member of the Morrison Complex Environmental Governance Research Group. Currently, I supervise the following PhD students:

• Sarah Lawless, “Diffusion of gender norms in environment and development practice”
• Sarah Sutcliffe, “Drivers & deviance in food & nutrition security in a small-scale fishing community”
• Lucy Holmes McHugh, “Framing climate risk and crisis in World Heritage governance”
• Daykin Harohau, “The diffusion and potential of small-pond aquaculture for a Small Island Developing State”

My empirical research in Australia, Tonga, Timor-Leste, Solomon Islands has led to publications in journals such as Nature, Global Environmental Change, Ecology and Society, Ambio, Food Security, and Fish and Fisheries. One such paper, led by Dr. Christina Hicks, was included in Nature’s “10 most Remarkable papers from 2019“.

Key Publications

Hicks, C.C., Cohen, P.J., Allison, E.H., Graham, N.A.J., Nash, K.L., D’Lima, C., Mills, D., Roscher, M., Thilsted, S.H., Thorne-Lyman, A., MacNeil, M.A. (2019) Harnessing global fisheries to tackle micronutrient deficiencies. Nature 574: 95–98.

Cohen, P.J., Allison, E.H., Andrew, N.L., Cinner, J.E., Evans, L.S., Fabinyi, M., Garces, L.R., Hall, S.J., Hicks, C.C., Hughes, T.P. (2019) Securing a just space for small-scale fisheries in the blue economy. Frontiers in Marine Science 6, 171.

Morrison, T., Adger, N., Brown, K, Evans, L., Cohen, P.J. et al. (2019) Power as a driver of polycentric environmental governance. Global Environmental Change 57; 101934.

Cohen, P.J., Lawless, S., Dyer, M., Morgan, M., Saeni, E., Teioli, H., Kantor, P. (2016) Understanding adaptive capacity and capacity to innovate in social-ecological systems; applying a gender lens. Ambio 45, S309-S321.

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Google Scholar Profile

2020

Rahman, M. J., Wahab, M. A., Nahiduzzaman, M., Haque, A. B. M. M., & Cohen, P. (2020, January). Hilsa fishery management in Bangladesh. In IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science 414:1 [Link]

2019

Hicks, C.C., Cohen, P.J., Allison, E.H., Graham, N.A.J., Nash, K.L., D’Lima, C., Mills, D., Roscher, M., Thilsted, S.H., Thorne-Lyman, A., MacNeil, M.A. (2019) Harnessing global fisheries to tackle micronutrient deficiencies. Nature 574: 95–98. [Link]

Song, A., Hoang, V.T., Morrison, T., Cohen, P.J., Aqorau, T. (2019) “Blue boats”; as a new maritime security threat and emergent collaborative management responses in the Pacific. Asia Pacific Viewpoint. [Link]

Lawless, S., Cohen, P.J., et al. (2019) Gender norms and relations: implications for agency in rural livelihoods. Maritime Studies 18:3. [Link]

Kleiber, D., Cohen, P.J., et al. (2019). Gender-inclusive facilitation for community-based marine resource management. An addendum to “Community-based marine resource management in Solomon Islands: A facilitators guide” and other guides for CBRM. [Link]

Cohen, P.J., Allison, E.H., Andrew, N.L., Cinner, J.E., Evans, L.S., Fabinyi, M., Garces, L.R., Hall, S.J., Hicks, C.C., Hughes, T.P. (2019) Securing a just space for small-scale fisheries in the blue economy. Frontiers in Marine Science 6, 171. [Link]

Tilley, A., Hunnan, K.J., Mills, D.J., Steenbergen, D.J., Govan, H., Alonso-Poblacion, E., Roscher, M., Pereira, M., Rodrigues, P., Amador, T., Duarte, A., Gomes, M., Cohen, P.J. (2019) Evaluating the fit of co-management for small-scale fisheries governance in Timor-Leste. Frontiers in Marine Science 6:392 [Link]

Morrison, T., Adger, N., Brown, K, Evans, L., Cohen, P.J. et al. (2019) Power as a driver of polycentric environmental governance. Global Environmental Change 57; 101934. [Link]

