Small scale fisheries

The world’s oceans and coasts are awash in a sea of politics. The marine environment is increasingly busy, changing, and a site of degradation, marginalization, injustice, contestation and conflict over declining resources and occupied spaces at local to global scales. Themes of political ecology, such as power and politics, narratives and knowledge, scale and history, environmental justice and equity, are thus salient issues to understand in ocean and coastal governance and management. This subject review examines research on these themes of political ecology in the ocean and coastal environment and reflects on how the insights gained might be applied to governance and management. Political ecology provides important insights into: the influence of power in ocean management and governance processes; the manner in which narratives, knowledge, and scale are used to legitimize and shape policies and management efforts; the effects of historical trajectories on present circumstances, options, and practices; and the nature of inequities and environmental injustices that can occur in the marine environment. Moreover, ocean and coastal researchers, practitioners, and decision makers ought to engage with the political processes and injustices occurring in the ocean. Moving from critical insights to constructive engagements will ensure that political ecology helps to plant seeds of hope in the Anthropocene ocean.

Small-scale fisheries provide over half the world's wild-caught seafood, employ over 99% of its fishers, and are frequently promoted as a sustainable alternative to large-scale industrial fisheries. However, few studies have quantitatively examined how possible habitat impacts and non-target species composition vary across gears used in small-scale fisheries, as data are sparse and conservation efforts are largely focused on more iconic species. Here, we quantify and compare the ecosystem impacts of four fishing gears (lobster traps, fish traps, set gillnets, drift gillnets) used in small-scale fisheries of Baja California, Mexico, using at-sea observations and field experiments. Set gillnets had the highest overall impact on both non-target species and habitat, with discard rates higher than most industrial fisheries (34.3% by weight), and an estimated 19.2% of Eisenia arborea kelp and 16.8% of gorgonian corals damaged or removed within 1 m of the net path. Fish traps had the lowest discard rates (0.11%) while lobster traps and drift gillnets had intermediate discard rates (15.1% and 18.5% respectively). In contrast with gillnets, traps caused minimal immediate damage to gorgonian corals and rarely interacted with kelp. Results indicate that ecological impacts depend more on fishing gear type and habitat characteristics than the size of fishing vessels, calling into question broad generalizations that small-scale fisheries are inherently more sustainable than industrial fisheries. Our findings highlight the ecological impacts of artisanal gillnet fisheries as priorities for research, management, and conservation efforts in Baja California and other coastal areas.

Sharing good practices and experiences among stakeholders can help develop good practices in fisheries management. Facilitated knowledge exchanges among small-scale fisheries stakeholders can support the implementation of FAO’s Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication. Fisheries learning exchanges (FLEs) are one form of knowledge exchange that has become increasingly popular. FLEs are peer-to-peer gatherings in which fisheries stakeholders from different communities freely exchange information and experiences surrounding fisheries challenges and solutions. These are usually organized by fishers, Non-governmental Organizations and governments and are credited as an
integral tool for the diffusion and adoption of fisheries management strategies. Despite their numerous perceived benefits, little research has been conducted on FLEs. This paper presents a case study of an FLE between Mozambique and Madagascar to explore how FLEs can aid in the sharing of experiences and good practices among small-scale fisheries
stakeholders and the further application of those good practices. Nineteen key informant interviews were conducted with FLE participants as the main source of data. Subsequent analysis found that hands-on or informal activities and a diverse participant group were two factors that promoted knowledge sharing and learning among participants. Key recommendations for FLE organizers include: maximizing hands-on and informal activities, fully understanding the cultural norms at play when inviting participants, dedicating adequate time and personnel to make travel arrangements for participants, and providing financial and logistical support for participants to implement what they have learned after the FLE. The results from this case study should prove useful for other parties seeking to facilitate knowledge sharing through FLEs.

Examining fisheries derived income and inequality from regional trade integration is a fundamental step in improving fishing community's economic benefit. However, detailed analysis remains poorly understood. This study was carried out in three fishing communities and one border post in mainland Tanzania to address this gap. Key actors and their roles within the value chain were identified. Differences in seasonal income were tested and examined how cross border fish trade (CBFT) contributes to income inequalities among actors in marine small pelagic fishery locally known as dagaa. Findings showed that 12 marine dagaa actors are involved in valueaddition activities that link production to consumption. Fishers earned the lowest average seasonal income, and a significant difference in income was found in the four seasons among actors. Further, it was found that processors and traders earned above the Tanzanian minimum wage per month for fishing and marine activities, suggesting that regional trade integration benefits actors through CBFT. However, the study observed that traders had higher income inequality than processors and fishers, attributed to the bias in financial power, market bargaining power, access to the market information and social network relationship towards traders. Such findings provide important insights for designing effective policies that balance the fair distribution of income derived from CBFT to generate positive livelihood implications.

Recent studies have focused on the study of social networks among local resource users, but few have attempted to study co-management networks. The objective of the research was to assess the Chilean shellfish co-management system from an organizational network perspective. Starting with one detailed case study, representatives of 38 small-scale fisher associations from two administrative regions were interviewed to investigate: (1) networks of actors in each co-management case, (2) the functions of these actors in co-management, and fisher perceptions about Chile's co-management arrangement. Results indicate that decision-making is highly centralized and power is concentrated in government, with little horizontal exchange and cooperation among fisher associations. However, the network approach indicates the presence of a rich set of players, some seven sets of actors by function. Grassroots management innovations are hampered by the existing co-management structure, suggesting that the system may benefit from a modification of the policy to allow greater learningby-doing and flexibility.

The literature on fisheries co-management is almost silent on the issue of the movement of fisherfolk within fisheries, although such movement must have implications for the effectiveness of co-management. The introduction of co-management often involves the formation of new structures that should enable the participation of key stakeholder groups in decision-making and management, but such participation is challenging for migrating fishers. The article reports on a study on Lake Victoria, East Africa, which investigated the extent of movement around the lake and the implications of movement for how fishers participate and are represented in co-management, and the implications of the extent and nature of movement for co-management structures and processes. The analysis draws on the concept of space from the literature on participation in development and on a framework of representation in fisheries co-management in addressing these questions. The created space is on an 'invited&...

