Notes From the Field
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African Inland Fisheries - discussion summary by Aaron Russell, World Fish Center
"Opportunities and threats of privatization"
 Overall, discussants appear skeptical of the value in promoting larger-scale, mechanized fishing industries in African inland fisheries. The arguments that such initiatives could improve efficiency are regarded as flawed, and the overall impact on existing fisherfolk livelihoods is regarded as negative. In particular, any concentration of fishing effort in the hands of fewer individuals is seen as undermining the natural, "safety net" role of fishing, and counter to the international development agenda in sub-Saharan Africa. Potential for small-scale fishers to graduate to larger-scale commercial fishing practice through external investments is also highlighted as unrealistic given the data from Lake Malawi.
These discussions highlighted an unresolved debate regarding continued application of economic models, such as common property theory, to inform fisheries management. On one hand, the real tragedy of open access in marine fisheries suggests that fisherfolk are individualistic. However, data from small-scale fisheries in Malawi and elsewhere suggest that in contrast with highly mechanized fishing industries, effort in African small-scale fisheries is self-regulating in response to fish catches, and has less disruptive impacts on trophic web interactions, thereby enhancing fishery resilience. Consequently, policies that hinder free movement of fishers into, out of, and between fisheries (such as introducing access limitation) are more likely to do harm to the sustainability of ecosystems. A counter-argument to this "no-management" position is that, in the context of larger scale ecological challenges, an entirely unmanaged fishery is likely to result in "fishing down the food chain" before effort diminishes, which may have irreversible impacts on fishery resilience. Discussants agree that policies enhancing livelihood diversification for fisherfolk, such as improvements in extension services, are critical to improving fishery and livelihood resilience, and highlight the successes of some co-management institutions in Malawi to regulate local fisheries as a sign that this approach can work.
One potential form of large-scale fisheries investment, which was raised but not debated in the discussion so far, is the growing interest by governments in large-scale cage aquaculture. A pilot case study is presented as an attachment suggesting that such a scheme could augment national fish production levels without significant negative impacts on small-scale fisheries, if well planned, monitored and sited.
"Roles of women in fisheries management" 
The role of women in fisheries management is regarded as having been poorly conceptualized and implemented to date. Early donor agency attempts to mandate the inclusion of women have not succeeded, and women's roles in fisheries co-management institutions today are minimal in most cases. Despite this, there are a number of cases where women's participation in such institutions helped, in particular to balance community versus individual interests in the uses of common natural resources. Rather than focusing solely on management of fishing effort, fisheries co-management institutional effectiveness and women's voice could be improved if the mandate of co-management institutions were broadened to address fishing livelihoods writ large. This would reflect a transition from a WID (Women in Development) to a GAD (Gender and Development) approach that is needed for enhancing women's abilities to impact key decision making processes.
Through social norms related to household consumption, and their roles as primary fish processors and traders, women may exert a positive influence on fishermen and alter fishing behavior. Additionally, women are major decision makers in the use of agricultural land, water, timber, and NTFP (non-timber forest products) resources. The role of female fisheries co-management committee members in one of the most successful fisheries co-management regimes in Malawi (from Northern Lake Malawi) is highlighted as an example. In this community, women mediate in disputes between fisherfolk, set limits on fish prices to ensure local traders and households are not deprived of fish by highly capitalized outside traders, enforce norms of behavior on the beach, and contribute their experience in revolving credit groups to organize fishers in collective livelihood diversification activities. Additionally, women's active participation is needed if the spread of HIV/AIDs by female sex workers at fishing beaches is to be addressed.
"Economic value of fisheries - as key sources of capital and/or economic safety net"
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Watch it Now!
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 Fish for life: rehabilitating lives after natural disasters
Coastal areas, the inhabitants of which are often dependant on fish for food and income, are increasingly those most affected by natural disasters. This video takes a look at how one remote fishing community in Aceh Indonesia, which was totally destroyed following the 2004 tsunami, is benefiting from rehabilitation efforts by WorldFish & partners that put the community at the heart of planning and implementing new options for their future. Click here to watch the video.
Fish farming eases living with HIV/AIDS, MSNBC report
Malawi - the food crisis is adding to the misery of countries already crippled by other burdens like drought and HIV. Here people are turning to fish farming, not only for food and income but also as a way to cope with the challenges of HIV. Click here to watch the video.
