The lack of alternative income sources: The case of ornamental fishing in the Inirida fluvial confluence, Colombian Amazon

Abstract

ABSTRACT:In this paper we present a case study of the impoverished ornamental fishing situation in the Inirida Fluvial Confluence (IFC) in Colombia. For this purpose fieldwork was conducted to obtain primary data from fishermen in the zone. The results indicate that effort applied to create different economic activities have no significant impact on the income of fishermen. Community Agreements for Responsible Fishing (CARF) could be an effective policy for management of the resource; nevertheless, their establishment can bring a loss of livelihoods when there are no clear alternative income sources, and may be incompatible with poverty alleviation objectives. Due to this, alternative sources of income should also be promoted in policy-making. KEYWORDS:Inland fisheries, Natural Resource Management, Rural Development.La falta de fuentes de ingresos alternativos: el caso de la pesca ornamental en la Estrella Fluvial de Inírida, Amazonas Colombiano RESUMEN: En este documento se presenta el caso del empobrecimiento de la pesca ornamental en la Estrella Fluvial de Inirida (EFI) en Colombia. Para esto, se realizó un trabajo de campo con el fin de obtener información primaria de los pescadores de la zona. Los resultados indican que el esfuerzo aplicado a diferentes actividades económicas no tiene relación significativa con los ingresos de los pescadores. Los Acuerdos Comunitarios para la Pesca Responsable podrían ser una política efectiva para el manejo del recurso; sin embargo su establecimiento podría ocasionar una pérdida de medios de subsistencia cuando no hay fuentes certeras de ingresos alternativos, lo que puede ser incompatible con la mitigación de la pobreza. Por esto deberían promoverse también las fuentes alternativas de ingresos en la elaboración de política. PALABRAS CLAVE:Pesquerías continentales, manejo de recursos naturales, desarrollo rural.JEL classification/Clasificación JEL: Q22, I25, J15.

Human Capital Depreciation: Impoverishment of Mangrove Shellfishing in Tumaco, Colombia

“…This is a consequence of their lack of education and the unavailability of alternative employment (Ikiara and Odink, 2000). Moreover, fishermen with higher levels of education tend to diversify their livelihoods (Guerrero et al, 2017) and move to alternative occupations (Panayotou, 1982).…”

“…However, education enhances human capital and democratic rights that solve failures to provide satisfying incomes, and which alleviate poverty in fishing communities. Furthermore, fishermen with higher levels of education tend to diversify their livelihoods, reducing the risk of relying only on fishing (Guerrero, Franco-Jaramillo and Rosell, 2017). In addition, the beneficial effects of schooling promotes quality of life of fisher families (Smith, 1979), encourages labor mobility and knowledge of alternative occupations (Panayotou, 1982).…”

Consecuencias ambientales y socioeconómicas del comercio de los peces ornamentales en Colombia

“…En comunidades de pescadores en Puerto Inirida en la Amazonia colombiana se identificó que están involucradas en la explotación de los recursos naturales, tienen un nivel medio educativo quinto de primaria y dependen totalmente de los ingresos obtenidos de estas actividades de explotación para su subsistencia (Guerrero et al, 2017), en consecuencia este grado de escolaridad tan bajo y la dependencia del recurso imposibilita en gran medida la diversificación de alternativas a la extracción y la posibilidad de prácticas responsables de cultivo que podrían promover el crecimiento económico local.…”

Livelihoods and poverty in small‐scale fisheries in western Amazonia

“…Amazonia is home to the most diverse freshwater fish assemblages in the world and to several million inhabitants who rely on fish for food and their livelihoods (Pinedo‐Vasquez et al, 2011; Sirén & Valbo‐Jørgensen, 2022). Fish provide vital protein and micronutrients for rural as well as urban households in riverine towns and cities, and cash income for many rural dwellers (Barletta et al, 2010; Coomes et al, 2010, 2016; Guerrero et al, 2018; Hicks et al, 2019; McDaniel, 1997; McGrath et al, 1993; Sirén & Valbo‐Jørgensen, 2022). Fisheries are also important for the rural poor to cope with shocks, such as illness (Coomes et al, 2010; McDaniel, 1997) and extreme floods (Coomes et al, 2010; Langill & Abizaid, 2020; Langill et al, 2022; Takasaki et al, 2010).…”

“…In particular, few have sought to identify which households rely most upon fishing and whom among them harvest the largest quantities of fish. This lack of understanding hinders efforts to manage and conserve fish stocks which depend fundamentally on informed targeting of programs and policies, and a clearer understanding of links between rural poverty and fishing (Allison & Ellis, 2001; Béné, 2003; Coomes et al, 2004; Guerrero et al, 2018; Lopes et al, 2011).…”