The social in change: property rights contradictions in Finland

Abstract

The concept of social sustainability is occasionally used in fisheries political argumentation, but practical policies are typically guided by ecological and economic arguments rather than the social. On the other hand, social justice and moral acceptability are general prerequisites for successful fisheries governance. This paper studies the changing social dimensions in Finnish fisheries where interactions between the water-owner-based management system and various user groups have produced enduring contradictions. Along with a shift towards recreational fishing, the national and international levels of fisheries governance have largely replaced the local owner-based management system. Consequently, increasing numbers of new interest groups, rural-urban relations, management measures and governance institutions have become part of the fisheries complex. Contradictions typically culminate in fishing rights and the power to decide over access to fishing waters. The biodiversity and wildlife conservation measures have often underrated the social, as well as economic, aspects of fishing.

The nexus of fun and nutrition: Recreational fishing is also about food

“…Some of these gears are designed to catch fish for personal consumption. For example, the use of recreationally deployed traps or gill nets is strongly tied to personal fish consumption and is the key reason why people engage in recreational gill netting in Finland and other Scandinavian countries (Salmi, ). Consumptive reasons are also key components of most recreational angling fisheries in Central Europe and Eastern Europe.…”

Constraints and Opportunities for Small‐Scale Fishing Livelihoods in a Post‐Productivist Coastal Setting

“…Commercial fishers are dependent on access rights provided by local water owners in the archipelago areas, where the majority of the water area is under private ownership with rights associated with occupancy of adjacent land. Collective management of these local water areas is a special feature of the Finnish fisheries governance system, in which statutory shareholders' associations represent the interests of individual owners in fishery matters (Salmi ). These associations sell fishing licences and typically use the income for stocking fish fingerlings (immature fish).…”

“…These associations sell fishing licences and typically use the income for stocking fish fingerlings (immature fish). Enduring conflicts, reflecting the post‐productivist transformation within the Finnish fishing licensing system, have occurred over a number of decades between the local water owners and recreational fishers relating to their demands for wider rod fishing rights (Salmi ). In addition to improved use rights, the recreational fisher groups have also sought to achieve greater influence over decisions concerning access to fishing waters, culminating in several reforms of fishing legislation (Salmi ).…”

“…Enduring conflicts, reflecting the post‐productivist transformation within the Finnish fishing licensing system, have occurred over a number of decades between the local water owners and recreational fishers relating to their demands for wider rod fishing rights (Salmi ). In addition to improved use rights, the recreational fisher groups have also sought to achieve greater influence over decisions concerning access to fishing waters, culminating in several reforms of fishing legislation (Salmi ). As one of the proponents of recreational fishing tourism explained, when demanding more access to waters and the same subsidies available for commercial fishers: ‘The administration and politicians should understand that the world is changing’.…”

“…Recent reforms in fisheries legislation have been carried through despite water owners' resistance (Salmi ), and the outlook for commercial fishers has been made even bleaker as the structure of the shareholders' associations has changed with more summer cottage dwellers having become legal owners of water rights. Privately owned summer cottages are found throughout the archipelago.…”