Transcript Considerations on Alternate Fisheries Management System

Issues
on
Coastal Fisheries Management
in Tropical Coastal Fisheries
Yasuhisa Kato
Kagoshima University
International Activities on Sustainable Use
of Fisheries Resources
 Short history of fisheries management since 1980s
 International momentum on sustainable fisheries
started in 1990s
 MSY based resource management has been the only
widely recognized fisheries management system
 But, it has been recognized various uncertainties of
fisheries resources in promoting stock assessment
driven resource management system
Fisheries Globalization further
Promoted Sustainability Issues
 Globalization further promoted fisheries sustainable
issues but in top-down manner
 MSY based resource management method has also
been promoted in the process of globalization but with
the assumption that the system can be applicable
anywhere in the world
 Only about 20 countries in temperate areas in the
world could so far develop “resource management”
system in various levels of success
Less Attention on Sustainability of
Tropical Fisheries
 International fisheries society has so far paid more attention
on large scale fisheries including those operating in high
seas when they discuss about fisheries management
 80% of fisheries production is from developing countries,
majority of which come from tropical aquatic ecosystem
 Issues related to the sustainability of tropical fisheries has to
be given more attention, if global goal on sustainable
fisheries is really envisaged
 The need to develop fisheries management system based
on specificities of tropical fisheries has never been
internationally highlighted
What are the Tropical Fisheries?
There are differences in fisheries between temperate
and tropical areas using the cases in Southeast Asian
region (16% of global production)
 Ecosystem
 Fisheries Structure
 Social and Economic situation in relation to
fisheries
1. Difference in Ecosystem
Characteristics
Temperate areas
Tropical Areas
Productivity
Relatively rich
Relatively poor (rich
in inland water
ecosystem)
Species composition
Large amount by
dominant species
Small amount of
several non-dominant
species
2. Difference in Fishing Structure
Characteristics
Temperate Areas
Tropical Areas
Size of Fishing
Boats
More than 100 G/T
Less than 100 G/T,
90% of boats <5 G/T
Number of
Fishing Boats
Relatively small number:
Order of 1,000~10,000
Large number:
Order of
100,000~1,000,000
Name of
Fisheries
Named after target species:
Cod, Salmon, Herring
Fisheries
Named after fishing
gears used: Trawl,
Purse Seine Fisheries
Operation
Long range & long duration
Daily operation
3. Difference in Social and
Economic Situation
 Based on different ecosystems and fisheries
structures, fisheries in the Southeast Asian region
have much closer links with their bases, fishing
communities
 MSY empirical model focused on resources not on the
social and economic factors including communities
and people
Unique Conditions of Fisheries
 Fisheries is a special industry using renewable
common natural resources, operated under the “open
access” regime
 Two unique but problematic conditions in fisheries
compared with other industries:
1) Unclear ownership of the resources
2) Government intervention for its management
Need to Modify These
Two Unique Conditions to Achieve
Sustainable Fisheries
 Unclear ownership makes fishers irresponsible for
their conduct
 Government management intervention in top-down
manner makes fishers take third party’s position of
their involvement in the fisheries management efforts
 Modification of these two unique conditions should
therefore be considered as a critical issue in
achieving sustainable fisheries
Proposed Modification of
these Unique Conditions
1) Unclear ownership
 Introduction of right-based fisheries: group user
right for coastal fisheries
2) Government management intervention
 Delegation of management responsibility/ right
to resource users
Considerations on Alternate Fisheries
Management System
 Change from “open access” to “regulated entry
system” promoting right-based fisheries that enhance
the sense of ownership by fishers
 Delegation of management responsibility/right to
resource users enhances the sense of responsibility
for the fishers’ conduct
 Institution building for fishers at community level is
a key issue to promote co-management of the fisheries
with large number of people involved
Regional Policy
 Regional Fisheries Policy, “Resolution & Plan of
Action” adopted at the 2001 ASEAN-SEAFDEC
Millennium Conference, specified two clear directions
toward effective fisheries management: “Delegation of
fisheries management authority to local level” and
“Introduction of Right-Based fisheries”
 Southeast Asian region has developed the “Regional
Guidelines on Co-Management Using Group User
Rights (2006)” based on the above policy directive
Backlash of Resource Management
a) Fisheries management system has to be based on
stock size, and
b) Fisheries management is a scientific work
 These views prevent the development of fisheries
management system that delegates the
management rights to local people mobilizing “local
knowledge
Different requirements for resource management
and for Alternate Fisheries Management System
for tropical coastal fisheries has to be clarified
Conclusion
 Many initiatives have been undertaken to develop
fisheries management system based on the specific
elements of tropical fisheries, especially for small-scale
fisheries, but these efforts are not well coordinated even
within the country or in the region
 Co-management system developed in Vietnam is
challenging initiative
 If the system is successfully implemented, it can be a
good model of the fisheries management for tropical
coastal fisheries
Thank you!