Volume 3 Issue 1, June 2015

Addressing Small Scale Fisheries Management through Participatory Action Research (PAR), an Experience from the

Lutgarda L. Tolentino WorldFish Philippine Country Office. c/o SEARCA, College, Laguna, 4031, Philippines Tel: +63-49-5362290 Fax: +63-49-5362290 E-mail: [email protected]

Lily Ann D. Lando WorldFish Philippine Country Office. c/o SEARCA, College, Laguna, 4031, Philippines Tel: +63-49-5362290 Fax: +63-49-5362290 E-mail: [email protected]

Len R. Garces WorldFish Philippine Country Office. c/o SEARCA, College, Laguna, 4031, Philippines Tel: +63-49-5362290 Fax: +63-49-5362290 E-mail: [email protected]

Maripaz L. Perez WorldFish Philippine Country Office. c/o SEARCA, College, Laguna, 4031, Philippines Tel: +63-49-536 2290 Fax: +63-49-5362290 E-mail: [email protected]

Claudia B. Binondo WorldFish Philippine Country Office. c/o SEARCA, College, Laguna, 4031, Philippines Tel: +63-49-5362290 Fax: +63-49-5362290 E-mail: [email protected]

Jane Marina Apgar World Fish Center, Jalan Batu Maung, Batu Maung, 19960, Bayan Lepas, Penang, Malaysia Tel: +60-46-202133 Fax: +60-46-26553 E-mail: [email protected]

(Received: April 06, 2015; Reviewed: April 20, 2015; Accepted: May 26, 2015)

Abstract: This case demonstrates the potential of addressing small scale fisheries management through participatory action research (PAR) in one of the CRP 1.3/AAS sites in the Philippines. Following the iterative process of PAR, a series of focus group discussions (FGDs) to reflect on the issues and concerns of small scale fishermen (SSF) in Barangay Binitinan, , , Philippines was carried out from February to May, 2014. This was followed by the conduct of consultative workshop among stakeholders in SSF in June 2014, the main objective of which was to develop a collective action plan for the management of said resource. The FGDs employed facilitated iteration and reflection of issues affecting various groups of small scale fishing community, while the Consultative Workshop among stakeholders used the appreciation-influence-control model of participatory stakeholder engagement (Ratner 2011).Consequently, various stakeholders of small scale fisheries begin to understand, appreciate and take actions together. A feeling of trust and confidence among them begin to develop which enabled them to craft a collective action plan on sustainable management and governance of municipal waters and fisheries resources. Aside from these outcomes, these processes led to the admission of “sahid” (beach seine) operators that they are indeed using illegal gear, that their gear would be replaced by the legal one by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), that the Law Enforcers would implement the Law and the small scale fishermen would abide the rules and would be

[103 ] International Journal of Agriculture System (IJAS) apprehended by Law Enforcers once they violate the rules and the LGUs asking stakeholders to feedback the amendments necessary to make municipal ordinances well fitted to them. Another major outcome of these processes was the identification of research topics which the stakeholders identified to be necessary so that science-based productivity and governance decisions can be put in place. All of these activities fall within the PAR processes. Keywords: Participatory Action Research; small scale fisheries; governance

