Adaptive management has long been promulgated as an appropriate approach to address the complexity and dynamics of coastal social-ecological systems. However, examples of successful implementation of this approach are still scarce. Law may be a factor hindering adaptive management, particularly when legal provisions are too rigid to enable change. Drawing on the management experience of Armação Beach (a coastal erosion hotspot in the Municipality of Florianópolis, State of Santa Catarina, Brazil), this paper: (a) analyses how adaptive management has been used for coastal management in the selected study area and its applicable legal framework; and (b) identifies legal barriers to adaptive coastal management. Document analysis and semi-structured interviews with 27 participants were undertaken. An inductive thematic coding strategy was adopted to analyse interview data. Interpretation of results shows that coastal management in Florianópolis is yet to follow the structured and iterative learning process of adaptive management. Vague, imprecise, and generic legal provisions have contributed to reactive coastal management. In the context of open-ended legislation, government entities have used their legal discretion to avoid making coastal management plans, and short-term defence strategies to manage coastal erosion have proliferated in response to crisis situations. The paper highlights the importance of seeking the right balance between legal certainty and legal flexibility, providing an entry point to further research and legal reform discussions in the field of adaptive coastal management.

长期以来，已经颁布了适应性管理作为解决沿海社会生态系统复杂性和动态性的一种适当方法。但是，仍然缺少成功实施此方法的示例。法律可能是阻碍适应性管理的一个因素，尤其是当法律规定过于僵化而无法进行更改时。借鉴Armação海滩（巴西圣卡塔琳娜州弗洛里亚诺波利斯市的沿海侵蚀热点地区）的管理经验，本文：（a）分析如何在选定的研究区域及其周边地区将适应性管理用于沿海管理适用的法律框架；（b）确定适应性沿海管理的法律障碍。对27名参与者进行了文件分析和半结构化访谈。采用归纳主题编码策略来分析采访数据。结果的解释表明，弗洛里亚诺波利斯的沿海管理尚未遵循适应性管理的结构化和迭代式学习过程。模糊，不精确和通用的法律规定促进了被动的沿海管理。在开放性立法的背景下，政府实体已运用其法律判断力来避免制定海岸管理计划，并且为应对危机形势，管理海岸侵蚀的短期防御策略已经激增。本文强调了在法律确定性和法律灵活性之间寻求适当平衡的重要性，为适应性沿海管理领域的进一步研究和法律改革讨论提供了切入点。结果的解释表明，弗洛里亚诺波利斯的沿海管理尚未遵循适应性管理的结构化和迭代式学习过程。模糊，不精确和通用的法律规定促进了被动的沿海管理。在开放性立法的背景下，政府实体已运用其法律判断力来避免制定海岸管理计划，并且为应对危机形势，管理海岸侵蚀的短期防御策略已经激增。本文强调了在法律确定性和法律灵活性之间寻求适当平衡的重要性，为适应性沿海管理领域的进一步研究和法律改革讨论提供了切入点。结果的解释表明，弗洛里亚诺波利斯的沿海管理尚未遵循适应性管理的结构化和迭代式学习过程。模糊，不精确和通用的法律规定促进了被动的沿海管理。在开放性立法的背景下，政府实体已运用其法律判断力来避免制定海岸管理计划，并且为应对危机形势，管理海岸侵蚀的短期防御策略已经激增。本文强调了在法律确定性和法律灵活性之间寻求适当平衡的重要性，为适应性沿海管理领域的进一步研究和法律改革讨论提供了切入点。