The tragedy of the commodity is not inevitable: Indigenous resistance prevents high-value fisheries collapse in the Pacific islands

Ferguson, Caroline E.; Bennett, Nathan; Kostka, William; Richmond, Robert H.; Singeo, Ann

doi:10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2022.102477

Cited by 10 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…Under these governance and social leadership systems (qoliqoli ownership), indigenous dive fishers have customary fishing rights and have critical powers in the commercial use of local marine resources (Veitayaki, 1998;Kitolelei and Sato, 2016;Rohe et al, 2017). Dive fishers are still customary rights holders and have unique and exclusive access rights to their traditional fishing grounds (Rohe et al, 2017;Ferguson et al, 2022). They are also recognised in national and regional coastal fishery policy (Gourlie et al, 2018).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of marine and diving authorities in workforce development in the blue economy

Nisa

2022

Front. Mar. Sci.

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Island governments have made decent work and social protection their highest policy priority, aiming to link them to the so-called blue economy sectors such as fisheries. The development of small-scale commercial fishing is primarily driven by transnational fisheries trade and depends on dive fisher labour force facing issues with deficits in decent work, health and safety, and safety at sea provisions. Given the macro-policy priorities for decent work in the transition of small island developing states (SIDS) to blue economy, this paper examines the development interventions in small-scale commercial fisheries trade that have exacerbated unsafe marine working conditions of dive fishers. Despite significant investments in developing commercial fisheries trade, the mismatch between macro-level decisions and micro-level labour needs has hardly been explored via the blue economy and sustainable development goal interlinkages. This study used a qualitative research approach to examine the unsafe working conditions of dive fishers and examined why dive-related accidents and fatalities occur in commercial fisheries in the first place. A systematic approach in the analysis of diving accidents helps the study to, firstly, highlight the gaps between macro policy and practice at the national and global levels. Secondly, the approach helps explore the need for a coherent approach to policy integration that bridges the gap between the macro and operational levels of small-scale fisheries labour force. The study analyses the International Labour Organization’s decent work instruments with SIDS sustainable development priorities for fisheries workforce and points out that governments must be responsible at the macro level for managing accidents at sea and building a safe diving workforce through competent marine and diving authorities.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of marine and diving authorities in workforce development in the blue economy

Nisa

2022

Front. Mar. Sci.

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“…Indigenous institutions have helped manage relationships between people for centuries (Foale et al, 2011), and can organize communities to resist unwanted commoditization and subsequent overexploitation of coastal resources (e.g. Ferguson et al, 2022). Traditional knowledge systems can provide accurate observations on local ecological processes and practices of resource use, which are vital components for developing appropriate livelihood solutions to adapt to changing environmental conditions at local scales (Leonard et al, 2013; McMillen et al, 2014).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sustainable development outcomes of livelihood diversification in small‐scale fisheries

et al. 2022

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“…In New Next, our review suggest that blue resistance movements are diverse, dynamic, and can take many forms. We show that the blue justice movement includes Pacific Islanders who peacefully protest blue injustice stemming from climate inaction, reject labels of passive climate victims, and re-imagine Pacific futures (O'Brien, 2013;McNamara and Farbotko, 2017;Ferguson et al, 2022). It also encompasses diverse Indigenous communities concerned with the protection of their culture and the livelihoods and welfare of community members and their territorial rights and ways of living that are predicated on a relationship of harmony with the coastal environment (Veltmeyer and Bowles, 2014;Jones et al, 2017;Ban and Frid, 2018;Eckert et al, 2018;Ban et al, 2019), as well as small-scale fishers and their allies, including civil society organizations, who resist class exploitation, the industrialization of fisheries, and their exclusion from ocean governance processes form another essential component of the blue justice movement (Valenzuela-Fuentes et al, 2021;.…”

Section: Mainstreaming Blue Resistance Effortsmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…Coastal communities have also drawn on combinations of institutional tools and legislation to resist blue injustice. In Ngarchelong, Palau, for example, chiefs and fishers implemented a customary ban on sea cucumber harvesting when an illegal fishery threatened overexploitation and violated their social norms and cultural values (Ferguson et al, 2022). The national government quickly followed and passed a law banning the export of sea cucumber, which stopped the harvest nationwide (ibid).…”

Section: Institutional Tools and Legislationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Blue justice: A review of emerging scholarship and resistance movements

Blythe

Gill²,

Claudet³

et al. 2023

Camb. prisms Coast. futures

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Coastal communities, Indigenous peoples, and small-scale fishers are intimately connected with the ocean. Yet, these historically and structurally marginalized groups often bear a disproportionate distribution of coastal and marine harms, and are culturally and politically excluded from marine decision-making. In response, calls for blue justice are emerging. Here, we review key perspectives, new developments, and gaps in the emerging blue justice scholarship. We also synthesize existing case studies of blue injustices and review some of the many successful examples of grassroots resistance efforts to help define what blue justice entails. We aim to help centre the knowledge, strength, and agency of coastal communities responding to blue injustice. Ultimately, concerted efforts are needed by all to support and empower coastal communities to reject blue injustices and to achieve their diverse aspirations for blue justice.

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The tragedy of the commodity is not inevitable: Indigenous resistance prevents high-value fisheries collapse in the Pacific islands

Cited by 10 publications

References 51 publications

The role of marine and diving authorities in workforce development in the blue economy

The role of marine and diving authorities in workforce development in the blue economy

Sustainable development outcomes of livelihood diversification in small‐scale fisheries

Blue justice: A review of emerging scholarship and resistance movements

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