Benthic Fisheries in Chile: Feasibility of Co-management on an Open Access Regime

Abstract

"Benthic fisheries in Chile are mainly exploited by artisanal fishermen through diving and other work-intensive techniques, on a free access basis. Fisheries are managed by a central Authority, the Undersecretary of Fisheries, independent of the Ministry of Economy. Despite rules and regulations put out by this authority, benthic fisheries have been badly over-exploited in the past. Faced with this situation, the fishermen, through their own organization, are attempting control of access to, and regulate exploitation of, their traditional fishing areas. Purposes for this work deal with demonstrating the need for establishing territorial use rights as a tool to assimilate users into management of benthic fisheries in Chile, and evaluating the feasibility of this proposal considering a free access regime. "In this paper we analyze considerations which would explain over-exploitation of these fisheries. Benthic fisheries are described pointing out aspects that justify establishment of territorial use rights. Some examples of fishing areas, protection and self-control of the fishing effort are given. Finally, we will examine and discuss chapters of the proposed new Fishery Law, related to benthic fisheries, presently under discussion at Parliament."

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Keywords

fisheries, common pool resources, scarcity, co-management, open access, artisanal fishing, IASC

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