In recent years the collection of tropical marine organisms for the aquarium trade has become perceived as an activity with an unsustainable history as well as obvious potential for rehabilitation through resource-based fisheries management and consumer-oriented product certification. In the case of Puerto Rico, collection of ornamentals has existed for decades, though unregulated due to a weak fisheries law dating from the 1930's. The new Fisheries Law 278 of 1998 enabled new regulatory approaches for marine ornamentals, which were met with serious challenges rooted in (1) an information gap concerning the fishery regarding participant numbers, collection methods and export volumes, and (2) the absence of consultation of fishers by agency regulators. The information gap led to worst-case assumptions of impact by regulators, and a closure of the fishery, which set the stage for threatening personal confrontations and lawsuits, the latter leading to de facto resource management by judicial order. To redress these issues and move management back into the arena of science and public policy, regulators have initiated a three-phase program: (1) characterize fisher numbers, methods and exports, (2) describe populations and biology of commercial species, and (3) propose appropriate fisheries management approaches. This paper describes only the first phase of this program.

The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) is the primary law that codifies marine fisheries management in United States federal waters. The MSA was amended in 2006 with Section 610, an international provision that directs the Secretary of Commerce to unilaterally identify foreign nations engaged in the incidental capture (bycatch) of protected living marine resources (PLMRs) under specific conditions. In 2013 the United States identified Mexico for bycatch of a PLMR – the North Pacific loggerhead turtle – representing the first time a nation has been identified for bycatch under section 610. This paper evaluates the initial effects of the identification on loggerhead bycatch management efforts in Mexico and provides policy recommendations for improving the law and its implementation. In the wake of the unilateral identification, Mexico downplayed and denied the bycatch problem that their agencies had previously accepted and cancelled a bycatch research partnership between their federal fisheries science agency and U.S. researchers. Moreover, fishers invested in bycatch reduction and monitoring programs ceased to participate, jeopardizing their understanding of the problem and their co-development of bycatch solutions. However, the identification and subsequent consultation process ultimately resulted in Mexico implementing federal loggerhead bycatch regulations that are temporarily comparable with relevant U.S. measures. These regulations establish a temporary fisheries reserve (authorized for two years) that includes monitoring of bycatch, a loggerhead bycatch mortality cap, temporal and spatial restrictions on fishing gear and practices, and a closure of all finfish fisheries during the summer of 2016. As a result, turtle bycatch was likely substantially reduced in 2016, but at the cost of artisanal fishers' entire seasonal income. Policy recommendations are made, highlighting the need to: 1) better assess the socioeconomic, political, and environmental consequences associated with using the threat of trade sanctions to compel nations to reduce their bycatch; and 2) facilitate a more consistent consideration of bycatch data across nations such that the current policy does not create a disincentive for other nations to assess or report PLMR bycatch.

Hiu martil (Sphyrna lewini Griffith & Smith, 1834) merupakan salah satu target tangkapan bagi perikanan artisanal di Indonesia. Dengan status konservasi masuk dalam Appendix II CITES, pengelolaan terhadap hiu martil telah menjadi perhatian khusus di bidang perikanan tangkap. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji beberapa aspek parameter populasi hiu martil yang tertangkap di perairan selatan Nusa Tenggara pada periode Januari – Desember 2015. Data ukuran panjang dan jenis kelamin diperoleh di Tempat Pendaratan Ikan Tanjung Luar, Lombok Timur, Nusa Tenggara Barat. Analisis dilakukan secara deskriptif menggunakan perangkat lunak FiSAT II. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa dari 634 ekor hiu martil yang tertangkap didominasi oleh jenis kelamin betina dengan sebaran ukuran panjang total berkisar antara 81 – 320 cm (rerata 211,2 cm) dan jenis kelamin jantan berkisar antara 91 – 310 cm (rerata 176,9 cm). Dominasi kelompok hiu muda yang belum matang kelamin berpotensi terjadinya recruitment overfishing. Hiu martil mampu mencapai panjang asimtot 399 cm. Laju pertumbuhan dan mortalitas jenis hiu jantan lebih tinggi dibandingkan jenis betina. Populasi hiu martil telah mengalami kondisi tangkap lebih sehingga perlu adanya regulasi dan pengelolaan agar pemanfaatannya tetap lestari.

Kata Kunci: Hiu martil; Sphyrna lewini; parameter populasi; eksploitasi; Tanjung Luar

The regionally endemic Galapagos Grouper, locally known as bacalao, is one of the most highly prized finfish species within the Galapagos Marine Reserve (GMR). Concerns of overfishing, coupled with a lack of fishing regulations aimed at this species raises concerns about the current population health. We assessed changes in population health over a 30year period using three simple indicators: (1) percentage of fish below reproductive size (L m); (2) percentage of fish within the optimum length interval (L opt); and (3) percentage of mega-spawners in the catch. Over the assessed period, none of the indicators reached values associated with healthy populations, with all indicators declining over time. Furthermore, the most recent landings data show that the vast majority of the bacalao caught (95.7%,) were below L m , the number of fish within the L opt interval was extremely low (4.7%), and there were virtually no mega-spawners (0.2%). Bacalao fully recruit to the fishery 15 cm below the size at which 50% of the population matures. The Spawning Potential Ratio is currently 5% of potential unfished fecundity, strongly suggesting severe overfishing. Our results suggest the need for bacalao-specific management regulations that should include minimum (65 cm TL) and maximum (78 cm TL) landing sizes, slot limits (64-78 cm TL), as well as a closed season during spawning from October to January. It is recognized that these regulations are harsh and will certainly have negative impacts on the livelihoods of fishers in the short term, however, continued inaction will likely result in a collapse of this economically and culturally valuable species. Alternative sources of income should be developed in parallel with the establishment of fishing regulations to limit the socioeconomic disruption to the fishing community during the transition to a more sustainable management regime.

