Investigating the Roles of Actors in the Management of the Setiu Mangrove Swamp System within a Social-Ecological System (SES) Framework

Lack of stakeholder involvement in the management of mangrove swamp systems has recently become a global issue. Mangrove swamp ecosystems are known as biological communities that interact as biotic and abiotic components. The management of mangrove swamps in Malaysia is a cause for concern as the quality and quantity of the area are deteriorating. The objectives of this study are to examine stakeholder involvement in the management of Setiu mangrove swamp systems, identify key issues faced by stakeholders in managing mangrove swamp systems more sustainably, and recommend to stakeholders the best management practices for managing mangrove swamp systems. In this study, a qualitative study was conducted using a diagnostic approach guided by the Social-Ecological System (SES). Participants will be involved in the management of mangrove systems using Ostrom's (2009) theory based on the Social-Ecological System (SES) framework. This interaction involves actors (A) and management systems (GS) in Setiu mangrove swamp ecosystems based on the Social-Ecological System (SES). Actors (A) focus on the number of involved actors (A1), socio-economic characteristics (A2), leadership (A5), and resource importance (A8). The governance system (GS) includes government organizations (GS1), non-governmental organizations (GS2), collective election rules (GS6), and supervisory sanction rules (GS8). A limitation of the study was that obtaining information and reading about the Social-Ecological System (SES) made it difficult for the researcher to gather data. The study showed that many participants were involved in activities in the mangrove swamp area.