Publication Abstract

International approaches to management of shared stocks: fisheries, management and external driver issues

D.S. Butterworth, K.L. Cochrane, M.R. Dunn and C.J. Fox

The group identified six broad issues under the heading "Fisheries, management and external driver issues" that commonly hindered progress in effective management of shared stocks:

1. conflicting and/or poorly defined objectives;
2. weak or absent incentives for negotiation;
3. a general absence of agreed allocation formulae;
4. poorly responsive and inflexible management systems and regimes;
5. poorly defined ownership and authority;
6. heterogeneity in funding and scientific and negotiation capacity among the participants in fisheries on shared stocks.

Each of these is discussed in more detail later, but numerous other factors that influence management of shared resources, but which may be considered more generic resource management issues, were also identified. These apply to many fisheries, not just to those that utilize shared fish stocks. These more general factors include the following.

• The need to apply the precautionary approach in a consistent and balanced way. It was recognized that the precautionary approach has still not been operationalized and is open to a wide range of interpretations, from an extreme preservationist standpoint to effective disregard. A generally applicable, operational approach to the precautionary approach in fisheries could facilitate responsible and sustainable utilization of fishery resources.

• Poor compliance with management regulations. This was seen as a significant problem in many fisheries. There are many reasons for this, including: inadequate and inappropriate stakeholder involvement in fisheries management; deficiencies in the systems of ownership or user rights; allocations which are, or are perceived to be, inequitable by some users; poor enforcement and inadequate penalties for contravening regulations. While possible solutions to these problems are as diverse as the problems themselves, one approach specifically highlighted by the group was to provide rewards for compliance, for example related to future allocation of access rights.

• Inappropriate expectations regarding entitlements or benefits. It was recognized that participants in a fishery frequently had such inappropriate expectations. Many participants saw their own rights as superseding those of other participants and tended to blame others for management failures. Problems of expectation will be encountered particularly where there is uncertainty about access and user rights, e.g. where new entrants are negotiating for access to existing fisheries. These problems need to be resolved within the framework of allocation negotiations, a matter dealt with in more detail below.

• Poor communication between all stakeholder groups. This frequently hinders effective management. The problem areas include, for example, communication between the management agency and fishing interests, between different fishing interest groups, and between scientists and managers within the management agency. This problem needs to be addressed by the management agency, which should be responsible for ensuring that the structures, legal frameworks and resources for ensuring effective communication are all present. It was agreed that scientists, as the generators and presenters of particularly important information, must also take responsibility for ensuring that they contribute to effective communication.

• The role of current public interests, the media and Non-Government Organizations. The group recognized the potential roles, both positive and negative, that these could play in fisheries management. Again, a good flow of information to the public, together with improved participation, transparency and accountability were seen as essential for ensuring that positive impacts were obtained from involvement with any of these.

References:

D.S. Butterworth, K.L. Cochrane, M.R. Dunn and C.J. Fox. 2004. International approaches to management of shared stocks: fisheries, management and external driver issues. Management of Shared Fish Stocks 348-355pp