Abstract
Co-management – a partnership between government, community organisations and other stakeholders – is now a commonly used approach in fisheries management. However, the effectiveness of fisheries co-management has varied considerably, especially in low-income settings. Although research into co-management is growing, there are few accounts of co-management that explore the experiences of community leaders and how their role within co-management institutions fits within the broader social and economic context of their lives. In this article, I utilise qualitative data collected from two landing sites on Lake Victoria, Uganda where the growth of the Nile perch export market in the 1980s and 1990s resulted in rapid social and economic change on the lakeshore. I explore how the attitudes and actions of the individuals who lead local co-management institutions are not simply governed by assumed economic incentives but are affected by complex social and political factors. I also consider how the co-management institutions are perceived by community members more broadly. Finally, I reflect on how the findings contribute to broader debates about co-management and its potential to protect the sustainability of fish stocks.
Abstract
La co-gestion – ou le partenariat entre le gouvernement, organisations communautaires, et d’autres parties concernées – est une approche assez utilisé dans la gestion des pêcheries. Cependant, l’efficacité de la co-gestion des pêcheries est très variable, surtout dans les cadres ou le revenu est bas. Il y a peu d’études sur la co-gestion qui explorent les expériences des leaders des communautés où la co-gestion a lieu, et comment le rôle et participation des leaders dans la co-gestion sont ancrés dans le contexte économique et social de leur vie. Dans cet étude, on utilise des données qualitatives recueillies en deux sites de débarquement sur le lac Victoria, en Uganda, ou la croissance du marché d’exportation de la perche du Nile aux années 1980 et 1990 a causé des changements économiques et sociaux très forts sur la rivière du lac. On étude comment les attitudes et les actions des individus en tête aux institutions de cogestion locales sont influencés par des facteurs sociales at politiques assez complexes, et pas seulement par des gains économiques. On étude aussi la perception des institutions de cogestion par plusieurs membres de la communauté. Enfin, on réfléchît sur comment nos conclusions puissent contribuer aux débats sur la cogestion, et son potentiel de protection de la durabilité des réserves de poissons.
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Barratt, C., Seeley, J. & Allison, E. Lacking the Means or the Motivation? Exploring the Experience of Community-Based Resource Management Among Fisherfolk on Lake Victoria, Uganda. Eur J Dev Res 27, 257–272 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1057/ejdr.2014.33
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/ejdr.2014.33