Flying fish (Exocoetidae) is one important small pelagic fisheries commodity in border areas of Indonesia and Timor Leste. However, the data of population parameters in Ombai Strait are not yet known, which is important to inform unit stock management and sustainable fisheries. This study aimed to provide information about growth and mortality parameters, recruitment pattern, and exploitation rate of flying fish. Data collection was carried out during May 2018-June 2019 by measuring and observing the flying fish landed at the fish landing sites in Belu Indonesia and Bobonaro Timor Leste. Data analysis used the FAO-ICLARM Stock Assessment Tools (FiSAT) program. The results showed that the asymptotic length (L∞) was 330.5 mm, growth constant (K) was 0.99 per year, and growth performance indices (Ф) was 0.50. The natural mortality (M) was 0.92 per year, fishing mortality (F) was 0.12 per year, and total mortality (Z) was 1.04 per year. The highest recruitment occurs in May to September with peak season in June (14.82%) and September (15.16%). Exploitation rate (E) flying fish in the border area of Indonesia and Timor Leste in Ombai Strait is relatively low about 0.11 and still at a rational and sustainable utilization range (E < 0.5).

The present paper entitled “Fisher Women in Gökova Bay” investigates the women who make their living by fishing under the system of “family fishing”.  The paper includes literature on maritime and coastal cultures of Turkey; the role of women in hunting and fishing has been discussed in terms of history, archeology and anthropology. This study has been accomplished by interviews with 53 fisher women and participant observation methods. The data of the field study has been classified and analyzed considering the conceptual background. Under this general title, topics as social formation of gender, sexist division of labor in the sea and on land, the social and cultural roles of women, household economy and small-scale fishing are also discussed.

The information design of traditional fishing vessels in Indonesia is still lacking. This happens because the construction is still using traditional methods. It was also allegedly able to provide a discrepancy with the characteristics of fishing vessels. Therefore, identification of the main dimensions of fishing vessels is needed as a database of development and preliminary review of fishing vessel performance. The study was conducted on cantrang fishing vessels at PPP Mayangan, Probolinggo. The results of the ratio of the main dimensions of the fishing vessel will be compared with the results of previous studies to assess the design characteristics. Besides, the main dimension data can be processed into cubic number values. The results showed the value of L/B of the fishing vessel ranged from 2.20 3.68, L/D 7.31 13.74, and B/D 2.55 4.57. Based on the reference value, the value is following the value of the type of towed gear fishing vessel in Indonesia. These results indicate tha...

Over the past decades there have been gradual shifts in fisheries governance in the Caribbean from one that is “top-down” and centralised to one that is “participatory” and devolved. This shift in governance comes from the recognition of the potential benefits to be gained from greater involvement of stakeholders in the decision-making and management regime. This study examines three approaches to fisheries co-management or participatory management in Antigua and Barbuda, from the perspective of a fisheries manager and a fisherfolk leader. The approaches identified with respect to co-management were: consultative (where government consult but have the final decision), collaborative (where government and stakeholders share decisions) and delegated co-management (where government delegate powers to stakeholders to make decisions). Case studies were used to: 1) identify the most appropriate governance approach based on the nature of the fishery; 2) identify the necessary conditions for successful implementa-tion of a co-management system; and 3) examine the effectiveness and cost efficiency (where possible) of the various approaches. Some of the main lessons learned were: 1) the absence of strong fisherfolk cooperatives or associations makes it difficult for the central management authority to devolve its power; 2) general decline in community structure and institutions of local governance (e.g., village councils) create serious challenges to the implementation of a co-management system; and 3) the size of a community has implications for cost efficiency and effectiveness (in terms of compliance with management decisions), in the implementation of a delegated co-management system.

DS, JT, VRV, and FL conceptualized the report and coordinated its writing, editing, and review. DP, MLDP, and NB provided the reconstructed catch data and provided thought partnership for the report, as well as long-term investments into the SAU platform. ML provided expertise on bottom trawling in China and edited the report. JV contributed original content through the West Africa case study, guidance on methods for the social impacts section, and substantial comments on the report draft. SR and TC provided additional comments on the report draft. The authors would also like to thank Celeste Leroux of Virgil Group for her thought partnership, Mark Michelin of CEA Consulting for his review of materials, and Comms Inc. for its copy editing, report design, translation, and other communications support. Funding for this report was provided by Oceans 5, Oak Foundation, and Oceankind.

Este documento surge del Seminario internacional “Las políticas de desarrollo de la pesca artesanal en América Latina y el Caribe” (mayo 1993) y apunta a la identificación de lecciones aprendidas y buenas prácticas en la formulación e implementación de políticas y proyectos para el desarrollo de la pesca artesanal en América Latina. Su contenido se articula en tres partes: una introducción general sobre las características del sector; una síntesis de las indicaciones que surgen de las experiencias realizadas durante los últimos 10-15 años; las conclusiones del Seminario, tal como fueron aprobadas por los participantes.

The collapse of cod stocks in the waters off Newfoundland in the early 1990s was widely understood as an ecological disaster and the death of a rural way of life that had endured for centuries. While many areas have remained closed to commercial cod fishing for two full decades, growing numbers of commercial fishers and some fisheries scientists now agree that stocks in several areas are finally showing signs of rebuilding. While the biological recovery of cod populations was once widely viewed as being essential to the future well-being of coastal communities, many commercial fishers now publicly express concerns about the possibility of this scenario actually coming to pass. This article explores the roots of these changing constructions of cod. I argue that making sense of the anxieties and uncertainties that presently surround the question of cod recovery requires paying close attention to the ways in which access to fishery resources has been transformed over time, as well as to the ways in which changing production chains for seafood products, shifting scientific paradigms and practices, and unexpected changes in the marine environment have converged in ways that are fundamentally challenging many previously held notions of the ecological good.

Sorting sieves were introduced into the hatchery management of Clarias gariepinus fry in Lagos State to improve on the survival rate and growth performance of C. gariepinus from fry to juvenile stage. The trials were set up in six farms across the State. Two hatching troughs served as Treatment 1 (T1) and Treatment 2 (T2) in each farm. T1 utilized sorting sieves while T2 used hand manual sorting. Broodstocks of 1500 ± 10.52 g were used for breeding. Fertilized eggs were shared weight for weight between T1 and T2 and normal management procedures were followed. Sorting of fish were done on the 14th, 21st, 28th, 42nd, 56th and 70th day after hatching. The percentage hatching was high, 78.33 ± 4.08% and 76.92 ± 3.19% in T1 and T2 respectively but not significant (P ˃ 0.05). 70.76 ± 6.70% (T1) and 60.69 ± 7.52% (T2) fry survived to fingerling stage in the 6th week. Survival rate from fingerlings to juveniles at the 10th week significantly (P ˂ 0.05) reduced to 62.33 ± 12.73% (T1) and 40.55 ± 8.44% (T2) respectively. At harvest (10th week), there were more numbers of small (4-6 cm) and large (8-12 cm) sizes of juveniles in T2 than T1 whereas numbers of medium (6-8 cm) size juveniles in T1 almost doubled that of T2 at a significant level (P ˂ 0.05). Economic analysis of the trial gave Marginal Rate of Return (MRR) of N5.50k in favour of T1. It was concluded that introduction of sorting sieves to catfish hatchery will reduce drudgery in fry sorting while increasing percentage survival and profitability at the same time.

