Small-scale fish buyers' trade networks reveal diverse actor types and differential adaptive capacities

González-Mon, Blanca; Bodin, Örjan; Crona, Beatrice; Nenadović, Mateja; Basurto, Xavier

doi:10.1016/j.ecolecon.2019.05.018

Cited by 37 publications

(51 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…There are no person to talk for us." (FG1, skipper group, 03/10/2017) Although patron-client relationships have been noted to mediate fisher access in small-scale fisheries worldwide and though much derided, research is increasingly recognizing the ways in which middlemen in dense fisher networks may hold close kinship relationships with fishers and provide the operational capital for fishers to mobilize for the start of a new season [109][110][111][112][113][114]. Whilst this trend is observed across small-scale fisheries globally, fishers felt the South African state had effectively absolved themselves of the responsibility of supporting fisher marketing functions.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Toward Sustainability of South African Small-Scale Fisheries Leveraging ICT Transformation Pathways

et al. 2020

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Though Internet and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have been employed in small-scale fisheries (SSFs) globally, they are seldom systematically explored for the ways in which they facilitate equality, democracy and sustainability. Our study explored how ICTs in South African small-scale fisheries are leveraged towards value chain upgrading, collective action and institutional sustainability—key issues that influence small-scale fishery contributions to marine resource sustainability. We held a participatory workshop as part of ongoing research in the town of Lambert’s Bay, South Africa, in collaboration with small-scale fishers and the Abalobi ICT project. We mapped fisher value chain challenges and explored the role of ICT-driven transformation pathways, adopting Wright’s ‘Real Utopian’ framework as the lens through which to explore equality, democracy and institutional sustainability. We found Abalobi’s ICT platform had the potential to facilitate deeper meanings of democracy that incorporate socio-economic reform, collective action and institutional sustainability in South Africa’s small-scale fisheries. Where fishers are not engaged beyond passive generators of data, this had the potential to undermine the goals of increasing power parity between small-scale fisheries and other stakeholders.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Toward Sustainability of South African Small-Scale Fisheries Leveraging ICT Transformation Pathways

et al. 2020

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“…This remoteness implies that fish often needs to be transported by road, held on ice in pickups or larger trucks, for 3–10 h (unless fished in the waters adjacent to La Paz). Transport and commercialization may be done by either the fishers themselves (although rarely), by seafood buyers and/or by fishing cooperatives when fishers are organized in cooperative structures ( Basurto et al, 2013 ; González-Mon et al, 2019 ). Seafood buyers (often called patrons ) may have diverse informal arrangements with fishers, where for example, fishers exclusively sell to them in exchange for services (e.g., credit) and fishing equipment ( Cinti et al, 2010 ; Basurto et al, 2013 ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Seafood buyers (often called patrons ) may have diverse informal arrangements with fishers, where for example, fishers exclusively sell to them in exchange for services (e.g., credit) and fishing equipment ( Cinti et al, 2010 ; Basurto et al, 2013 ). In Mexico, these buyers can also be permit-holders, and thus the ones with legal rights for fishing, and fishers may work under their permit ( Basurto et al, 2013 ; Frawley, Finkbeiner & Crowder, 2019 ); even if not all patrons establishing informal arrangements are permit-holders ( González-Mon et al, 2019 ). Fishing cooperatives in the region have different degrees of organization, in some cases having a democratic structure and in others functioning more as private enterprises ( Frawley, Finkbeiner & Crowder, 2019 ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multiple drivers behind mislabeling of fish from artisanal fisheries in La Paz, Mexico

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Domínguez-Contreras

et al. 2021

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Seafood mislabeling has the potential to mask changes in the supply of species due to overfishing, while also preventing consumers from making informed choices about the origin, quality and sustainability of their food. Thus, there is a need to understand mislabeling and analyze the potential causes behind it to propose solutions. We conducted a COI DNA barcoding study in La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico, with 74 samples from fish markets and 50 samples from restaurants. We identified 38 species sold under 19 commercial names, from which at least ∼80% came from local small-scale fisheries. Overall, 49 samples, representing 40% (95% CI [31.4–48.3]) were considered mislabeled in our samples. Based on analyses where species were assigned to three price categories, economic incentives were associated with approximately half of the mislabeling events observed, suggesting that other motivating factors might simultaneously be at play. Using a network approach to describe both mislabeling (when species are mislabeled as the focal species) and substitution (when the focal species is used as substitute for others), we calculated proxies for the net availability of each species in the market. We found that local fish landings were a significant predictor of the net availability of the 10 most important commercial species at retail, but this true availability was masked to the eyes of the final consumer by both mislabeling and substitution. We hypothesize that the level of supply of each species could help explain mislabeling and substitution rates, where species in low supply and high demand could show higher mislabeling rates and rarely be used as substitutes, while species in high supply and low demand could be used as substitutes for the preferred species. Other factors affecting mislabeling include national regulations that restrict the fishing or commercialization of certain species and local and global campaigns that discourage specific patterns of consumption. We discuss how these factors might influence mislabeling and propose some solutions related to communication and education efforts to this local and global challenge.

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“…They are also prevalent in more localized fisheries and associated markets [22][23]. While patron-client relationships and cooperatives can be seen as two very opposing forms of organizing fishing, often gradients can be found in between these two [24][25]. Similarly, however, patron-client relationships and cooperatives are often the main pathways for low-income individuals in rural, developing country contexts to secure their livelihoods through gaining access to capital to afford the upfront costs of fishing trips (e.g.…”

Section: Plos Onementioning

confidence: 99%

Governing the commons beyond harvesting: An empirical illustration from fishing

et al. 2020

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Harvesting has received most theoretical, empirical, and policy attention towards understanding common-pool resource dilemmas. Yet, pre-harvesting and post-harvesting activities influence harvesting outcomes as well. Broadening the analytical focus beyond harvesting is needed to imagine new ways of theorizing and governing the commons. Fishing-which is synonymous with harvesting-is a case in point. We contribute to a beyondharvesting research agenda by incorporating concepts from common-pool resources theory that have not received enough attention in the literature. We compare two ubiquitous selforganizing strategies (i.e., fishing cooperatives and patron-client relationships) fishers use to access means of production and analyze their effects on the distribution of benefits resulting from harvesting. We use rarely available longitudinal data of monetary loans to fishers in Mexican small-scale fisheries and find that cooperatives can deliver broader distribution of benefits than patron-client relationships. Our study highlights the importance of historically and contextually situating analyses linking the effects of pre-harvesting processes on harvesting outcomes, and the benefits of broadening the scope of inquiry beyond a narrow policy attention on harvesting to move towards a fuller understanding of commons dilemmas.

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Small-scale fish buyers' trade networks reveal diverse actor types and differential adaptive capacities

Cited by 37 publications

References 48 publications

Toward Sustainability of South African Small-Scale Fisheries Leveraging ICT Transformation Pathways

Toward Sustainability of South African Small-Scale Fisheries Leveraging ICT Transformation Pathways

Multiple drivers behind mislabeling of fish from artisanal fisheries in La Paz, Mexico

Governing the commons beyond harvesting: An empirical illustration from fishing

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