Strengthening organizations and collective action in small-scale fisheries: lessons learned from Brazil and the Caribbean (original) (raw)
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Strengthening organizations and collective action in fisheries
2014
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Implementing the Small-Scale Fisheries Guidelines: Lessons from Brazilian Clam Fisheries
2017
From 2008 to 2011 the Brazilian Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture and the Canadian charity World Fisheries Trust implemented a project known as Gente da Mare (GDM), or ‘People of the Tides’. GDM worked strategically to build institutional and community capacity and linkages between government, university researchers, and local fishing associations involved in projects to improve the livelihoods and well-being of ‘marisqueiras,’ women and families that depend on clam and oyster extraction, mainly the Venerid clam Anomalocardia brasiliana, in the Northeast Region of Brazil where the country’s highest number of coastal and estuarine small-scale fishers are concentrated. Consistent with many of the principles and guidelines in FAO’s Voluntary Guidelines for Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines), GDM promoted an integrated approach to equitable development of sustainable fisheries that included: co-management including particip...
Maritime Studies
This thematic series, entitled "Enhancing Stewardship in Latin America and Caribbean Small-Scale Fisheries", emerged as part of a joint effort to bridge Latin-American scholars interested in networking on small-scale fisheries in the region. Built on results presented at two meetings ('Too Big to Ignore' (TBTI) Workshop in Curitiba, Brazil, and the 2 nd World Small-Scale Fisheries Congress in Merida, Mexico), this issue combines a unique collection of emergent and pressing issues related to small-scale fisheries in Latin America. It comprises of theoretical, methodological and policy-related aspects across a range of topics such as co-management, biodiversity conservation, governance challenges, and territorial tenure, in seven countries-predominantly from South America. In this Introduction, we provide some background to the similarities and diversity within the Latin America and Caribbean region, and their relevance to small-scale fisheries stewardship. Subsequently, we briefly introduce the contributions that range from cross-scale governance in Chile, cooperativism in Mexico, species introduction in Bolivia, interactive governance in the Galápagos and co-management in Uruguay, Brazil and Colombia, to territorial losses in Brazil. Multiple contexts and processes, theoretical and analytical perspectives (multi-stakeholders, socio-ecological systems, cross-scale issues, territorial approach) are highlighted, as well as the policy challenges to safeguard small-scale fisheries from numerous pressures such as urbanization, industrial expansion, tourism, pollution, and conservation policies. This series aims at inciting further consideration of innovative perspectives to bridge local communities, academics, practitioners and policy makers in joint efforts to promote priority action on issues that require immediate attention and transdisciplinary multidimensional outlooks on that important sector.
2015
Small-scale fisheries in Colombia occur in diverse areas including river basins, estuaries, and coastlines, for both consumption-based and ornamental fisheries, and carried out by mestizo, indigenous and afro-descendant communities. These fisheries are overexploited or approach maximum sustainable yield. Meanwhile, government capacity and policies for fisheries management are weak and many fishing communities have reached a state of poverty. These conditions have generated an increased interest in the implementation of participatory fisheries management by artisanal fishermen, government and other stakeholders. We analyze 36 fisheries agreements established during the last two decades using similarity analysis, nonparametric multidimensional scaling and similarity percentages to distinguish fisheries agreements according to different management measures proposed by fishermen. Fishermen recognized similar problems despite differences in ethnicity. However, fishermen gave different priority to fisheries measures and activities to carry out their specific fisheries agreements, depending on target species. Differences in fisheries agreements were found between consumption-based and ornamental fishing (P<0.05), between river basin and marine fisheries (P<0.05), and among fisheries in lakes, lagoons, and reservoirs (P<0.05). Small-scale fisheries in Colombia share several fisheries conditions, but these all show differences according to the social perspective of each community to solve its specific fisheries problems. Currently, small-scale fisheries in Colombia face important challenges associated with their diversity/heterogeneity, the poor government capacity for fisheries management, the enforcement of participatory management by different stakeholders (mainly NGOs) with different approaches that respond to their own goals. Fishing buyer Good fishing practices Fair trade Government controls Good fishing practices Catch controls Catch limits Law compliance Number of fishery economic units Employment alternatives Non-fishing programs Number of fishery gear units Women participation Research Conservation research Community strengthening Strengthening of local organizations Fishery research Implementation of local roles
Fisheries Research, 2007