1. Introduction resources have been put in place (La Viña The importance of capture fisheries, 2001). Therefore, learning how to improve especially small scale fisheries (SSF) or mu- governance is an important concern, espe- nicipal fisheries, as a source of nutrition, em- cially among SSF in the Philippines. ployment and income for many coastal areas Coming up with appropriate gover- especially rural poor can hardly be overesti- nance arrangements for SSF are not easy to mated (World Bank/FAO/WorldFish 2010). put in place. This is because these are located This is particularly true in the Philippines, in complex socio-ecological aquatic agricul- where about 56% of its 1634 municipalities tural systems where there are many resource are along the coasts. The Philippine Fisheries users with differential power and conflict- Law (Republic Act 8550) defines the munic- ing interests.. These are further aggravated ipal fishers as individuals using fishing ves- by disconnected efforts, unclear division of sels of three (3) gross tons or less or do not responsibilities, or poor responsiveness to require the use of fishing vessel. Their fish- local needs on the part of government, pri- ing grounds are within the municipal fishing vate sector, or civil society groups. All of waters or not more than 15 kilometers from these factors make their governance very the shoreline. The municipal or small-scale complex. Overcoming these governance ob- fishers are usually challenged with depleted stacles requires processes that enable diverse fishery habitats, intensified resource com- stakeholders to build mutual understanding petition and conflict, post- harvest losses, of their obstacles and opportunities, explore limited institutional capabilities, inadequate/ options for influencing change, and take ac- inconsistent fisheries policies, weak law en- tions that help achieve collective priorities. forcement, and weak institutional partner- By bringing all key stakeholders into the ships. Its deterioration started as early as the process ensures that multiple perspectives 1970s (Muallil et al., 2014) but initial signs are represented, that local actors have oppor- of severe depletion of fish stocks to the level tunities to influence each other’s understand- indicative of biological and economic over- ing, and ultimately builds commitments to fishing became manifested in the 1990s. This action that would not be possible through is despite the fact that several management an outsider’s analysis alone. This is where frameworks ranging from co-management, the use participatory action research (PAR) community-based management and inte- can be of utmost significance to bring about grated coastal zone management and formu- transformational change to all of its stake- lations of laws and policies to protect SSF holders.

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Governance emerges from the interac- plementation; and finally, how it facilitated tions of many actors, from the private sec- the process of change among stakeholders tor up to civil society organizations. It can as well as in helping identify research topics be formally institutionalized or expressed that will answer some of the pressing con- through subtle norms of interaction or even cerns of the community to solve their gover- more indirectly by influencing the agendas nance challenges. and shaping the contexts in which actors contest decisions and determine access to 2. PAR and the Challenge of Small Scale resources (Lebel et al., 2006). It is about Fisheries Management how decisions are made on matters of pub- The use of participatory action re- lic importance (Ratner 2013) as expressed search (PAR) is one of the Research in De- through discursive debates, negotiation, me- velopment (RinD) approaches of the CGIAR diation, conflict resolution, elections, public Research Program on Aquatic Agricultural consultations, protests, and other decision- Systems or CRP 1.3/AAS. The CRP 1.3/ making processes (Lebel et al., 2006). It AAS is a multi-year research initiative includes people’s authority to use, manage, launched in July 2011, which is designed and influence the use of natural resources to pursue community-based approaches to through formal legal and institutional frame- agricultural research and development that work such as laws and regulations as well target the poorest and most vulnerable rural as the informal sets of norms, traditions, households in aquatic agricultural systems. social networks, and power relationships Led by WorldFish, a member of the CGIAR that guide and constrain the interactions of Consortium, the program is partnering with stakeholders with one another and with the diverse organizations working at local, na- natural environment. Governance is struc- tional and global levels to help achieve im- tures and processes by which societies share pacts at scale. power, shapes individual and collective ac- The CRP 1.3/AAS in the Philippines tions (Young as cited by Lebel et al., 2006). operates in selected sites in the Visayas and Therefore, it is not the sole purview of the regions, which we named VisMin state through government. Hub. There are eight communities or ba- This paper is about the use of Partici- rangays in the VisMin Hub where we have patory Action Research (PAR) and how it started our work. These are in Barangay can influence change among stakeholders in Pinamgo in the Municipality of Bien Unido, small scale fisheries. It is made up of the fol- Bohol Province; Barangay Mancilang in the lowing sections: an articulation of why the Municipality of Madridejos, Cebu Province; use of participatory action research (PAR) Barangays Maac and Mahayahay in the Mu- is a good way to go for addressing the gov- nicipality of Sogod, Southern Leyte Prov- ernance challenges of managing small scale ince; Barangay Galas (Upper and Coastal) fisheries; a discussion of the context of the in Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte Prov- community where it is implemented; its im- ince; and Barangays Binitinan and Waterfall

