Study analyzes fishers' motivations for fisheries management
Economic return still main concern, but many fishers also support ecological objectives

10 April 2008 (A. Sia/FISH Project) -- Given a choice between economic, social and ecological objectives in fisheries management, majority of fishers would predictably be more likely swayed by economic than social or ecological motivations, a 2007 study shows. But surprisingly, a considerable number – up to 39% -- would likely support a program or policy that maximizes ecological objectives.

The study, "The use of alternative scenarios from an ecosystem-based model simulation of the Danajon Bank municipal fisheries as input to evaluating fisheries management objectives in a choice experiment," looked into the choice decisions, when presented with three extreme or 'no compromise', of 411 fishers in Talibon town in the central Philippine province of Bohol.

The simulations were based on a model that incorporated -- and thus represents -- the municipal waters and fisheries of Talibon, Bien Unido, Ubay and Carlos P. Garcia. In all, the model covers an estimated 1,227 sq km of marine waters and 198 sq km of reef area in Danajon Bank, a body of water shared by several municipalities in Bohol, Cebu, Leyte and Southern Leyte.

"Danajon is a rich fishing ground that supports an important part of the municipal sector of Central Visayas. In Bohol Province alone, the municipalities that border Danajon represent over 50% of the municipal fishers and fishing boats in the entire province," said the author, Regina Therese Bacalso of the Fisheries Improved for Sustainable Harvest (FISH) Project. "In addition to the harvest and employment benefits, Danajon is a possible significant source of non-marketed ecosystem benefits, such as biodiversity, aesthetic values, and cultural values. The area has a double barrier reef, a unique geological formation which has developed over a span of 6,000 years of coral growth."

Danajon fisheries are, however, severely depleted. Trawl surveys in 2004 showed an average trawlable biomass density of 0.45 tons per sq km, indicating a very low demersal standing biomass.

All these make Danajon "an ideal setting to examine the interplay of economic, social and ecosystem objectives of fisheries management," according to the author. "It is particularly interesting to determine whether societal or ecosystem objectives are preferred by the stakeholders, and to investigate at the same time how the stakeholders make trade-offs between these varying and at times seemingly conflicting objectives."

Three fisheries scenarios

A computer simulation and modeling software called "Ecopath with Ecosim" was used to create three scenarios, each maximizing one of the three objectives.

Scenario A maximized the economic objective, resulting in relative increases in total annual profits, total number of fishers, total annual catch, prey fish biomass, and blue crabs biomass, while the predator fish biomass was reduced. It meant substantial increases in the overall effort of jigs, followed by Danish seines, compressor fishing, surface gillnets, and handlines, longlines and trolls -- fishing gears and activities that yielded the highest profits with reference to their fixed and variable costs.

Scenario B maximized the social objective, which primarily meant considerable increase in the total number of fishers, and consequently, an increase in overall harvest but not individual profits, as more fishers shared in the resource. Predator fish and prey fish biomasses decreased, while blue crabs biomass increased. A substantial increase in the overall effort of trawls, surface gillnets, and Danish seines was recommended, as well as increases for compressor fishing, blast fishing, beach seine, and fish aggregation with light -- all these gears have relatively high catch rates, and apparently, employ more people per unit weight of landing. The aggregate catch composition of these gears generally shows an abundance of both predator and prey fish groups, so their increased use logically resulted in reduced fish biomasses. Without effective predators and competitors, the blue crabs ended up benefiting in this scenario.

Scenario C maximized the ecological objective by rebuilding predator fish biomasses, which resulted in relative increases in both predator and prey fish biomasses, but reductions in all economic and social reference parameters. Essentially, the model forced a reduction in fishing effort. The top five fishing gears and activities required to make the most effort reductions were handlines, longlines and trolls, Danish seines, fish pots, compressor fishing, and the bottom gillnets, which all exploit the major predator groups. The recommended overall reduction in fishing pressure provided a reasonable degree of ecosystem stability since the resulting biomass distribution across the food web was more balanced under this scenario than in the other two scenarios where a few groups strongly dominated and several groups dropped out of the system.

For most, catch is key concern

Predictably, most respondents' choice was to maximize the economic objective (Scenario A). "We can be 95% confident that the percentage of Talibon fishers who are likely to support a policy that appears to maximize the economic objective (increase in total profits) in fisheries management would be between 43.8 percent and 53.4 percent," said Bacalso. "In contrast, only about 12.8-19.9 percent of fishers are likely to support a policy that maximizes the social objective (increase in number of fishers)."

Interestingly, fishers who could be expected to support policies that maximize the ecological objective constituted an unexpectedly large minority (30.3-39.6%). Bacalso said these fishers' apparent willingness to accept economic losses under Scenario C meant they understood that rebuilding predator fish biomasses translates into ecosystem stability and bigger economic benefits in the long term. More of the older respondents seemed to favor Scenario C, apparently because they have seen firsthand how predator fish biomasses have been depleted over time by too much fishing.