This paper presents an overview of the key characteristics of small-scale coastal marine fisheries in Latin America and the Caribbean as well as an examination of some of the weaknesses, gaps, and challenges faced in fisheries assessment and management within the region. The information here is based largely on discussions involving a range of scientists, managers and fishers at the first CoastFish conference ("Coastal fisheries in Latin America and the Caribbean") held in Merida, Mexico in 2004 and literature review. Small-scale fisheries in this region, as elsewhere, share similar characteristics including multi-gear and multispecies, low capital and labour intensive, remote landing sites, large number of migrant and seasonal workers, and weak market and bargaining power among fishers. Common issues facing these fisheries are resource overexploitation, complex and dynamic fleet interactions, competition and conflicts between fleets (small-scale, industrial and recreational), and post-harvest problems, such as lack of infrastructure. Research in the region focuses mainly on biological-ecological aspects, with limited attention paid to socioeconomic issues. Collection of catch data is common in most countries, at least for the main target species, but its reliability has been questioned in many cases, especially when a multi-species fishery is in place. Management tools frequently used are 'input control', e.g., size limit, gear restriction, closed season, closed area, and fishing permits. Finally, legal frameworks typically exist to regulate fisheries in most countries, but lack of success in management could be attributed to a lack of surveillance, weak institutions, unclear legal management instruments, and limited involvement of fishers in the management process. Based on the above, we discuss ways to address gaps and challenges in the assessment and management of small-scale fisheries in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Managing small-scale fisheries in Colombia
Maritime Studies, 2016
The small-scale fishermen of Colombia face a wide range of problems and conflicts. While many problems are shared among individuals from both the Atlantic and the Pacific coasts (bi-coastal), others are unique to a subset of the communities, only occur on one of the coasts (uni-coastal) or in an individual locality. To come to grips with the major problems for these fisheries requires establishing a fisheries management strategy that can prioritize solutions at different levels: national, coastal, and local. This study describes the solutions identified by three sets of stakeholders: fishermen, local leaders and fisheries experts, to improve small-scale fisheries management in Colombia. Some cross-cutting solutions were recommended by all three sets of stakeholders. In other cases, only two of the three stakeholder groups agreed on certain proposals, and some isolated solutions were found in only one type of stakeholder. All three sets of stakeholders recommended that the government put in place fundamental regulatory framework for small-scale fisheries including support for alternative employment opportunities to reduce fishing pressure on the resources. Some but not all groups supported specific measures, such as gear restrictions, closed areas and closed seasons. There was also a clear need to distinguish those truly engaged in fishing as their livelihood from opportunists moving in and out of the sector. Specific recommendations are here presented to reform and restructure governance through co-management, and to develop a consensus among the main government and user stakeholders.
Special issue: modern fisheries research approaches in Brazil
Journal of Applied Ichthyology, 2009
The performance of 20 fishery production systems off the state of Para´in the northern region of Brazil was compared using the ÔRAPFISHÕ methodology, with 57 identified attributes distributed among five evaluation fields: economics, sociology, ecology, technology and politics. The results indicated the existence of three large groups of fishery sectors: (i) industrial (red snapper with traps, the Laulao catfish, shrimp trawl) and semi-industrial (lobster) fisheries; (ii) large-scale artisanal fisheries (acoupa weakfish, red snapper with lines, king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, coco sea catfish); and (iii) smallscale artisanal fisheries (shellfish, crab, estuarine longline, fish traps, etc.). While the industrial and large-scale artisanal systems demonstrated greater sustainability from an economic and social standpoint, small-scale fisheries appeared to be more ecologically sustainable. Based on the results, a reduction in industrial fishing efforts is recommended, along with the establishment of licensing quotas for fishing vessels, as well as an increased investment in research on proper guidance and management of the semi-industrial and large-scale artisanal fisheries sectors. For small-scale artisanal fisheries, economic incentives are suggested for the aggregate value of the products and to assist fishers in the development of an appropriate social organization. Finally, it is believed that a greater stakeholder involvement in the decision-making process would improve management actions for all modalities.
Viability and Sustainability of Small-Scale Fisheries in Latin America and The Caribbean, 2018
The global increase in demand for seafood products has accelerated the exploitation of many key fisheries resources, contributing to reduced ecosystem health and threatening fishing livelihoods. Small-scale fisheries in Latin America and the Caribbean are exposed to those global changes and other threats, which affect their viability and sustainability. In this chapter, we present a synthesis of some of the contributions of the authors to this book in order to illustrate successful and failed experiences at dealing with complex dynamic systems, such as small-scale fisheries, and discuss the necessary conditions and limitations that affect prospects for ensuring viable fisheries and sustainable livelihoods. Understanding the driving factors that threaten small-scale fisheries, as well as the contexts in which they operate, is imperative for reducing vulnerability and achieving sustainability. We synthesize experiences and lessons derived from the chapters in this book, providing examples of the types of challenges small-scale fisheries in different countries in the Latin America and the Caribbean region are facing and discussing how actors at different scales are dealing with them. Several of the authors advocate developing and promoting integrated assessment approaches, diversifying income sources, and increasing adaptive capacity in fishing communities. Tools and frameworks for assessment and management are also discussed based on the information presented and the literature