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in the Municipality of Balingasag, Misamis of the program through PAR, to understand Oriental Province. better how agricultural research can leverage In CRP 1.3/AAS, research is not only development outcomes and impact. They ar- used as a problem solving device, but more gue that, using iterations of acting and re- importantly as a device to empower and flecting, PAR is a participatory process of in- support people who depend upon aquatic quiry which seeks to answer questions about agricultural systems (particularly the most real life concerns to improve the wellbeing marginalized) in a development process that of those engaged. “It seeks to bring together they themselves define. The program aims action and reflection, theory and practice, to achieve this by using Participatory Ac- in participation with others, in the pursuit tion Research (PAR) to implement research of practical solutions to issues of pressing that fosters empowerment and collective concern to people, and more generally the learning. Following the iterative process- flourishing of individual persons and their es of planning, implementing, observing communities.” (Reason & Bradbury as cited and reflecting stages of PAR, Apgar and by Apgar and Douthwaite 2013). Apgar and Douthwaite (2013) believe opportunities for Douthwaite (2013) further argue that unlike transformative change will emerge that can most research endeavors that present ex post potentially bring lasting benefit to the mar- findings, research through PAR process is ginalized. Embedding research in the de- dynamic and continuous, enabling feedback velopment context makes people learn and in real time. The participatory and action ori- critical of their present state and begin to ented focus builds ownership of the process think of possible ways to move forward and by the participants, who learn through their yet mindful of whose learning and develop- own experiences and are able to change their ment are supported. On the other side, CRP own lives and social worlds. The schematic 1.3/AAS aims to learn from implementation representation of this is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Schematic representation of operationalization of PAR (Source: http://emedia.rmit.edu.au/edjournal/?q=book/export/html/279)

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According to Apgar and Douthwaite 3. Research Context (2013), PAR starts when a group of co- Binitinan and Waterfall are coastal researchers (includes stakeholders and re- communities in Balingasag, Misamis Ori- searchers) plan to do something in order to ental. They are the two of the focal sites of improve upon a real life concern. Next, dur- CRP1.3 /AAS Program in the Philippines. ing the acting step, the group intervenes in The majority of households in these com- some way in the social context. The observ- munities are the poorest, most marginalized ing step is concerned with identifying the and vulnerable who depend on fishing. Dur- consequences of actions, and finally, in the ing the first visioning and action planning reflecting step, the group “makes sense” of of these communities in August 2013, one what has happened through thinking about of their priority dreams is the enforcement how it fits with the group’s experience and of fishery laws. Such dream falls within the theories. third initiative of the house framework of The use of PAR to address governance the VisMin Hub (i.e., enhance and effective issues among SSF may help solve its chal- governance structure). The premise of their lenges. Issues on policy development, insti- dream is the uncontrolled access of com- tutional capability development and equity mercial fishermen into their municipal wa- in access to resources are least prioritized in ters, use of illegal fishing methods and nets most community-based management proj- among them and the inability of Law En- ects in the Philippines (Pomeroy and Carlos forcers to implement fishery laws. 2004). These cause their declining fish catch, These might have not been even ad- which consequently leads to low income, dressed by most community-based manage- which further leads to less access to food and ment projects. According to Pomeroy and difficulty of sending their children to school. Carlos (2004) there has been discrepancy Thus, in their action plans, they wanted to between reported activities and project ob- implement the use of appropriate fishing jectives in community-based management gear and equipment and the reactivation of projects as a review of these projects indi- fish wardens (AAS Team Philippines 2014 a, cates that the top three reported objectives b) to guard their municipal waters. Though were on resource assessment and monitor- they distrust the fish wardens, they want ing, resource protection and conservation, them reactivated, nevertheless. The distrust and resource rehabilitation. But when actual come from the allegations that these war- activities or ‘interventions’ of these com- dens were oftentimes easily be bribed by of- munity-based management projects were fenders or LGU officials who would always examined, the topmost activity was focused intervene on behalf of the offenders. on community organizing, followed by in- During the community mobilization tervention on education, training and skills and community visioning and action plan- development. ning exercises conducted by CRP1.3/AAS

