Uses of Fishers' Knowledge in Fisheries Management

Abstract

This article reviews methods used in the increasing use of fishers' knowledge in contemporary fisheries management. During the last one hundred years, fisheries science has been used extensively to inform management decisions for the regulation of sea fisheries. However, the decline of many fish stocks has cast doubt on the sufficiency of fisheries science, and has led to demands from fishers that their own expertise-fishers' knowledge-should be taken into account in decision-making. In this article, we examine four case studies of such attempts to take account of fishers' knowledge in the management of North Sea fisheries, comparing their different methods of identifying and using fishers' expertise, and assessing their respective outcomes. Our conclusion is that the value of fishers' knowledge improves according to the extent to which the method of obtaining it is participative and interactive.

Social, economic and trade characteristics of the elasmobranch fishery on Unguja Island, Zanzibar, East Africa

“…By addressing gaps in the data and tailoring policy to account for socio-economic characteristics, elasmobranch fisheries could be better managed [12] and [13]. One approach is through interviewing fishers to collate their local knowledge of the fishery [14] and [15].…”

Opening dialogue and fostering collaboration: Different ways of knowing in fisheries research

“…3,[22][23][24][25] Recently, a growing body of research has begun to suggest that working with the knowledge of fishers within the fisheries management context offers the possibility of augmenting scientific knowledge by contributing locally grounded, experiential understandings and strategies for dealing with the variability of fish and climate. 3,[24][25][26][27][28][29] In 1992, the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) was formulated to address growing concerns surrounding the preservation and safeguarding of the earth's natural resources. Central to the CBD was a commitment that contracting states 'respect, preserve and maintain the knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities' 30 .…”

Improving bycatch mitigation measures for marine megafauna in Zanzibar, Tanzania

“…Social and economic factors can influence the effectiveness of bycatch mitigation measures, because fishers dependence on a fishery will influence how likely they will follow laws which may impact their social and economic well-being (Peterson and Stead, 2011;Teh et al, 2015). Knowledge of socio-economic factors such as the numbers of people in certain areas, their beliefs, and their age can contribute to an understanding of how fishers can impact the sustainability of the megafauna populations (Stead et al, 2006;Brewer et al, 2012). Adequate understanding of social and economic features of fisher's communities are also essential requirements for good governance (Kittinger, 2013;Turner et al, 2014).…”