Micro-level explanations for emergent patterns of self-governance arrangements in small-scale fisheries-A modeling approach
Authored by Maja Schlueter, Emilie Lindkvist, Xavier Basurto
Date Published: 2017
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0175532
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Abstract
Small-scale fisheries (SSFs) in developing countries are expected to
play a significant role in poverty alleviation and enhancing food
security in the decades to come. To realize this expectation, a better
understanding of their informal self-governance arrangements is critical
for developing policies that can improve fishers' livelihoods and lead
to sustainable ecosystem stewardship. The goal of this paper is to
develop a more nuanced understanding of micro-level factors-such as
fishers' characteristics and behavior-to explain observed differences in
self-governance arrangements in Northwest Mexico. We focus on two
ubiquitous forms of self-governance: hierarchical non-cooperative
arrangements between fishers and fishbuyers, such as patron-client
relationships (PCs), versus more cooperative arrangements amongst
fishers, such as fishing cooperatives (co-ops). We developed an
agent-based model of an archetypical SSF that captures key hypotheses
from in-depth fieldwork in Northwest Mexico of fishers' day-to-day
fishing and trading. Results from our model indicate that high diversity
in fishers' reliability, and low initial trust between co-op members,
makes co-ops' establishment difficult. PCs cope better with this kind of
diversity because, in contrast to co-ops, they have more flexibility in
choosing whom to work with. However, once co-ops establish, they cope
better with seasonal variability in fish abundance and provide long-term
security for the fishers. We argue that existing levels of trust and
diversity among fishers matter for different self-governance
arrangements to establish and persist, and should therefore be taken
into account when developing better, targeted policies for improved SSFs
governance.
Tags
Sustainability
Conservation
systems
Mexico
Framework
Odd protocol
Communities
Comanagement
Resource-management
Baja-california-sur