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Program, the staff noted some of the conflict- operation. On the part of off shore fishermen ing discourses that these communities have and their “mangangabay”, their sharing ar- regarding the fish wardens and their desire rangement is to deduct from the amount of to acquire a commercial fishing vessel called the fish catch the expenses for fuel and boat “tapay” (fish lift nets). A “tapay” is prohib- depreciation cost, the remaining amount is ited to fish in municipal waters as prescribed subdivided equally among the team mem- in RA 8550 or the Philippine Fisheries Code bers. At the end of the day, the share of each of 1998. These made the CRP1.3/AAS team member is also very nil. to further engage with them to understand The “sahid” group is alleged to be il- where these conflicting discourses were legal fishers as they use very fine mesh nets coming from. The CRP 1.3/AAS team real- (mesh sizes less than three (3) cm between ized later that fishermen in these villages are two (2) opposite knots of a full mesh when socially differentiated and stratified. There stretched). They are alleged to catch the ju- are “sahid” and “baling-baling” groups as veniles and destroy the corals. The thought well as those who fish using motorized boats of their being illegal seems to have allowed and those who fish with non-motorized boats other small scale fishermen to verbally or called “baroto”. The sahid group is the most sometimes physically abuse them. They are numerous, does not own boats, and fish up to the poorest and most marginalized sector of about one meter deep water only. small scale fishing community. They have The sahid fishers are further divided the least capitalization to engage in fishing into “manahiray” and “mangangabay. The operations, catch the least demanded and “manahiray” are those who own the fishing preferred fish species and sell to consumers net, while the “mangangabay” are those who who have the least market voice, the poorest provide labor. There are also sharing arrange- in the community. ment and labor availability issues associated The “sahid” group on the other hand in various sub-groups. The sharing arrange- argued that, they should not be perceived as ment between the “manahiray” and “man- illegal. Their main argument for this is not gangabay” is 50/50. The 50% of the “ma- based on their use of a particular small mesh nahiray” accrues to him/her only but he/she nets but on the way they pursue their live- shoulders the repair/mending of the broken lihood. Engaging in “sahid” operation as a nets. The 50% share of the “mangangabay” source of livelihood is a clean way of liv- is equally divided among them. Thus, one of ing, according to them. In fact, they vehe- their issues is the very low/nil income they mently denied using fine mesh nets. They get from their participation in sahid. This is even compared their “sahid” nets with those especially true if they almost catch nothing who fished through “baling-baleng”1, also which is often times the case. On the other another type of beach seine. They are al- hand, the “manahiray” complains about the leged to destroy the coral reef. But they also unpredictability of the “mangangabay’s” la- denied this as their nets do not touch the bor. Sometimes, they do not like to join the bottom. They would not even like to fish in

[ 108 ] Volume 3 Issue 1, June 2015 coral areas as their nets would be entangled. Binitinan), which supposedly is to augment As to the allegation that they catch the juve- small scale fishermen’s livelihood opportu- niles, they alleged that those who catch the nities limits their fishing ground. They con- spawners like the offshore fishermen should tend that the 200 hectares occupied by Mari- be illegal too. While nobody openly articu- culture Park could have been their fishing lates that they should be decimated based on ground. They are barred from coming near the discourse about them, they are also per- it for fear that they would break the nets. In ceived as hindrance to the easy passage of fact they thought that fish population is con- other small scale fishermen from the shore centrating under the Mariculture Park be- to the sea and vice-versa. Their being illegal cause of excess feeds. Even the river mouth is seemingly supported by social control like in Binitinan is inaccessible to them because ostracism, direct verbal and physical harass- it has been used as a conditioning area for ment and ordinances, thus completing the bangus fingerlings for Mariculture Park. requirements for the institutionalization of The law on the non-incursion of com- perception about their illegality. mercial fishers into municipal waters is dif- Aside from the fact that different sub ficult to implement as small scale fishers and groups of fishermen in the municipal- wa commercial fishers are either cooperating, or ters are competing for the use of the same in conflict with each other. This is happen- resource system, the commercial fishermen ing when these two groups spotted a school also compete with them. Based on RA 8550 of fish within municipal waters. Since small otherwise known as Philippine Fisheries scale fishermen’s capacity to catch is small, Code of 1998, commercial fishers should not they would allow the commercial fishers to enter into municipal waters. But this provi- fish the area on the condition that they would sion of the RA 8550 is often times violated be given a share of the catch. If such is the by commercial fishers. case, the small scale fishermen would not Aside from competition among small complain about the commercial fishers’ en- scale fishermen and between the small scale try into municipal waters. On the other hand, fishermen and commercial ones who intrude if these two groups would not reach such a into municipal waters, they also argued that deal, then small scale fishers would com- there are many of them eking a living from plain against them. the same resource. Further, their resource Because of their heterogeneity and system is already polluted from industrial the many daily cooperation and contestation and household wastes. All of these are con- they have against each other, their dreams sistent with the findings of Muallil et al. and discourses are contradictory at times. It (2014) study which states growing popu- is observed that the complaint of those who lation, pollution and competition between attended the first visioning and action plan- small and big scale fishermen as issues af- ning of these barangays on illegal fishermen fecting them. The presence of Mariculture is not just referring to commercial fishermen Park in Waterfall (an adjacent barangay of intruding into municipal waters but also to