This report presents the results of a study on necessary demands of fishing communities in the territorial waters of Somaliland carried out in Somaliland at the month of November 2018. At 674 km, Somaliland has enough coastline. The fisheries law establishes that the territorial sea of Somaliland is 12 nautical miles, the country’s declared 100 m EEZ, The Somaliland Coastline extends from just east of Loyade (at 43° 15’ 45” E) on the Djibouti border to just east of Elayo (at 48° 53’ E) on the border with Somalia (which mostly runs at 49° E). and the main islands off the coast are Mait Island in the east and the Sadadin and Aibat Islands in the west. The relative abundant potential of Somaliland’s EEZ comes with a challenge. It makes patrolling and surveillance for fisheries enforcement difficult. Nevertheless, Somaliland has enormous potential to develop marine fisheries. Given political stability, these resources could have a positive economic impact on the country.

This Memo was prepared on the suggestion of Mr. Abdirahman M. A. Hashi, Minister, Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR), Government of Somalia. I was asked to present initial thoughts on how to manage Somalia’s coastal zone and marine resources.

Managing fisheries through rapid environmental change requires diverse approaches for identifying and adapting to novel ecological conditions. For the Wisconsin Ceded Territory, we calculated 473 adult walleye (Sander vitreus) production (P), biomass (B), and P/B estimates for 1990-2012. Frequency distributions for production statistics were right-skewed, indicating the fishery is generally dominated by low production populations. Mean P, B, and P/B were significantly elevated in natural recruitment (NR) lakes compared with combination (NR + stocking) and stocked-only lakes. Furthermore, combination populations had significantly higher production compared with stocked-only lakes. In NR lakes, walleye productivity changed little over time; however, the proportion of NR populations has declined over time. In combination and stocked-only populations, there were significant temporal declines in P, B, and P/B, and the proportion of these lakes has increased through time. This study reveals the crucial link between fish recruitment potential and fish production, helping to explain why the regional walleye fishery is struggling. Causes for walleye recruitment and production declines remain unclear, but long-term shifts in fish habitats are likely involved (e.g., from climate change and indirect food web effects). Decreasing walleye production is an important and emerging fishery management challenge in the region and portends a need to adapt fisheries management systems collaboratively for future sustainability. Résumé : La gestion des ressources halieutiques dans un contexte de changements environnementaux rapides requiert des approches variées pour cerner les nouvelles conditions écologiques et s'y adapter. Pour le Wisconsin Ceded Territory, nous avons calculé 473 estimations de la production (P), de la biomasse (B) et du rapport P/B de dorés jaunes (Sander vitreus) adultes pour la période de 1990 à 2012. Les distributions de fréquences des statistiques sur la production étaient asymétriques vers la droite, indiquant que des populations de faible production sont généralement dominantes dans cette pêche. Les valeurs moyennes de P, B et P/B étaient significativement élevées dans les lacs à recrutement naturel (RN) par rapport aux lacs à recrutement combiné (RN + empoissonnement) et aux lacs à empoissonnement seulement. En outre, les populations de lacs à recrutement combiné avaient une production significativement plus élevée que celles des lacs à empoissonnement seulement. Dans les lacs RN, la productivité des dorés jaunes a peu varié dans le temps, alors que la proportion de populations de lacs RN a diminué. Dans les populations de lacs à recrutement combiné et de lacs à empoissonnement seulement, il y a eu des baisses significatives dans le temps des valeurs de P, B et P/B, et la proportion de ces lacs a augmenté au fil du temps. L'étude fait ressortir le lien crucial entre le potentiel de recrutement de poissons et la production de poissons, contribuant à expliquer pourquoi la pêche régionale au doré jaune est en difficulté. Les causes des baisses du recrutement et de la production de dorés jaunes demeurent incertaines, mais des changements à long terme des habitats des poissons y participent vraisemblablement (p. ex. découlant des change-ments climatiques et d'effets indirects sur les réseaux trophiques). La baisse de la production de dorés jaunes constitue un important nouveau défi pour la gestion de cette ressource dans la région et souligne la nécessité d'une approche collaborative pour adapter les systèmes de gestion afin d'assurer la pérennité de cette pêche. [Traduit par la Rédaction]

Production is the prime activities for the consumption of the fish in the global market. In the developed countries, fish and its products consumption are raising tremendously among the consumers for various reasons of nutrition, protein and tastes of the fish. But in the supply side of the countries are very low due to the reasons of the spreading diseases in the seed of the fish, and quality, inspection certificate from the export inspection council, underdeveloped infrastructure leads to slow process of logistics system and production expenses of the aquaculture farming of the fishing activities. The researcher has used the descriptive statistical tools such as mean, standard deviation, covariance, growth rate and so on. By using the tools of descriptive statistics, this study found that production level of the fish is high in the marine catching production and consumption level also increased due to the reason of increased rate of population. This paper conclude that in order to meet the consumption level of the fish in the world market, the level of production of fish to be improved through adopting sustainable technological method in the production of the fish. KEY WORDS: Fish consumption level, Production issues of fish, World fish market, Supply of fish, Sustainability in fisheries.

