Traditional and Modern Management of Natural Resources: Evidence from Benin's Inland Fisheries

Abstract

"This paper investigates the functioning of two locally designed rules to manage the fishery stock. The rules apply to the use of fine meshed nets and stem from two distinct institutions: (i) a modern institution embodied in fishing committees, and (ii) a traditional institution embedded in Voodoo, an Animist religion that originated in Benin. We examine the effectiveness of these rules relying on individual-level data on weekly revenue and the use of fishing gear by fishermen. We find that the two types of rules co-exist, and have a statistically significant effect on fishing activity. However, the quantitative effect of these rules on fishing activities is small and, unless reinforced, the existing rules may not be sufficient to prevent the collapse of the ecosystem."