Loss of bio-diversity: representation and valuation processes of fishing communities

Abstract

Based mainly on Serge Collet's work -in particular for the theoretical approach -and on his own field research, the author tries to contribute to a better understanding of the human-sea nexus within small-scale fishing communities still characterized by a specific social halieutical morphology. This article, produced in the framework of ECOST, challenges scientists -in particular those biologists and economists for whom the linkage between fishing communities and the sea is narrowly reduced to market relations. This error is maintained by the huge capacity of smallscale fishermen to profit from international markets in a context of globalization. The author tries to highlight the deep cultural endowment of a "marine culture" in the context of globalization, on the one hand, and the fact that marine resources are part of a broader marine entity whose wealth depends on the will of subnatural powers, on the other. Finally, the author explains how the combination of "cultural beliefs" with the lack of trust in scientific research has led to eco-fatalism, questioning at the same time the validity of certain marine resources conservation tools such as Marine Protected Areas.

Interactive Governance for Small-Scale Fisheries

“…Governability is in part determined by how well governance fi ts contextual characteristics of the complexities of the "system-to-be-governed", and through perceived legitimacy and compliance of governance and rules by fi shers . Legitimacy and trust of government by fi shers is considered an impediment to effective fi sh governance in Senegal (Lenselink 2002 ;Sall 2007 ), which is often affected by a mismatch between knowledge systems and values (images and principles) of those designing the rules (conservation, modernity, economics, managing fi sh) and that of the recipients of rules (community integrity, spirituality, secure income, food supply) (Galvan 2004 ;Sall 2007 ;Onyango and Jentoft 2013 ;.…”

“…While the industrial fi sheries are small in number (less than 200 boats) and represented by a single politically powerful organization, the small-scale fi shers are numerous (~21,000 boats), diverse and diffuse, with several organizational bodies, which makes coordination, communication, representation and participation diffi cult. There are signifi cant confl icts and competition between small-scale and industrial fi shers both outside and inside the six nautical mile exclusive zone reserved for small-scale fi shers, but there are also unique cooperations and dependencies (Sall 2007 ;DuBois and Zografos 2012 ). Illegal fi shing can be quite substantial (Belhabib et al 2014 ) and recent government actions to combat this have been positively received by fi shers.…”

“…The fi sheries supply 70 % of the animal protein for Senegal, and about 20 % of the active workforce, with small-scale fi shers contributing 70 % of exports and 80 % of total catch (WB 2012a ). Sall et al ( 2006 ) identify about 17 primary and many secondary employment types that often refl ect complex gendered relationships in production that are not adequately represented but are undergoing signifi cant change (Sall 2007 ). Although most of the reported exports are to developed countries, there is also an extensive but under-reported regional "informal" trade in a diversity of preserved fi sh (smoked, dried, salted, fermented) that is quite important in employment and food security.…”

“…The efficiency and capacity of boats has also increased, which allows greater long distant migrations, and some are considered "semi-industrialized" fi sheries. Conversely, declining catch has also stimulated a trend to limit capital investment by using smaller boats for the same fi shing practices, which increases risk for fi shers (Sall 2007 ). The collective impact of the fi sheries has contributed to signifi cant overfi shing and many species are at full or overexploitation (UNEP 2004 ).…”

Migration of Senegalese fishers: a case for regional approach to management

“…First, in recognition of the major economic and social threats occasioned by the generalized overexploitation of fish stocks, and the notion of migration being a response to environmental pressures -urgent need to update knowledge on migrating fishers in order to inform national and regional decision prompting the need for urgent governance decisions (Warner 2010). Second, since fisheries are the major contributing sector to the illegal migration to Europe (Sall 2007). There is therefore an -making and improve policy coherence in development and environmental conservation spheres in the West Africa region.…”