Effective management of artisanal fisheries requires understanding fishers, their behaviors, and the drivers that underpin their choices. Behavioral drivers are critical links in understanding the interactions between social and ecological systems and can help inform effective management approaches. A Bayesian Belief Network modeling approach was used to investigate a diverse range of qualitative and quantitative social and ecological drivers of spatial location choice in a multi-species artisanal dive fishery in Costa Rica. Empirical and observer data used to populate the BBN showed the influence of economic factors, environmental conditions as well as social interactions on the decision-making process of spatial location choice. Good governance scenarios represented by Responsible Fisheries Marine Areas Management were analyzed for both hookah and free diving methods to assess the effects of responsible fishing on the fishers and the fishery. Model based-scenario analysis suggests that management interventions should consider the fisher's potential behavioral responses in the context of environmental variability, dependence on cultural assets, and food security. The results show that there is a need to understand fisher's decisions based on broad socio-ecological system understanding and consider the environmental outcomes alongside food security and the cultural significance of different marine species to fishing communities.

As a commons institution, the padu system in Vallarpadam Island, Cochin, Kerala, defines the group of rights holders and resource boundaries and fishing sites. It is caste-specific, gear-specific (stake-nets) and species specific (shrimp). As used in Vallarpadam, and elsewhere in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka, padu is characterized by the use of lottery for rotational access. The institution functions in providing equitable access, collective social responsibility, and rule-making and conflict resolution. The emergence of the institution in the study area is a response to change in markets and legislation in the 1970s. It may also be seen a response of fishing communities to keep their options open, that is, to be resilient. r

Las Islas Galápagos representan un icono a nivel mundial por su biodiversidad y el alto nivel de endemismo que las caracteriza. Sus ricos y diversos ecosistemas marinos han sido históricamente objeto de la actividad pesquera, especialmente a partir de la década de los 90s, periodo en el que se registró un importante desarrollo de la flota pesquera artesanal. Este hecho condujo en marzo de 1998 a la implementación de un esquema de co-manejo, cuyo objetivo principal fue controlar el acceso y nivel de explotación de los recursos marinos (particularmente de los recursos pesqueros) de la recién creada Reserva Marina de Galápagos (RMG). Lamentablemente, la institucionalización y aplicación de este tipo de esquema de manejo per se aún no ha logrado garantizar con éxito la sostenibilidad de las pesquerías y el bienestar socio-económico del sector pesquero artesanal de Galápagos.

El presente documento, desarrollado por Mauricio Castrejón Mendoza, representa una contribución clave para profundizar en el esquema de co-manejo de las pesquerías de Galápagos. Con claridad y rigurosidad, el autor relata la historia y tendencias de explotación de los principales recursos pesqueros en Galápagos, así como los éxitos y fracasos asociados al marco legal e institucional de manejo. Asimismo, identifica, señala y discute aspectos ecológico-pesqueros, socio-económicos y legales críticos para revertir los problemas detectados en el sistema de co-manejo de las pesquerías artesanales de Galápagos. Además, sustenta sus aseveraciones en resultados generados con herramientas cuantitativas de actualidad, arribando a varias recomendaciones específicas, concretas y útiles, tanto para los científicos como para los tomadores de decisiones. El análisis minucioso, comprehensivo y crítico de dichas pesquerías le confiere una innegable importancia para el mejoramiento del sistema de co-manejo pesquero de la RMG.

In Southeast Asia, resource competition causes conflicts between small-scale and industrial fishers. This article focuses on interactions between small-scale and industrial fishers and the power dynamics that are expressed through their behaviors. Taking a Philippine fishing village as a case, this article shows that even under conditions of severe resource competition and in a context of antagonistic relationships, small-scale fishers may choose, as a survival strategy, to collaborate with illegal industrial fishers. It demonstrates that accounting for power differentiations and dynamics among actors is key to understanding this seemingly contradictory collaboration, one that will likely result, over the long run, in negative consequences for the sustainability of small-scale fishers’ livelihoods. In order to effectively control indus- trial fishers and mitigate conflict with small-scale fishers, better understanding of social–economic and sociopolitical relations is required.

Available online a b s t r a c t Small-scale fisheries (SSF) account for around half of the world's marine and inland fisheries, but their impact on the marine environment is usually under-estimated owing to difficulties in monitoring and regulation. Successful management of mixed SSF requires holistic approaches that sustainably exploit target species, consider non-target species and maintain fisher livelihoods. For two years, we studied the marine turtle fishery in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) in the Wider Caribbean Region, where the main export fisheries are queen conch (Strombus gigas) and the spiny lobster (Panulirus argus); with finfish, green turtles (Chelonia mydas) and hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) taken for domestic consumption. We evaluate the turtle harvest in relation to the other fisheries and recommend legislation and management alternatives. We demonstrate the connectivity between multi-species fisheries and artisanal turtle capture: with increasing lobster catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE), hawksbill catch increased whilst green turtle catch decreased. With increasing conch CPUE, hawksbill catch declined and there was no demonstrable effect on green turtle catch. We estimate 176e324 green and 114e277 hawksbill turtles are harvested annually in TCI: the largest documented legal hawksbill fishery in the western Atlantic. Of particular concern is the capture of adult turtles. Current legislation focuses take on larger individuals that are key to population maintenance. Considering these data we recommend the introduction of maximum size limits for both species and a closed season on hawksbill take during the lobster fishing season. Our results highlight the need to manage turtles as part of a broader approach to SSF management.

Fish traps are passive fishing gear which lured the fish either for food or shelter and get trapped through appropriate hard or soft structures. Documentation of these traditional fish trapping methods from the northeastern parts of India is limited. This study attempts to document the traditional fish trapping devices from four districts of Meghalaya with respect to its structure and operation. The depicted survey highlights 11 types of fish traps which were classified into three major categories such as tubular, basket and box traps. Average length of these documented traps ranged from 0.25-1.5 m and mostly operated during monsoon and post-monsoon season in floodplain and low-lying areas like rice fields, ponds, shallow rivers and ditches. Murrels, minnows, barbs, mahseers and catfishes were the dominant fish catch from these gears. Most of the traps were fabricated with bamboo and locally available materials with a life span of more than 2-3 years. Results revealed that Khnu/Chiap, is the most popular and efficient trap with a CPUE of 2.5 kg day-1 trap-1. Documentation and the knowledge concerning the traditional gears will facilitate to improvise the fishing gears which will ultimately improve the livelihood of fishermen in the northeastern region of India.