Steenbergen, D., Fabinyi, M., Barclay, K., Song, A., Cohen, P.J., Eriksson, H., Mills, D.J. (2019) Governance interactions in small‐scale fisheries market chains: Examples from the Asia-Pacific. Fish and Fisheries 20 (4); 697-714. [Link]

Song, A.M., Cohen, P.J., Hanich, Q., Morrison, T.H., Andrew, N. (2019) Multi-scale policy diffusion and translation in Pacific Island coastal fisheries. Ocean & Coastal Management 168, 139-149. [Link]

2018

Roscher, M., Eam, D., Suri, S., van der Ploeg, J., Hossain Md, E., Nagoli, J., Cohen, P.J., Mills, D.J., Cinner, J., (2018) Building adaptive capacity to climate change; approaches applied in five diverse fisheries settings. CGIAR Research Program on Fish Agri-Food Systems, Penang, Malaysia. [Link]

Cinner, J.E., Adger, W.N., Allison, E.H., Barnes, M.L., Brown, K., Cohen, P.J., Gelcich, S., Hicks, C.C., Hughes, T.P., Lau, J. (2018) Building adaptive capacity to climate change in tropical coastal communities. Nature Climate Change 8, 117. [Link]

Evans, L.S., Cohen, P.J., Vave-Karamui, A., Masu, R., Boso, D., Mauli, S. (2018) Reconciling multiple societal objectives in cross-scale marine governance: Solomon Islands’ engagement in the Coral Triangle Initiative. Society & Natural Resources 31, 121-135. [Link]

Boso, D., Cohen, P.J., Gomese, C., Teioli, H., Vunisea, A., Lee Kunatuba, J., Leduc, B., Masu, R., (2018) Gender analysis of the fisheries sector – Solomon Islands. Pacific Community, New Caledonia, p. 65. [Link]

2017

Lawless, S., Doyle, K., Cohen, P.J., Eriksson, H., Schwarz, A.-M., Teioli, H., Vavekaramui, A., Wickham, E., Masu, R., Panda, R., McDougall, C., (2017) Considering gender: Practical guidance for development initiatives in Solomon Islands. Penang, Malaysia: WorldFish. Program Brief 22 [Link]

Evans, L.S., Cohen, P.J., Case, P., Hicks, C.C., Prideaux, M., Mills, D.J. (2017) The Landscape of Leadership in Environmental Governance: a Case Study from Solomon Islands. Human Ecology 45 (3), 357-365. [Link]

Blythe, J., Bennett, G., Cohen, P., Moveni, M., Kwatelae, A., (2017) Five principles for network success in Solomon Islands, Program Brief: 2017-04. WorldFish, Penang, Malaysia. [Link]

Joffre, O.M., Castine, S.A., Phillips, M.J., Senaratna Sellamuttu, S., Chandrabalan, D., Cohen, P.J., (2017) Increasing productivity and improving livelihoods in aquatic agricultural systems: a review of interventions. Food Security (9)1; 61-62. [Link]

Mills, D., Tilley, A., Pereira, M., Hellebrandt, D., Fernandes, A., Cohen, P.J. (2017) Livelihood diversity and dynamism in Timor-Leste; insights for coastal resource governance and livelihood development. Marine Policy 82, 206-215 [Link]

Apgar, J.M., Cohen, P.J., Ratner, B.D., de Silva, S., Buisson, M.-C., Longley, C., Bastakoti, R., Mapedza, E. (2017) Navigating opportunities for governance transformations using participatory action research in aquatic agricultural systems. Ecology and Society 22, 9. [Link]

Webster, F., Cohen, P.J., Malimali, S., Makasini, M., Vidler, K., Mailau, S., Vaipuna, L., Fatongiatau, V. (2017) Detecting fisheries trends in a co-managed area in the Kingdom of Tonga. Fisheries Research 186, 168–176. [Link]

Blythe, J., Cohen, P.J., Eriksson, H., Cinner, J., Boso, D., Schwarz, A., Andrew, N.L. (2017) Strengthening post-hoc analysis of community-based fisheries management through the social-ecological systems framework. Marine Policy 82, 50-58. [Link]