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| Take A Look
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Expand your knowledge on inland fisheries with these diverse resources on approaches and practices.  Devolution and Fisheries Co-ManagementThis paper discusses the critical role of devolution in the strategy of fisheries co-management. It defines and analyzes 'Fisheries Co-management' as and alternative management approach. Finally, the paper summarizes the opportunities and problems inherent in a program of devolution and co-management. Click here to read this paper.
Methods of Consensus Building for Community Based Fisheries Management in Bangladesh and the Mekong DeltaThis paper presents the process of building social capital and the outcomes of its application in Vietnam and Bangladesh. It also presents Participatory Action Plan Development (PAPD) methodology developed for consensus building. Finally, it concludes that the PAPD approach is an effective way of achieving participatory planning and in developing collective action for natural resource management at the local level. Click here to read this paper.
An Adaptive Organizational Learning Framework for Resilience in Fisheries Co-Management: Based on Analysis of Fisheries Regimes in MalawiDue to fish stock declines in Lakes Malawi and Lacombe, the Malawian government introduced co-management to replace a central fisheries management regime that lack local legitimacy. Based on a combination of ethnographic and archival data collected over a three year period, we present analyses of co-management regime "successes" and "failures" through a model of organizational learning. Click here to read this paper. Chiefs still count: an assessment of fisheries co-managementThe introduction of co-management regimes to replace traditional or centralized management institutions must be recognized as involving significant re-organization of local power dynamics, cultural norms, and livelihood practices. While policy documents attempt to provide guidelines as to the roles of the government, stakeholder committees, and chiefs, such institutional innovations rarely completely replace pre-existing ones. Indeed, a number of authors argue that formally-instituted, conservation-goal driven co-management institutions are unlikely to be effective if they try to replace informally- derived, consensus-based, process-driven social and cultural institutions that operate to maintain core values such as social solidarity, harmony, consensus and equity (although they may simultaneously maintain certain power imbalances and resource inequities). Click here to read this paper.The potential for cage culture in Lake Malawi: when the benefits from large-scale enclosures of fisheries commons outweigh those of community-based enclosures. During the last decade, Malawi has experienced stagnant small-scale fisheries catches and high population growth resulting in declining per capita access to fish. Meanwhile this country's wealth of water bodies provides a range of possibilities for cage-farmed tilapia to supplement small-scale fisheries catches. However, as with the privatization of any commons, concerns exist regarding the potential harm to local livelihoods which may occur from the enclosure of portions of these lakes for cage culture operations. In addition to excluding fishers from accessing key fisheries, cages may further undermine fishing livelihoods due to their fish aggregation device effects. Click here to read this paper and comments regarding cage culture. |
Partner Spotlight
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 African Drought Risk and Development Network (ADDN)
The ADDN is focused on promoting applied exchange of experience on key issues linking drought risk and development; providing a platform for the development and dissemination of good practice & tools; is a bridge to various resources & opportunities in Africa and beyond; and acts as a Forum for the elaboration of quality and policy relevant collective practice on drought risk management. The ADDN is committed to adapting to the needs of stakeholders by making it easier to access information that will help proactively address the increasing threat of drought and the effects of climate change in the drylands of Africa. This discussion page is one means of doing so and aims to bring current drought related issues in Africa to the table as well as generating discussion among interested stakeholders. The discussion topic will be introduced monthly in the ADDN Newsletter. We hope this discussion page will help keep members of ADDN in touch and discussing vital drought related issues. Click here to join this community and subscribe for e-mail based updates. Natural Resource Management - HaitiUSAID's Economic Development for a Sustainable Environment project (DEED)
has established its own Community of Practice on FRAMEweb, housing DEED Newsletters, Success Stories, and hosting online discussions. New publications, all available under "Tools and Resources", include two project newsletters, (February 2009 and March 2009 - both available in English and French), and the following Success Stories, (all available in English, French and Haitian Creole): - "Rural Haitian Communities Design Land-Use Planning Maps"
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| Did You Know?
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In 2006 the global production from fishing and aquaculture combined reached approximately 144 million tones, of which 110 million were for human consumption.
Inland fisheries contributed 11 percent of global capture fisheries production, more than 10 million tonnes in 2006. Although the amount may be small in comparison with marine fisheries, fish and other aquatic animals from inland waters remain essential and irreplaceable elements in the diets of both rural and urban people in much of the world, especially in developing countries.
Overall, consumption per person per year has been increasing steadily, from an average 9.9 kg in the 1960s to 16.4 kg in 2005.
Source: State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2008, FAO (Food and Agriculture
Organization)
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