Fishing is an old occupation in Pakistan, but despite
its diversity, a relatively rare one—fisheries in
all their forms directly employ fewer than 400,000
of the country’s 190 million people and generate
only 0.4 percent of its gross domestic product. Size
is small in part because fishers often employ outdated
methods and equipment, resulting in low value added,
poor sanitation, depletion of stocks, and damage to the
ocean and coastal environment. Investment in aquaculture—“
fish farms”—is low. Underlying these problems
is haphazard management and outdated laws that hold
back the country’s fisheries sector.  This FULL REPORT presents a detailed strategy for Pakistan to revitalize, expand, and modernize its fisheries to make them powerful drivers of economic prosperity.

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui persepsi nelayan artisanal Tanjung Luar, Lombok Timur, khususnya nelayan Tanjung Luar dan Pulau Maringkik terhadap isu konservasi hiu dan pari terkait beberapa jenis hiu dan pari yang telah masuk daftar Appendik II CITES. Survei dilakukan pada bulan September dan November 2016. Penelitian ini tergolong penelitian deskriptif kualitatif dengan teknik wawancara menggunakan kuesioner dengan 30 responden ditentukan secara purposif. Hasil menunjukkan sebanyak 56,67% responden telah mengetahui status perlindungan hiu dan pari yang diduga terkait sosialisasi yang telah dilakukan (63,33% responden). Sikap responden terkait keberadaan peraturan hiu dan pari menunjukkan bahwa sebagian besar (56,67%) menerima peraturan tersebut, 23,33% menolak dan 20,00% masih ragu-ragu. Terkait penerapan peraturan hiu dan pari, 80% responden menyatakan tidak terlalu setuju jika dilakukan pelarangan penuh bagi penangkapan hiu dan pari, dan juga 66,67% responden tidak setuju terhadap pelarangan terbatas. Hal tersebut terkait hiu dan pari yang menjadi target tangkapan utama. Persepsi nelayan Tanjung Luar, Lombok Timur terhadap isu konservasi hiu dan pari secara umum telah mulai terbangun dengan baik sejak adanya sosialisasi peraturan terkait hiu dan pari, namun upaya penyadartahuan bahwa hiu dan pari dapat punah masih perlu dibangun.

Kata kunci: konservasi, nelayan Lombok Timur, perikanan hiu dan pari, persepsi,

The perception of communities as homogeneous and concern over representation and accountability of structures are key critiques of community-based natural resource management (CBNRM). A focus on understanding institutions that mediate access to, and control over, natural resources is seen as a way forward to improving management regimes that include local people. Experience in the implementation of integrated lake management in Uganda is drawn on to understand how institutions can be challenged to improve access to fisheries for marginalized stakeholders. Processes such as empowerment and the formation of accountable and representative structures are part of the way forward.

Resumo:Nesta tese, entendemos que para se compreender a gênese e a atual materialidade e a imaterialidade de um determinado espaço geográfico é preciso buscar na sua origem (raiz) os fatos e processos decorrentes dos movimentos da sociedade que resultaram nesse presente analisado. E, neste caso, como os contraditórios movimentos políticos, econômicos e sociais ocorridos na formação sócio-espacial de Santa Catarina teriam resultado na desterritorialização de suas populações tradicionais e, consequentemente em sua invisibilização, tanto ao longo de sua construção histórica quanto na contemporaneidade. Durante o processo histórico da formação sócio-espacial do estado de Santa Catarina, a busca pelo desenvolvimento econômico foi pautada pela opção aos interesses das elites em detrimento de seu povo, da base que lhe deu alicerce. Isso é um “norte” do sistema capitalista, que aos poucos foi se engendrando pelo Estado, assim como pelo mundo, e criando desigualdades já no cerne de suas formações. Desse modo, algumas questões nos vêm à mente, como por exemplo: no que as opções e decisões feitas pelo estado em sua busca pelo desenvolvimento resultou de fato em suas regiões e em sua população? O quê e quem se desenvolveu ou se des-envolveu? Existe, de fato, uma “identidade catarinense”? Como criar uma identidade única em um Estado que surge a partir da invasão e espoliação de terras dos seus povos originários? Um Estado que surge sobre o sangue derramado de milhares de pessoas e que, não satisfeito, apoia ainda uma guerra contra seus descendentes, a Guerra do Contestado, e a vinda de imigrantes europeus afim de, dentre outros objetivos, branquear sua população. Uns escolhidos e outros escorraçados. Contemporaneamente, o discurso sobre a identidade catarinense ainda passa uma falsa noção de unidade, de isonomia, tanto em suas características econômicas, quanto sociais e populacionais. Por isso a necessidade de desconstruí-lo, haja visto que tanto em nossa pesquisa de mestrado quanto de doutorado temos percebido que isso não condiz com a realidade. Essa falsa noção de homogeneidade também perpassa as características populacionais, onde o próprio Estado difundiu um discurso atrelado às políticas de branqueamento empregadas em alguns períodos da história nacional e estadual. Tal discurso ainda é percebido especialmente através da mídia e das campanhas submetidas ao turismo. Elas tentam vender uma imagem vinculada ao “padrão europeu” tanto dos lugares e das paisagens quanto da população, assim como da difusão do discurso de eficiência “desse” povo ao labor, do “povo ordeiro” que trouxe o desenvolvimento a Santa Catarina. Discurso este que somado ao encobrimento dos fatos históricos que destituíram os povos tradicionais de seus territórios fez com que os mesmos fossem marginalizados/invisibilizados pela história oficial, e assim, também foi negada a sua importância dentro dos processos históricos e da formação sócio-espacial de Santa Catarina. Diante de tais aspectos é que optamos por trabalhar metodologicamente com a categoria da formação sócio-espacial pautada especialmente em Milton Santos (1977, 1982) a fim de descortinar os processos de desterritorialização e invisibilização de duas comunidades tradicionais catarinenses: uma na vertente litorânea, os pescadores (as) artesanais em Penha e, a outra, na vertente do interior, os caboclos (as) do Contestado, em Lebon Régis. Esta escolha se deve ao fato de acreditarmos que os territórios tradicionais e sua posterior desterritorialização são elementos inerentes a formação sócio-espacial catarinense e foram diretamente atingidos pelos processos decorrentes dessa formação.

