Diagnosis and management of small‐scale fisheries in developing countries

Abstract

Small‐scale fisheries (SSF) make important but undervalued contributions to the economies of some of the world’s poorest countries. They also provide much of the animal protein needed by societies in which food security remains a pressing issue. Assessment and management of these fisheries is usually inadequate or absent and they continue to fall short of their potential as engines for development and social change. In this study, we bring together existing theory and methods to suggest a general scheme for diagnosing and managing SSF. This approach can be adapted to accommodate the diversity of these fisheries in the developing world. Many threats and solutions to the problems that beset SSF come from outside the domain of the fishery. Significant improvements in prospects for fisheries will require major changes in societal priorities and values, with consequent improvements in policy and governance. Changes in development policy and science reflect these imperatives but there remains a need for intra‐sectoral management that builds resilience and reduces vulnerability to those forces beyond the influence of small‐scale fishers.

Resilience (Republished)

“…There is work on poverty, adaptability, food security, social protection, adaptive capacity, and resilience of individuals, households, and groups in relation to ecosystem and environmental change in general, and climate change in particular (e.g., Kelly and Adger 2000, Berkes and Jolly 2001, Thomas and Twyman 2005, Andrew et al 2007, Boyd et al 2008, Davies et al 2013, Marshall and Stokes 2014, Nayak et al 2014, Cinner et al 2015. For example, Béné et al (2016) in their review of resilience in food security, nutrition, and development, employ the definition of resilience as used here (see above) in relation to shortterm humanitarian interventions, climate change projects, and long-term development programs.…”

Studying common-pool resources over time: A longitudinal case study of the Buen Hombre fishery in the Dominican Republic

“…The majority are located in developing countries where limited resources and a high local dependence on the natural resource make effective management both more challenging and more critical (Andrew et al 2007).…”

The Emergence of Access Controls in Small-Scale Fishing Commons: A Comparative Analysis of Individual Licenses and Common Property-Rights in Two Mexican Communities

“…Increasing evidence suggests that SSFs are marine common-pool resources of global social, economic, and ecological significance (Andrew et al 2007;FAO 2009;Smith et al 2010). When including fisheries-associated livelihoods the number of people sustained by SSFs around the globe is estimated at 200-250 million people (Berkes et al 2001;Delgado et al 2003), the great majority of whom reside in developing countries, producing more than half of the world's harvests (Berkes et al 2001;Pauly 2006).…”