Abstract
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REEFGAME is a computer-assisted role-playing game that explores the interactions
among management strategies, livelihood options, and ecological degradation in subsistence
fishing communities. The tool has been successfully used in the Philippines and
a variety of student workshops. In the field, REEFGAME operated as a two-way learning
tool, helping local fishers better understand their collective impacts on the marine
ecosystem and providing researchers with insights into fisher livelihood strategies. This
demonstrates the game’s ability to serve as powerful springboard for social learning
and discussion among stakeholders, while providing useful scientific insights into decisionmaking
processes. Although not specifically designed for the purpose, REEFGAME has
also been used in the university setting to facilitate student engagement and demonstrate
a range of social and ecological concepts.