The Political Ecology of the Seasonal Fishery Closure
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THE POLITICAL ECOLOGY OF THE SEASONAL FISHERY CLOSURE IN THE VISAYAN SEA, PHILIPPINES by Farisal Ungkakay- Bagsit July, 2020 Director of Dissertation: Dr. David C. Griffith Major Department: Coastal Studies The seasonal fishery closure (SFC) policy is an important initiative for protecting and conserving the fisheries and aquatic resources in the Philippines, yet there are many problems with its implementation. It lacks consideration of the human dimensions of resource management, and empirical evidence on its effects on the regulated species. Using mixed methods, this study is conducted to gain a better understanding of the effects of the SFC implemented in the Visayan Sea on the fishery resources and stakeholders, as well as the underlying factors that affect policy outcomes. Chapter 1 provides a brief background on the world fisheries, the Philippine fisheries sector, the SFC policy implemented in the Visayan Sea and its gaps, the objectives of this study and the research questions it attempts to address. Chapter 2 contains the necessary background to the Philippine fisheries, SFC experiences in other countries, a description of the political ecology theoretical framework and its application in this study, as well as examples of political ecology and related studies that have valuable insights and application in fisheries management. Chapter 3 discusses the materials and methods used in data gathering, processing and analysis. It also presents the research framework, description of the study sites and the respondents. Chapter 4 explores how knowledge and perceptions of municipal fisheries stakeholders about the SFC vary among the respondent groups and municipalities, and how this influence their compliance with the SFC. It also examines how the SFC policy affects people’s livelihoods, incomes, household dynamics, traditional practices, among other things. The political factors that undermine the conservation goals of the SFC in the Visayan Sea are likewise discussed. The last section of Chapter 4 presents the before-after control-impact (BACI) analysis that empirically tests reports of increasing fish stocks in the Visayan Sea. The conclusions and recommendations are provided in Chapters 5 and 6, respectively. The research outputs can contribute to improving the present management framework for Visayan Sea and in designing development programs that are in-sync with the specific needs and capacities of municipal fisheries stakeholders towards a more inclusive development in the Phlippine fisheries sector. THE POLITICAL ECOLOGY OF THE SEASONAL FISHERY CLOSURE IN THE VISAYAN SEA, PHILIPPINES A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the Department of Coastal Studies East Carolina University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree PhD in Coastal Resources Management by Farisal Ungkakay-Bagsit July, 2020 © Farisal Ungkakay-Bagsit, 2020 THE POLITICAL ECOLOGY OF THE SEASONAL FISHERY CLOSURE IN THE VISAYAN SEA, PHILIPPINES by Farisal Ungkakay-Bagsit APPROVED BY: DIRECTOR OF DISSERTATION: David C. Griffith, PhD in Anthropology COMMITTEE MEMBER: Rebecca G. Asch, PhD in Biological Oceanography COMMITTEE MEMBER: Cynthia A. Grace-McCaskey, PhD in Applied Anthropology COMMITTEE MEMBER: Holly M. Hapke, PhD in Geography COMMITTEE MEMBER: Harold M. Monteclaro, PhD in Fisheries Science DIRECTOR OF THE CRM PROGRAM Siddhartha Mitra, PhD in Marine Science DEAN OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL: Paul J. Gemperline, PhD ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This undertaking would have been impossible without the help of so many people and organizations. I am truly grateful to my Adviser, David Griffith, for the trust, generosity, guidance, and for giving me the freedom to explore new horizons. To my powerhouse panel: Dr. Cynthia Grace-McCaskey, Dr. Rebecca Asch, Dr. Holly Hapke, and Dr. Harold Monteclaro, your critical inputs may have kept me on the edge, but they are very helpful. I am likewise indebted to all the people who helped me during my labor-intensive fieldwork. To Carm and Joe, thank you for your hard work, patience, and humor, despite the challenging work schedule and environment. To my contacts, respondents, and informants, thank you for sharing your time, experiences, and thoughts about our country’s fisheries. I am blessed to have friends, near and far, who kept me in their prayers, their thoughts, and for lifting my spirit when things are going downhill. I am also comforted by the love and support of my family throughout this journey. To my Ama, who has always been my source of strength. To my Ina, for always reminding me to pray. To Nanay and Tatay for being our stronghold; thank you very much for the unconditional love and support to us. And most especially, to Odin, Sab, Mahdi, and my better half, Weff, thank you for your patience, understanding, and for keeping me motivated to get up and continue each day. You are all part of this great endeavor. I would also like to thank the Philippine-American Education Foundation for giving me the opportunity and honor to pursue my PhD in the USA as a Fulbright scholar. I am also thankful to the East Carolina University-Coastal Resources Management Program for providing me with the assistantship, for the fun and challenging experiences, and for preparing me for greater heights. To the University of the Philippines System, thank you for the fellowship grant. And finally, to my constituent university, the University of the Philippines Visayas, for allowing me to pursue further studies on study leave. TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................................. viii LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................................................. ix LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS................................................................................................... xii CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................1 CHAPTER 2. LOOKING AT THE VISAYAN SEA THROUGH A POLITICAL ECOLOGY LENS ..........................................................................................................................................9 CHAPTER 3. METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................. 32 Study sites ..................................................................................................................... 32 Research framework ...................................................................................................... 33 Sampling strategy and respondents ................................................................................ 34 Data gathering methods and analysis ............................................................................. 35 Semi-structured interviews ....................................................................................... 35 Focus Groups ........................................................................................................... 42 Key informant interviews ......................................................................................... 43 Before-after control-impact design analysis ............................................................. 44 Secondary data gathering ......................................................................................... 52 CHAPTER 4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION.......................................................................... 53 Respondent groups ........................................................................................................ 53 Municipal fishers ..................................................................................................... 53 Fish dryers ............................................................................................................... 54 Fish vendors/fish traders/fish brokers ....................................................................... 54 Local government unit representatives ..................................................................... 55 Fish wardens ............................................................................................................ 55 Philippine National Police-Maritime Group /Philippine Coast Guard ....................... 56 Knowledge and perceptions of municipal fisheries stakeholders about the SFC in the Visayan Sea .................................................................................. 57 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 57 Knowledge of municipal fisheries stakeholders about the SFC ................................. 59 Perceptions of fisheries stakeholders about the SFC ................................................. 74 Socio-economic and cultural impacts of the SFC in the Visayan Sea ............................. 87 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 87 Socio-economic impacts of the SFC ......................................................................... 89 Cultural impacts of the SFC ..................................................................................... 98 Coping mechanisms of affected stakeholders ......................................................... 102 Political factors that affect the implementation of the SFC in the Visayan Sea ............. 119 Introduction ..........................................................................................................