Abstract: In this thesis we understand that in order to understand the genesis and current materiality and immateriality of a given geographical space, it is necessary to look for in its origin (root) the facts and processes resulting from the movements of society that resulted in this present that has been analyzed. And, in this case, how the political, economic and social movements contradictory that occurred in the socio-spatial formation of Santa Catarina would have resulted in the deterritorialization of their traditional populations and, consequently, their invisibility, both during their historical construction and in contemporary times. During the historical process of the socio-spatial formation of the state of Santa Catarina, the pursuit of economic development was determined on the choice of the interests of the elites over their people, from the base that gave them support. This is a "north" of the capitalist system, which has gradually been engendered by the state as well as the world, and creating inequalities since at the heart of its formations. Thus, some questions come to mind, such as: What have the choices and the decisions made by the state in its pursuit of development actually resulted in its regions and population? What, and who developed or got dis-involved? Is there, in fact, a “Santa Catarina's identity”? How to create a unique identity in a State that arises from the invasion and land dispossession of the original peoples? A State that arises from the bloodshed of thousands of people and, unsatisfied, still supports a war against their own descendants, the “Contestado” War, and the coming of European immigrants in order, among other goals, to wash whiten its population. Some chosen and others expelled away. Contemporary, the discourse on the identity of Santa Catarina's people still gives a false notion of unity, of isonomy, both in its economic and its social and population characteristics. Because that is why the need to deconstruct it, given that both in our master's and doctoral research we have realized that this is not in line with reality. This false notion of homogeneity also permeates the population characteristics, where the State itself spread a discourse linked to the whitening policies employed in some periods both of national and state history. Such discourse is still perceived especially through the media and the campaigns submitted to tourism. They try to sell an image linked to the "European standard" both places and landscapes and the population, in addition to spreading the discourse of efficiency about "that" people to work, the "orderly people", who brought development to Santa Catarina. This discourse, added to the masking of the historical facts that deprived the traditional peoples of their territories, made them marginalized/concealed by official history, and thus, their importance within the historical processes and the socio-spatial formation of Santa Catarina. Given these aspects is that we chose to work methodologically with the category of socio-spatial formation based especially on Milton Santos (1977, 1982) in order to unveil the deterritorialization and their invisibility processes of two traditional communities of Santa Catarina: one on the coast, fishermen ( fisherwomen) handcrafted in Penha and the other, in the interior, the Caboclos (and Caboclas) of the Contestado, in Lebon Régis. This choice is because we believe that the traditional territories and their subsequent dispossession are elements inherent in the socio-spatial formation of Santa Catarina were directly affected by the processes resulting from this formation.

A pesca de Penaeus paulensis no estuário da Lagoa dos Patos atua sobre uma importante área de criação e crescimento para grande parte dos peixes e crustáceos comercialmente explorados no sul do Brasil. Este trabalho avalia o impacto da pesca com o "aviãozinho" sobre a ictiofauna do estuário da Lagoa dos Patos. Foram analisadas 53 amostras obtidas em 33 visitas a dois pontos de desembarque durante as safras de 1993/94 e 1994/95. Como unidade de esforço de pesca foi considerado o número total de redes "aviãozinho" utilizadas por cada pescador em um dia de pesca (12 horas efetivas). Uma estimativa do esforço de pesca para todo estuário foi feita a partir da avaliação da intensidade de pesca (redes/Km2/dia) de uma área conhecida. Do total capturado em peso o camarão-rosa representou em média 66,7%, os siris do gênero Callinectes 26,8% e os peixes 6,6%. A rejeição na pesca com o "aviãozinho" é constituída, basicamente, por peixes juvenis de pequeno tamanho. Micropogonias furnieri (corvina) e Netuma barba (bagre-marinho) foram as espécies dominantes na rejeição, tanto em número quanto em peso, constituindo as espécies mais potencialmente impactadas. Com base na estimativa de cerca de 15.866 redes/dia atuantes em todo estuário estima-se que o rejeito total de peixes na safra de 1994/95 tenha sido da ordem de 445,9 t, sugerindo um nível de impacto considerável desta atividade sobre as populações que compartilham o ambiente estuarino. O resultados mostram-se, contudo, mais alarmantes quando as capturas são expressas em número. Micropogonias furnieri teve um CPUE geral de 2,2 ind./rede que, ponderado pelo número de redes atuantes e a duração da safra, resulta em 4,2 milhões de indivíduos juvenis capturados por safra. Para N. barba, com um CPUE de 1,4 ind./rede, o valor é de 2,7 milhões de indivíduos juvenis por safra. Conclui-se que a pesca com o "aviãozinho" representa um impacto sobre estas populações, sendo necessário um controle efetivo do esforço de pesca sobre o camarão-rosa no estuário da Lagoa dos Patos.

The fishery of Penaeus paulensis on the Lagoa dos Patos estuary takes place on an important nursery ground for many fish species exploited on southern Brazil. Although caught by various fishing gears, the pink shrimp fishery in the estuarine zone is only allowed with passive nets (e.g., "aviãozinho"), which are the most used by artisanal fisherman. This work makes an impact assessment of the "aviãozinho" fishery over the fish fauna that inhabit the Lagoa dos Patos estuary. Samples (53) were obtained in 33 visits on two landing points during 1993/94 and 1994/95 fishing seasons. Fish species were classified according to its frequency in the samples and the percentual contribution in weight and number in the catches. As unit of fishing effort it was considered the total number of nets used in a day work of each fisherman (12 hours in average). A first estimation of the fishing effort to the whole estuary was carried out using the fishing intensity data (nets/Km2/day) of a known area. Total catches in weight was composed, on average, by 66.7% of P. paulensis, 26.8% of the blue crab Callinectes spp, and 6.6% of fishes. The discards were mainly composed by juvenile fish of small size. Micropogonias furnieri (white croacker) and Netuma barba (marine catfish) were the dominant species in weight and number on discards and seem to be the most impacted species. Based on 15,866 nets estimated to the whole estuary during 1995 fishing season a total discard of 445.9 t was calculated, suggesting a substantial impact of this fishery on fish populations that use the estuarine environment as a nursery ground. The results seems to be more impressive when expressed as number of individual catched per season. Micropogonias furnieri showed general CPUE of 2.2 ind./net which result in 4.2 millions of individual catched per season. For N. barba, with a CPUE of 1.4 ind./net the total catch result on 2.7 millions of individuals per season. This work shows that the incidental catch of the Lagoa dos Patos shrimp fisheries is large and harmful to the white croacker and marine catfish fisheries. An effective control of the fishing effort the Lagoa dos Patos shrimp fisheries have to be done in order to avoid potential conflicts that this by-catch generates.