Fishers that already use gears that are considered harmful tended to prefer Scenario A, while fishers that use gears that are "not harmful" preferred Scenario C, reflecting existing biases for higher return on investment among those who favored Scenario A on the one hand, and on the other hand, conservation or compliance with the law among those who chose Scenario C. Remarkably, fishers with higher fish catch rates preferred Scenario C. This, according to Bacalso, "may be a reflection of the respondents' appreciation of the importance of maintaining the general health of the marine ecosystem in order for them to have consistently high catch rates."

The study also examined the attitudes and perceptions of the respondents with respect to fisheries issues. Generally, those who said their priority was to "protect the marine ecosystem and resources therein" preferred Scenario C, while those who were primarily concerned about "overall employment security" favored Scenario B (maximizing the social objective).

"Those who believed that serious depletion of resources in the Danajon ecosystem is a possibility as a result of overfishing tended to favor Scenario C over Scenarios A and B, while respondents who showed a positive attitude towards control mechanisms in fisheries generally showed a preference for Scenario A," Bacalso observed. The latter reveals the respondents' strong economic motivation: Mechanisms that limit the number of fishers in a defined area, in this case the municipal waters of Talibon, reduce competition and therefore theoretically, generate higher profits for individual fishers.

But, Bacalso noted, "total annual catch" had a stronger influence than "total annual profits" on the respondents' choice decisions. This, she said, implies that for the average Talibon fisher, profits are less important than catch. "Considering that over 80 percent of the respondents reported average monthly incomes of less than Php5,000 and therefore are living below the poverty line, a hand-to-mouth existence explains the higher priority for the catch, which answers the immediate and basic food needs of the fishers and their families."

Bacalso also noted that "blue crabs biomass" had a stronger influence on the respondents' choices than "predator fish biomass" and "prey fish biomass". "Blue crabs as a fisheries resource are among the more abundant and highly marketable commodities in Danajon Bank," she explained. "Many fishers are able to take advantage of this resource as a source of income and livelihood, directly satisfying the economic and social objectives of the fisheries in Danajon. Moreover, the fishing gears used specifically to catch blue crabs are generally perceived to have a relatively low negative impact on the marine ecosystem, which adds to its positive appeal to the fishers."

Insights for sustainable fisheries

By representing hypothetical scenarios that each maximized only one of the three interrelated objectives of fisheries management, the study deliberately presented a false choice. In the Danajon fisheries setting where there is a large, resource-dependent, low-income population and a severely depleted resource base, there is no real choice between economic, social and ecological objectives, because all three are equally important and must be pursued if we are to achieve sustainable and responsible fisheries. Nevertheless the study revealed some insights that could prove useful in pushing an ecosystem-based sustainable fisheries management strategy at least for Talibon.

Based solely on the results of the study, the policy that would be most acceptable to majority of Talibon's fishers would be one that, according to Bacalso, "promotes the improvement of fish catches, secure fisheries employment, eliminate harmful fishing gears, and ensure the sustainability of the blue crabs resource." This, however, is not necessarily the most ideal scenario for sustainable fisheries to happen.

"Needless to say, fisheries management should be undertaken within an ecosystem-based framework taking into account the interplay of the socioeconomic and ecological components of the ecosystem," said Bacalso. "Although the simulations represented extreme cases, they nonetheless can serve as basis for discussion among the managers and stakeholders of a fisheries system to outline a policy that is representative of a more realistic and acceptable compromise of management objectives in order to make optimal use of fisheries resources in a responsible and sustainable manner."

For policy advocates, the study also offers valuable knowledge on which specific factors influence certain fisher-groups' choice decisions, allowing them to frame their messages in a way that would most appeal to their target audience.

Bacalso suggested that fishers could be influenced by exposure to the right information, messages and trainings. "There are indications, although not significant, that increased involvement in fisherfolk groups and resource management trainings increases the probability that a fisher would favor [maximizing the ecological objective]," she said. "Fisheries- and CRM-related trainings/seminars, as well as support to building and strengthening fisherfolk organizations, remain as wise investments for the municipality as these were shown to develop among the fishers a more holistic and more ecosystem-based perspective of their fisheries and marine resources."

According to a well-cited (albeit highly debated) social science theory, where the minority reaches between 15 percent and 40 percent membership, it becomes "strong enough to begin to influence the culture of the group" (Kanter 1977).

With a clear one-third of its fishers having an ecosystem-based perspective, Talibon would do well to begin vigorously promoting an ecosystem-based strategy for sustainable fisheries.

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Kanter, Rosabeth Moss. 1977a. "Some Effects of Proportions on Group Life." American Journal of Sociology 82 (5): 965--90. In Grey, Sandra. 2006. "Do Women Represent Women? Rethinking the 'Critical Mass' Debate." Politics & Gender, 2 (2006), 491–530. Cambridge University Press for The Women and Politics Research Section of the American Political Science Association. U.S.A.