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Healing small-scale fisheries by facilitating complex socio-ecological systems

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Abstract

The current global fisheries crises have immense implications for the health and viability of animal populations, as well as the ecosystems and habitats that support this biodiversity. These crises have provoked a wide variety of management solutions and alternatives that are closely aligned with other small-scale resource extraction conservation approaches, but have been analyzed separately from the common-pool resource management literature. We summarize findings from an analysis of progressive small-scale fisheries worldwide and find that solutions arise from a historical trial and error management process as problems become dire. We find high success in the social organization and regulation of resources among these progressive fisheries but poor evidence for improved ecosystems. Based on evidence provided by the most progressive fisheries, we suggest a change in policy towards the management of small-scale fisheries. This change includes four major avenues of problem solving that focus on facilitating socio-ecological processes rather than primarily promoting a high level of quantitative science and implementing findings, technological concepts, or tools. Adoption is often culturally and context specific and, therefore, the above often have poor success when not socially integrated. We encourage facilitating and catalyzing local-level adoption of rules that create limits to appropriation and technology, since it is increasingly recognized that such limits are key solutions to the threats. This will be achieved if policy and actions (1) encourage professionalism (formation of “societies”, setting standards, certification, self-policing, appropriate technology, etc.), (2) create forums where all opinions about solutions, the status of targeted species, and environmental requirements are represented, (3) promote social rules that consider the realities and limits of the households and local social economy, and (4) craft solutions tailored to the specific and agreed upon diagnoses. We predict that as this socio-ecological process matures, it will also increase the inclusiveness of resource management goals to include non-use factors, such as biodiversity and other ecosystem services, which are still poorly evaluated and managed in even the most progressive small-scale fisheries.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the members of the Pew Charitable Trust and the Pew Fellows working group on community-based co-management of fisheries for the helpful discussions that led to this essay. JCC acknowledges financial support from the Centre for Advanced Studies in Ecology and Biodiversity (CASEB), FONDAP, N° 1501-0001, F. Ciencias Biológicas, P. U. Católica de Chile. AW acknowledges support from the Fisheries Improved for Sustainable Harvests Project of USAID Philippines implemented by Tetra Tech EM Inc. OD acknowledges financial support from PDT (Project S/C/OP/07/49) and project UTF/URU/025/URU. TRM acknowledges support from the Wildlife Conservation Society.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Marine Programs, Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, NY, USA

    Timothy R. McClanahan

  2. Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Ecología y Biodiversidad. Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Casilla 114-D, Santiago, Chile

    Juan Carlos Castilla

  3. Global Marine Initiative—The Nature Conservancy, Honolulu, HI, USA

    Alan T. White

  4. Facultad de Ciencias, UNDECIMAR, 11400, Montevideo, Uruguay

    Omar Defeo

  5. DINARA, Constituyente 1497, Montevideo, Uruguay

    Omar Defeo

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  1. Timothy R. McClanahan
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  2. Juan Carlos Castilla
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  4. Omar Defeo
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Correspondence to Timothy R. McClanahan.

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McClanahan, T.R., Castilla, J.C., White, A.T. et al. Healing small-scale fisheries by facilitating complex socio-ecological systems. Rev Fish Biol Fisheries 19, 33–47 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11160-008-9088-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11160-008-9088-8

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