Case study 4: Rules & Regulations
One of the most comprehensively documented case studies of how
participatory approaches to governance can enhance fisheries
sustainability comes from the Sumilon and Apo Islands in the Philippines
(Alcala and Russ 2006). With a long history of destructive fishing
practices by large commercial fishing companies, the depletion of local
fish stocks and degradation of associated ecosystems were threatening
the livelihoods of local communities (Russ and Alcala 1999). At the
time, the management of local fisheries was under a centralized
governance system that encouraged greater use (exploitation) of natural
resources. That is, regulations did not limit catch, fishing effort, or
the sizes of landed fish. However, acknowledgement of the shortcomings
of this approach resulted in a shift towards participatory governance
that devolved responsibility to local governments and local communities
(Pomeroy and Carlos 1997). Alcala and Russ (2006) conclude that this
institutional shift from a centralized governance system towards a more
inclusive system empowered the various stakeholders, which underpinned
the recovery of fish stocks, fisheries, and livelihoods in the area.
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