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those “sahid” and “baling-baling” groups islations. Their social and economic position who used illegal mesh nets within municipal is better than that of the “sahid”. waters. But their dream of having a “tapay” is a manifestation of their desire to catch as 4. The Research Process much as the commercial fishers in the mu- The contradictory stance of small- nicipal waters. scale fishermen’s discourses as well as their All of the above are indications of the relationships with one another and other various schemes of cooperation, manipu- stakeholders motivated us to dig deeper into lation and contestation happening in their their issues by consciously applying the fa- daily interactions with one another and other cilitated iterative reflection of their issues stakeholders. These are also indications of and concerns for them to surface out and unequal power distribution among users of a verbalize how they think they should be re- common-pool resource system. As Foucault solved. Their heterogeneity guided us to spe- as cited by Clement (2013), discourses are cifically organize the FGDs to consist of “sa- important instrument to effect power at stra- hid” group, off shore fishermen with boats, tegic level. They can significantly affect the and the “baroto” group. The series of FGDs role of actors and drive institutional change were conducted in February and May, 2014. by framing the way problems are perceived Our FGDs were framed with two ma- and potential solutions imagined and de- jor objectives. One is to unpack the issues bated. Our interactions with “sahid” and off affecting small-scale fishermen and the com- shore fishermen indicate this. Both of them munities that depend on them; and, to identify allege each other of illegal practices. But the potential interventions to address their issues voice of off shore fishermen is louder than and concerns that eventually enable them re- those of the “sahid” and “baling-baling” alize their dreams. These results guided us in groups not only because of RA 8550, also the conduct of consultative workshop which known as Philippine Fisheries Code of 1997 was held on June 30, 2014 in People’s Pal- but also of National Integrated Protected Ar- ace, Balingasag, Misamis Oriental. The Con- eas System Act of 1992 and other local leg- sultative Workshop was founded on the use

FGD session conducted by Field Research Assistant

[ 110 ] Volume 3 Issue 1, June 2015 of Appreciation-Influence-Control (AIC) of and more, representatives from the Munici- participatory stakeholder engagement (Rat- pal and Barangay LGUs, the Regional Di- ner 2011, Ratner 2014). It is a whole systems rector of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic approach to stakeholder interaction, analy- Resources (BFAR), officers and men of Law sis and collaborative planning. It entails a Enforcement agencies of the Philippine Na- shared appreciation of the context for the tional Police under the Balingasag Local issue at hand, sharing experience with the Government Unit (PNP/Balingasag LGU), aim of influencing others’ perspectives and Philippine National Police/Maritime (PNP/ preferences for potential courses of action, Maritime) and BFAR’s Quick Response and finally narrowing in on the particular Team (QRT). The small scale fisher repre- realm of actions within an individual’s or sentatives were chosen from those who at- group’s control (Ratner et al., 2014). By dis- tended the series of FGDs. composition of tinguishing factors that can be appreciated, participants and their nested levels of power, influenced, and controlled, the model makes organization and purpose are shown in the explicit recognition of the whole context for Table 1. action and power of the different actors who The Consultative Workshop on the are either directly engaged or who have in- Sustainability and Governance of Small fluence on the outcomes (Smith as cited by Scale Fishermen had the following objec- Ratner 2014). Therefore, in identifying the tives: key actors of the Consultative Workshop, 1. To present the various national, re- we were conscious of their different degrees gional and local legislations affecting and bases of power and the manner they use small scale fisheries; such. 2. To discuss the issues and concerns on small scale fishermen management in The Consultative Workshop was at- Binitinan and Waterfall; and, tended by 85 participants coming from the 3. To identify specific activities and strat- groups of small scale fishermen, commercial egies that could be pursued to promote fishers or those classified by law as taking sustainable management and gover- fishery species for profit beyond subsistence nance strategies of small scale fisher- and using fishing vessels of 3.1 gross tons ies in Balingasag.

