Fisheries Co-management and Small-scale Fisheries: A Policy Brief

Abstract

"Global-scale changes in the supply, demand, value, management and uses of fisheries resources could threaten progress towards sustainable food security in many parts of the developing world, but they could also stimulate improved management and use of the resources. Decisionmakers are searching for better ways of managing all fisheries, including small-scale ones.

"This policy brief addresses some of the issues and options available, arguing that recent lessons point to potential benefits in some fisheries from management partnerships between the government and local fishers and communities - fisheries co-management. The trend to greater formal involvement of users in management of resources was recognized in many chapters of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) Agenda 21 Declaration and are enshrined in such international instruments as the International Convention on Biological Diversity ratified in 1993. This policy brief cautions, however, that co-management is not a universal panacea and more experience and research are needed to learn about the conditions leading to successful fisheries co-management."