Cohen, P. J., A. Song, and T. Morrison (2017). Policy coherence across scales of governance in Pacific small-scale fisheries.in S. Jentoft, N. Franz, M. Barragan Paladines, and R. Chuenpagdee, editors. Implementing the SSF Guidelines. [Link]

Blythe, J., Cohen, P.J., Abernethy, K., Evans, L., (2017) Navigating the Transformation to Community-Based Resource Management, in: Armitage, D., Charles, T., Berkes, F. (Eds.), Governing the Coastal Commons: Communities, Resilience and Transformation. Routledge Press/Earthscan. [Link]

2016

Cohen, P.J., Lawless, S., Dyer, M., Morgan, M., Saeni, E., Teioli, H., Kantor, P. (2016) Understanding adaptive capacity and capacity to innovate in social-ecological systems; applying a gender lens. Ambio 45, S309-S321. [Link]

Iniesta-Arandia, I., Ravera, F., Buechler, S., Díaz-Reviriego, I., Fernández-Giménez, M.E., Reed, M.G., Thompson-Hall, M., Wilmer, H., Aregu, L., Cohen, P. and Djoudi, H., (2016). A synthesis of convergent reflections, tensions and silences in linking gender and global environmental change research. Ambio, 45(3), pp.383-393. [Link]

Sulu, R. Siota, F., Daokalia, C., Schwarz, A., Cohen, P. (2016) Interpreting ‘rights based fisheries management; for Solomon Islands. WorldFish, Solomon Islands. 44pp.

2015

Case P, Evans L, Fabinyi M, Cohen P, Hicks C, Prideaux M., et al. (2015) Rethinking environmental leadership: the social construction of leaders and leadership in discourses of ecological crisis, development and conservation. Leadership 11 (4): 396-423. [Link]

Cohen, P & Steenbergen, D (2015). Social dimensions of local fisheries co-management in the Coral Triangle. Environmental Conservation. 42: 278-288. [Link]

Evans L, Hicks C, Cohen P, Case P, Prideaux M, & Mills D (2015) Understanding leadership in the sustainability sciences. Ecology and Society. 20(1) 50. [Link]

2014

Jupiter., S, P. Cohen, R. Weeks, A. Tawake, H. Govan (2014) Locally-managed marine areas: multiple objectives and diverse strategies. Pacific Conservation Biology 20(2): 165–179 [Link]

Mills M, J. Álvarez-Romero, K. Vance-Borland, P. Cohen, R. Pressey, A. Guerrero, H. Ernstson (2014) Social network analysis for systematic conservation planning. Biological Conservation 169:6–13 [Link]

Cohen P, Schwarz A, Boso D (2014) Lessons from implementing, adapting and sustaining community-based adaptive marine management. Lessons Learned Brief: 2014-21. WorldFish, Penang [Link]

Schwarz A., James R, Teioli H, & Cohen P (2014). Engaging men and women in community-based resource management processes in Solomon Islands. Case Study: AAS-2014-33, pp. 7. Penang: CGIAR Research Program on Aquatic Agricultural Systems. [Link]

2013

Albert, J., Schwarz, A., & Cohen, P. (2013). Community-based marine resource management in Solomon Islands: A facilitators guide. Based on lessons from implementing CBRM with rural coastal communities in Solomon Islands (2005-2013) CGIAR Research Program on Aquatic Agricultural Systems (Vol. AAS-2013-17, pp. 50). Penang: WorldFish. [Link]

Cohen, P., Cinner, J., & Foale, S. (2013). Fishing dynamics associated with periodically-harvested marine closures. Global Environmental Change, 23(6): 1702-1713 [Link]

Cohen, P., & T. Alexander (2013). Catch rates, composition and fish size from reefs managed with periodically-harvested closures. PLoSONE, 8(9): e73383. [Link]

Ratner, B. D., P. Cohen, B. Barman, K. Mam, J. Nagoli & E. Allison (2013). Governance of aquatic agricultural systems; analyzing representation, power and accountability. Ecology and Society, 18(4): 59 [Link]

Cohen, P. and S. Foale (2013) Sustaining small-scale fisheries with periodically harvested marine reserves.  Marine Policy 37:278-287 [Link]