Photo taken during the Consultative Workshop on 30 June 2014

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Table 1. Breakdown of participants at the consultative workshop for small scale fishers.

Institutions Male Female Total Mandate Balingasag Municipal Government 3 3 6 Implement management,  Office of the Mayor conservation, development,  Office of the Vice Mayor protection, utilization and disposition  Office of the Sangguniang Bayan of all fisheries and aquatic resources  Office of the Municipal Agricultural in municipal waters Officer (MAO) Barangay Local Government 1 3 4 Implement management,  Binitinan (2) conservation, development,  Waterfall (2) protection, utilization and disposition of all fisheries and aquatic resources in municipal waters Small Scale Fishers 9 14 23  Binitinan (15)  Waterfall (8) Commercial Fishersi 9 11 20  (13)  (7) Bureau of Fisheries & Aquatic Resources X 16 3 19  Office of the Regional Director (3)  Fisheries Resources Management Division (2)  Research/Training Services (1)  Fisheries Law Enforcement Section - Quick Response Team (13) PNP/Maritime Command X 4 0 4 To police Philippine waters PNP/Balingasag LGU 2 1 3 To police municipal domains WorldFish 3 3 6 Total 47 38 85

There were two major sessions con- off from 1 to 3 and were grouped according tained in the Consultative workshop, the In- to their number: 1) Sustainability; 2) Gover-

put and the Workshop Sessions. The Input nance; and 3) Research. Session was composed of the following pre- In groups 1 and 2, participants dis- sentations: 1) National and Regional Small cussed issues arising from the sustainabil- Scale Fishery Laws like regulation on the use ity and governance of small scale fisheries of fine mesh net, prohibition on the use of ac- in Balingsag. Essentially, this meant small tive gear in municipal waters, regulation and scale fisheries in the Macajalar Bay. After ban on some fishery resources, regulation agreeing on the issues, the group then agreed and prohibition of selected fishing gear used on actions to address the issues and identi- in municipal waters and definition of com- fied the specific actors for each, as well as mercial and municipal waters; 2) Municipal the timeline for the agreed actions. In group Laws/Ordinances on Small Scale Fisheries; 3, participants discussed possible research- and, 3) Issues and Concerns among Small able topics to support actions to sustain and Scale Fishermen in Binitinan and Waterfall. govern small scale fisheries. The group did After the Input Session in the morning, par- not make an action plan as these research- ticipants moved into working group discus- able topics will be presented to fishing com- sions in the afternoon. Participants counted munities for them to become partners of the

