The identification and classification of coastal resources and other aspects of coastal communities is an absolute requirement for successfully completing the other methods of PCRA. If local resource users and professionals are to work effectively together, there must be a common understanding of what a certain local name or term corresponds to in the scientific world, and vice versa.
In identifying the important elements of the coastal resource system, one is usually able to classify these elements to a certain extent and determine what structure links the various names and terms. This way, the community worker gains insights into how local fishers perceive the coastal resource system and thus understands better the fishers' behavior, their actions and decisions.
The use of photographs or field visits to habitats are useful techniques to ensure that English and local terminologies refer to the same habitats. Habitat classification need not be hierarchical; initially, a listing will do. Later, with the use of diagrams and photos, features can be labeled and a better approximation of the habitat classification can be realized. Aside from the involvement of interpreters to ensure accurate communication, the assistance of natural scientists is also essential in gaining the necessary understanding of the habitat regime regimes in each local area.
The identification and classification should use the following sequence, from basic to more specific elements
Identification and classification procedure
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