Tracy Dobson

Chiefs as Critical Partners for Decentralized Governance of Fisheries: An Analysis of Co-Management Case Studies in Malawi

Centralized regulation and fisheries co-management institutions, when imposed on Malawian fisherfolk, have failed due to poor local legitimacy, resulting in de facto open access regimes for most Malawian fisheries. Case studies from a range of locations indicate that a key to success or failure in co-management lies in understanding the roles played by both traditional (chiefs) and representational (stakeholder) institutions. Formally instituted, conservation-driven co-management institutions are unlikely to be effective if they try to replace informally derived, consensus-based social and cultural institutions. Additionally, institutional legitimacy requires downward accountability, and both traditional and decentralized institutions must remain vigilant against the threat of elite capture. An analysis of fisherfolk and chieftain roles in Malawis fisheries management regimes illustrates how these stakeholders may either promote or undermine socially and ecologically sustainable outcomes. We conclude that both decentralized representational institutions and “institutional bricolage” facilitated by chiefs are critical to maintaining resilient co-management institutions and fishing livelihoods.

As Nearshore Stocks Drop, Malawi Begins a Return to Local Fisheries Management

Abstract The co-management approach is being more widely employed as greater demands are placed on scarce government resources everywhere and the value of stakeholder involvement in natural resources management is recognized. In response to declining fish stocks in Malawis waters, the government and foreign aid donors collaborated to create a new fisheries management approach. A co-management regime was introduced in a pilot program at Lake Malombe at the southern tip of Lake Malawi. Fishers elected management committees (“beach village committees” or BVCs) to work with Fisheries Department (FD) staff in several phases of management. Reviews of the program to date are mixed. Early compliance has turned to defiance. Conflict exists in BVCs. Evidence indicates that the FD is not relinquishing authority to the local level. A fisher-initiated and FD-supported program at Lake Chiuta, facing less severe and more focused problems, is regarded as successful. Expansion of co-management to Lake Malawi has been initiated, is reported to be progressing slowly, but must heed the problems encountered in the Lake Malombe regime.

Human Dimensions of Great Lakes Fishery Management: New Research Thrust of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission

ABSTRACT The Great Lakes Fishery Commission, recognizing the importance of social impacts on Great Lakes fisheries and the shortage of information on “human dimensions,” launched a new research theme. It seeks to fill knowledge gaps in the areas of legal and institutional frameworks governing fisheries, constructing effective processes that better inform management decision making, and the role and impact of stakeholder involvement in Great Lakes fisheries management.

Informing Community Engagement in Sea Turtle Conservation by Examining Non-Conservation-Related Participation in Northeast Brazil

ABSTRACT Participation in conservation programs is often viewed as a necessity, but understanding of this participation is limited. This research takes a different approach by also examining participation in non-conservation-related activities. Questionnaires (N = 339) were administered in four Brazilian coastal communities where the national sea turtle conservation project conducts monitoring and outreach. Employing social capital as a conceptual framework, measurements included participation in civic, community, and social activities along with group participation and collective action. Confirmatory factor analysis was used for validating measures of social capital and conservation perceptions. Structural equation modeling indicated that social capital has a positive relationship with participation in sea turtle conservation, suggesting that general levels of participation and community norms of participation could be just as influential as conservation perceptions to engage communities in conservation. Information gained by deconstructing participation may be used to design and target conservation programs, improving overall participation.

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Court-Ordered Fisheries Management Policies

Abstract Within the 1836 Treaty waters of the Laurentian Great Lakes, fisheries allocation and management between Native and state-licensed fishers was guided by a court-ordered policy, the 1985 Consent Order. This policy was created to promote rehabilitation of lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush), reduce social conflict, and provide a framework for joint fisheries management. Expiration of the order led to creation of a replacement policy, the 2000 Consent Decree. To assess effectiveness of the 1985 Consent Order and perceptions of the 2000 Consent Decree, we conducted 46 interviews with members of pertinent stakeholder groups and their representatives. Results indicated that most stakeholders believed the 1985 Consent Order was insufficient to promote lake trout rehabilitation. Most respondents outside the Grand Traverse Bay area perceived that social conflict decreased under this policy. Tribal and DNR biologists and representatives believed fisheries management improved and became more cooperative. Many...

Gendered Considerations for Safety in Conservation Fieldwork

Abstract Scholars conducting research on either the social or biological dimensions of conservation practice may confront harassment, violence, and sexual assault. While guidelines for researcher safety usually cover the obvious perils encountered while conducting research in nature and with wild animals, less attention has been focused on the dangers associated with encountering and confronting humans. The aim of review boards for both human and animal subjects is to protect research participants. But who protects the researcher? This paper extends these calls to conservation researchers, initiating an open discussion on fieldwork safety, particularly the role of gender and power dynamics within the conservation field. We offer two themes for discussion: institutional responsibility and professional community responsibility. Our aim is to encourage dialogue regarding codes of practice for fieldwork safety at multiple institutional levels that acknowledge and provide support for the varying forms of harassment researchers face during fieldwork.