[112 ] Volume 3 Issue 1, June 2015 research process. To ensure that everybody others. During the workshops of the Consul- would be able to participate in the workshop, tative Workshop, the groups on sustainabil- each participant was required to write on a ity, governance and research groups were meta card the issues affecting small scale composed of people of various power and fisheries, and how he/she thought to solve authority. The issues that they raised dur- it. Then these metacards were grouped by ing the workshop reflected where they were the group. The workshop session laid the coming from and yet were able to come up groundwork for the development of a road- with action plans. Some of concrete exam- map for sustainable management and gover- ples of these are the desire of commercial nance of small scale fisheries in Balingasag fishermen to amend RA 8550 to enable them in the form of an action plan. After the group to fish legally within the municipal waters. discussions, each group appointed a member The Law Enforcers expressed their desire to present the group output in plenary. to implement the fishery laws. The “sahid” group expressed their desire to follow the law but requested support for them to change their gear from the illegal to legal one. For the others, they wanted the amendment of the fishery laws by increasing the penalty of the violators. The trust and confidence generated through deliberation of various stakeholders allowed “sahid” fishers from Brgy. Biniti- nan to admit that their fishing gear does not follow the prescribed mesh size. Therefore, the allegation of their being illegal fishers has basis. They have denied this for almost 5. Key Learning/Findings 40 years. Their admission carried an appeal One of the outstanding outcomes to other stakeholders that they need help to of these series of FGDs and Consultative find alternative livelihood. A “sahid” fisher- Workshop was the open discussion of the is- man said, “karong nabal-an na gyud namo sues and concerns of the various stakehold- mismo sa inyo nga mga law enforcer nga ers of municipal waters. While the different bawal gyud diay ang among panagatan, stakeholders were not openly discussing karon kung wag tangon ang among sahid these before, the application of facilitated unsa na man pud ang among ibuhi sa among iteration of issues and concerns among the mga pamilya?.Mahimo ba nga tabangan mi various groups of small scale fishermen and ninyo mahatag ano gikabuhi sa among mga the appreciation-influence-control model al- anak og pamilya? (Now that we have heard lowed all stakeholders to express their side from the law enforcers that our fishing gear without fear of being rejected or ridiculed by is illegal, if you are going to confiscate our

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gear, then how are we going to support our juveniles are caught? If in the uplands families? Can you extend any help to us to there are laws preventing illegal support our children and families?). logging, it is also true in the coastal areas where the use of fine nets is Then another “sahid” fisherman said, illegal and one of it, is “sahid”). if indeed our fishing gear is illegal then we asked the government to provide livelihood The sense of acceptance for the part options. Then a motorized boat fisher said of the sahid group was not that easy because that the provisions of the law on the use of according to BFAR, they need to surrender marine resources must be respected and im- all the gear and these must be burned to be plemented. assured that they would not be used anymore. The conduct of facilitated iteration of For the “sahid” owners, seeing their gear issues and concerns was a tedious process of burned would be painful as it has symbolic balancing the objectives of each participant meaning for them. One of the “sahid” owners in the group. But the reflection part of the verbalized if it was possible that the gear process brought the participants to a higher would not be confiscated but assured that level of consciousness to consider not only they would not use it. It could be utilized the present time and their individual needs in other form like fence for chickens at and priorities. As one of the FGD participants home. What was more important according said: to them was their willingness to adapt to changes and the legal way of fishing. One of Karun na sayod nag ayuda kong agra- beh gyud ka illegal ang among gamit the “sahid” owners even added that unlike sa pagpanagat kay apil mutanga ka- before when she was not attending meetings dako sa isda makuha man sa among and assemblies which made her not well panagatan. Ug nakahunahuna akong informed of the laws and ordinances, but akinahanglan wag tangon gayud ang now it is more different, it is very good to be among klase sa panagatan kay unsa naman lang kaha ang mamahimong informed and be part of the community and kuha sa among mga anak inig dagko trying to influence first her family members. na nila kung kami karung ipangkuha Another major outcome of Consultative na ang mga gagmay nga isdang adili Workshop is the recognition of the local manganinamo mapahimuslan? Kung government through its Vice Mayor that their sa kabukiran anaay balaod sa pagdili sa pagpamotol sa mga kahoy, ingun municipal ordinances are already obsolete diay punang mahitabo dri sa kada- and that there is a need for widespread gatan diing idili punang maong klase understanding of laws and ordinances and to sa panagatan nga sahid. this end recommended that the appropriate (Now I have learned how illegal our laws be translated to the local dialect and practices that even the smallest fish in popularized. As well, she said that some the sea were caught by our fishing gear. And I have realized that this should laws and ordinances are actually outdated be stopped right away because what and thus need revision. Some may even be will then be the future of fishermen if irrelevant in the present context.

