Rules Compliance and Age: Experimental Evidence with Fishers from the Amazon River

Abstract

ABSTRACT. We report the results of common-pool resource economic experiments conducted with indigenous communities in the Colombian Amazon. The experiments recreate two contexts: a limited open access with no institutions regulating the fisheries and a nonmonetary external regulation that limits individual extraction when a fisher is found to be overextracting. We find that variables that did not explain behavior under limited open access do so under the regulatory institution. In particular, when the nonmonetary external regulation was introduced, we found a nonlinear significant effect of age on individual harvest. This result implies a negative relationship between age and individual extraction that reaches a peak around age 54. Our results suggest that in our sample, age groups react differently to an institution aimed to manage the fishery and open a discussion regarding the role of older fishers when a new regulation is introduced to manage natural resources. Their role could go beyond the dissemination of traditional knowledge and cultural systems since older fishers could be key actors in disseminating and adapting new institutions.

Ranger perceptions of the role of local communities in providing actionable information on wildlife crime

“…Secondly, it can increase local awareness of threats facing wildlife populations, which is important as research indicates that community perspectives on the condition and stability of nature influences illegal biodiversity exploitation (Gore, Lute, Ratsimbazafy, & Rajaonson, 2016). Furthermore, studies have emphasized the critical role that awareness of rules plays in compliance with environmental regulations (e.g., Hodgetts et al, 2018; Winter & May, 2001), with research showing that local people who knew about the existence of seasonal restrictions extracted significantly less (Velez & Lopez, 2013). Thirdly, rangers that build trusted relationships with local people may empower communities to take responsibility for crime control and generate collective efficacy—or the willingness of community members to intervene for the common good (Gill, Weisburd, Telep, Vitter, & Bennett, 2017).…”

What makes them follow the rules? Empirical evidence from turtle egg harvesters in Costa Rica

“…In field experiments, Velez and Lopez [38] demonstrate that in an indigenous community of the Colombian Amazon, older adults are more compliant with external regulations for natural resource extraction. The authors conclude that lifelong experience teaches older members of the community that following the rules positively affects the sustainability of the natural resources that serve as a basis for their livelihoods.…”

External validity of artefactual field experiments: A study on cooperation, impatience and sustainability in an artisanal fishery in Colombia

“…In fisheries, scholars have used economic field experiments to explore different factors such as communication, impatience, reciprocity, rules, and regulations affecting the likelihood of successful cooperation in the management of CPRs (Aswani et al, 2013;Castillo et al, 2011;Fehr and Leibbrandt, 2011;Lopez et al, 2012;Teh et al, 2011;Vélez and Lopez, 2013;Vélez et al, 2009Vélez et al, , 2012.…”