The discourse on solutions to address small-scale fisheries concerns in the Pacific tends to focus heavily on community-based forms of co-management. Decentralizing governance to the community level permits responsiveness and specificity to local dynamics, not possible through hierarchical governance. It also allows for proper recognition of the (often legally backed) customary rights of local resource owners, common throughout the Pacific. Partnerships between communities and governments, NGOs or research organizations draw together knowledge, expertise and institutions to develop and implement co-management arrangements. In exploring Solomon Islands as a case study we find that interactions between community-based, co-management (a form of co-governance), and self-governance (particularly customary institutions) are fundamental for contextualizing and ‘fitting’ management to the community level – and that this helps to account for the exceptionally high social and ecological diversity and complexity of Solomon Islands. Community-based, co-management represents a hybrid of traditional and contemporary, local and higher level images, instruments and actions. Interactions between community-based, co-management and hierarchical governance can bolster and inform local management and governance solutions. This is particularly true (and necessary) for pressures (e.g., population growth and commercial, export-orientated exploitation) that extend beyond the local scale or have not before been encountered by customary institutions. While these relations can increase governability, they can also be contradictory and undermining, particularly when objectives are dynamic and differ across scales. Finding the ‘best mix’ of governance modes and responses is a moving and elusive target. Nonetheless, we conclude that while community-based, co-management is an appropriate and fitting mode for increasing the governability of Pacific small-scale fisheries in some contexts, in its current form it alone is not up to the task of realizing fisheries sustainability objectives. We recommend that small-scale fisheries policy more explicitly seeks, and tests, new forms of governance interactions amidst the diversity and complexity of Pacific small-scale fisheries.

As natural disasters go, Cyclone Ockhi which, between 30 November and 2 December 2017, took the lives of hundreds of fishers, injured many others and destroyed numerous fishing vessels at sea, stands out for the disproportionate damage it caused at sea than on land. The dead included not only fishers from the south Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala who were on short- and long-haul fishing trips, but also undocumented migrant fishers from faraway places. This, arguably, is the first-ever cyclone that took away lives at sea on the southwest coast of India, but spared those on land. There are heart-rending stories of survivors who battled the sea for several days before they were rescued (see reports elsewhere in this issue of SAMUDRA Report).

Several explanations have been presented for this tragedy on the waves—from the rapid genesis and intensification of the cyclone, which cut short the time available for response, to the rarity of such storms on the southern Arabian Sea coast. But even under these circumstances, many lives, especially of those who ventured out on 29 November, could have been saved if there had been a timely response from the authorities. Search-and-rescue operations, particularly in relation to long-haul vessels, were hampered by poor knowledge about the location of these fishing vessels at sea, especially of those engaged in tuna and shark fishing, employing longlines and encircling gillnets from Thoothoor, far away from their base fishing port. There was insufficient coordination between different agencies.

As storm surges or large waves pushed inshore by cyclonic winds have generally led to the most number of casualties of fishers, the meteorological department and disaster managers have tended to focus on landfall. In the case of Ockhi, which only skirted the coasts of southern Kerala and Tamil Nadu and did not make landfall, its terrible impact on those at sea was almost missed out in the absence of a reporting mechanism for long-haul fishing vessels before they go out on fishing trips.

Clearly, the solutions for effectively disseminating warnings to fishers on nearshore vessels, or on the coast, will have to be different from disseminating warnings to fishers on multi-day fishing trips (such as Thoothoor’s tuna and shark fishermen) in faraway fishing grounds. What they need is a culture of safety and disaster-risk reduction integrated into their work in fishing, which needs training. The fisheries and maritime safety authorities have a key role to play in this endeavour. The key learnings from Ockhi for the fisheries sector range from the urgent need to comprehensively address fishers’ safety at sea in all areas of fishing operations, and the importance of disaster-management plans to pay attention to practical and efficient early-warning systems, which reach the last mile, to well-equipped boats and trained fishers to meet emergencies. Whatever be the shortcomings of regulatory compliance, the authorities at all levels, however, have to act with alacrity to save lives at sea in an emergency, paying heed to complaints from families and friends of missing fishers.

The path of destruction in the aftermath of Ockhi underscores the magnitude of fleet migration along the western seaboard from the southern states to the northern ones. Considering the long coastline, constant back-and-forth fleet migration both in territorial waters and the exclusive economic zone, burgeoning employment of migrant fishers with no prior knowledge of fishing, whatsoever, and an ever-expanding fishing ground from the seaboard to the high seas, the safety-at-sea regime has to be fully integrated into fisheries management. In regard to multi-day fishing vessels, in particular, there has to be a fool-proof reporting mechanism of vessel position while on a fishing trip.

The central and state authorities in a federal system also need a coherent national perspective and co-ordinated approach to marine fishing. Different coastal states of India have to act as proxy flag, coastal and port-state authority, respectively, to improve safety and ensure effective fisheries management, considering that fishing vessels registered in one state often undertake fishing operations in the waters off a second state and land their catches in ports under the jurisdiction of a third state

In May 1999, after a severe cyclone on the Arabian Sea struck the Pakistan and India coasts, a comment in this journal urged everyone to act and not wait to be swept away. We hope available international guidelines on sea safety, emergency response, and frameworks for disaster reduction in the context of fisheries, under the auspices of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), especially the SSF Guidelines, can assist in preparing emergency response and disaster-preparedness mechanisms to save lives and protect fishing assets at sea.

India has adopted the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 and is to implement the SSF Guidelines. Both the Guidelines and the Sendai Framework promote and protect all human rights and provide an excellent opportunity to improve emergency response and to reduce disaster risk. Cyclone Ockhi should be an eye-opener to recognize not only the landward but also seaward dimensions of cyclones. We need to save lives both on land and at sea.