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Abstract:
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"Common pool resources such as lagoon fisheries are often overexploited and in decline due factors such as local poverty and unclear property rights. Overexploitation has resulted from a historically open access system. In Tam Giang Lagoon, Viet Nam, the State rights holders have developed numerous management regulations, but appropriate institutional arrangements are not in place to facilitate implementation. As a consequence, through traditional rights, resource users take opportunities to increase their access to and use of lagoon resources without taking adequate responsibility for protection. Improved management in this context requires a form of governance (such as co-management) which allows active and empowered local communities to play key roles. This type of arrangement needs to involve the allocation of resource rights so that power is shared between the
government and resource users and/or their associated organisations. This paper draws on research from the Tam Giang Lagoon about current property rights regimes and the rights practices in the coastal lagoon areas, to highlight the need for
developing fisheries associations and supporting rights allocation. This paper also outlines the processes that were used to implement co-management of fisheries resources in the lagoon area of Vinh Giang Commune, which included initiatives on the allocation of fishing rights to fisheries associations. This was the first application in Viet Nam where fishing rights were allocated to user organisations. This application of rights facilitated the formalisation of a collective/communal property rights regime over fisheries resources and enabled the operation of fisheries co-management between the local government and fisheries associations. The piloting of co-management in the lagoon area in Vinh Giang also put into place appropriate institutional arrangements which increased control over resource
exploitation."
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