Creating Social Institutions for Fisheries Co-Management in the CARICOM Region

Abstract

"The central thesis of this paper is that the building and strengthening of institutional structures provide for both sustainability and change, which are essential ingredients for the operation of co-management regimes. The region is on the verge of moving from the centrally controlled administration of resource management to decentralized forms of conservation and resource management, and inter-state co-operative management of shared stocks. Old attitudes which cling to the fishing effort expansion and the transfer of technology mode, will take sometime to give way to the order of the day. The public awareness and education programmes for resource user groups and other stakeholders should continue to have the desired effects of building the capacities of the target audiences, and preparing them for the tasks of participating efficiently in the management of the fisheries resources of the region.

"Significant progress has been made towards the creation of social institutions which could favour the establishment of co-management systems in the region; the latter to be manifested at both the state level and the local level. The creation of community based co-management structures is still in its infancy, although the progress made so far is encouraging. The implementation of the Fisheries Management Plans (FMPs) and the formation of the Fisheries Advisory Committies (FACs) through the newly embraced participatory approach to resource management, will in the long run, go a long way to enhance the sustainable development and management of the regional resources.

"There are two problems which need to be tackled. The first is the structural and operational weakness of the existing resource user organizations. This reduces their ability to effectively participate in decision making and management planning processes. The combined strategy of public sensitization and education programs and the development of incentive schemes from which benefit streams will accrue to the generality of the fishing population will go a long way to improve the situation.

"The second issue has to do with the uncertainties concerning the genuine-ness of the political directorates' readiness to effect the devolution of central authority to peripheral entities, for the creation of institutional structures which will further promote the decentralization of the decision making process, and lead to the mushrooming of functional co-management institutional structures. The attainment of the sustainable development and management of the fisheries resources of the region will be greatly enhanced if additional solutions to these problems are found as soon as possible."