It’s often the “people side” of a coastal issue that is the most challenging, yet few coastal officials in the field have a background in social sciences.
Observing, surveying, and assessing the public are just a few of the many social science tools useful in the coastal management community. Finding the right techniques, however, can mean all the difference. Growing enquiries about social science services are why the NOAA Coastal Services Center added this expertise to its staff roster.
Data and Information
- Economics: National Ocean Watch
- Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages
- Spatial Trends in Coastal Socioeconomics
- Gross Domestic Product
Tools
Publications and Reports
- Introduction to Conducting Focus Groups
- Introduction to Economics for Coastal Managers
- Introduction to Planning and Facilitating Effective Meetings
- Introduction to Stakeholder Participation
- Introduction to Survey Design and Delivery
- Stakeholder Engagement Strategies for Participatory Mapping
- Using Photorealistic Visualizations