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For this, she solicited the assistance interaction is represented in three dimensions of the body for suggestions/ideas on how as nested levels of power, organization and these outdated laws and ordinances can be purpose. Critically, power is conceived not updated/revised/improved or how some as a zero-sum game (one’s gain is another’s new ones can be enacted. An example of loss) but as a realm that can be expanded as this is the municipal ordinance on danggit/ different actors identify together with higher siganids. There should have a more technical levels of common purpose, and then organize or scientific data to pinpoint exactly what to achieve the goals aligned for that purpose type of management control should be (Ratner 2011). implemented and to determine its exact area. After the Consultative Workshop, the Then finally the Regional Director implementation of the gear swapping (re- of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Re- placement) for the “sahid” was conducted on sources said, “Let us all work together to October 29, 2014. It was attended by the Un- help one another”. She also advised every- dersecretary of Department of Agriculture one that we need to clarify our terminologies and concurrent Director of the Bureau of the so that in discussing fishing gear a beach Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), seine is a beach seine for everyone. In the the BFAR 10 Regional Director, the May- same way, there should be a common under- or and the Vice-Mayor of Balingasag, Law standing of closed season and mesh size. But Enforcer personnel from the Local Govern- the most important outcome of the Consulta- ment, Maritime and Quick Response Team, tive Workshop is the framing of the action representatives from the Barangay LGU and plans on sustainability, governance and the the “sahid” operators. Twenty (20) “sahid” identification of research topics which can fisher beneficiaries received new gillnets and help guide the implementation of sustainable boat engines. The fishers in turn surrendered management and governance of municipal their “sahid” nets to local government for water resources. disposal. According to Ostrom as cited by Crona and Bodin (2010), initiation of collective 6. Lessons Learned action in resource management contexts is 6.1 Provision of “Safe Spaces” largely dependent on common understanding A major lesson derived from this ini- of the problem and how it can be solved. tiative is the significance of providing “safe When attempting to move or transform a spaces” for people to discuss their issues system characterized by ongoing resource and concerns without fear of being ridiculed depletion to a state of more ecologically or judged by others. This is consistent with sustainable resource governance, the ability the belief that participation builds trust, and of stakeholders to subscribe to such a shared deliberation leads to understanding needed vision is of particular importance (cf. sense- to mobilize and self-organize (Lebel et al., making) (Olsson et al. as cited by Crona and 2006). Leeuwis as cited by Lebel (2006) Bodin 2010). Conceptually, this dynamic states, deliberation is a process of open com-

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munication, discussion and reflection among We never had any misfortunes before. But actors who have alternative viewpoints and as it appears now sahid is actually illegal. understanding. When it works well, delib- I then called meeting for all sahid fishers to eration makes it possible to learn about the gather ideas on what to do so we do not lose various views and motivations of others even our livelihood. All sahid fishers agreed that when their positions remain fixed (Schusler we will never abandon this kind of fishing as cited by Lebel 2006). This is consistent as this is the only livelihood that we have. with the appreciation part of the AIC mod- It is, without doubt, difficult to put an end el. In all of these, WorldFish has provided to something that we have been doing ever the bridging and brokering of relationships since. It was passed on to us by our elders among stakeholders and catalyze their ac- and is being practiced for forty years now. tions. I never expected that someone would ever look for me one day. I wondered who 6.2 Ownership of the Process of Change they were. I met them – Vianney of BFAR, While it is still early to argue that Karen from the municipal’s office, and their transformational change among the stake- colleagues. They asked for the kind of liveli- holders is already underway, the ownership hood that we have. I said it is only fishing. of the process of change is becoming mani- Many months passed, I was again called fest. In one of the monthly reports of the for a meeting. I received good news from Community Immersion Team (CIT), it was this meeting – that there are solutions to all stated that the community was very thank- our problems. WorldFish came to our lives ful of the AAS process. They felt deeply the and we listened to everything they said even changes and recognized the importance of though they did not promise anything. Their strong participation which led them to step main purpose is to guide us in solving our by step owning their issues and willingness problems. for a change. This only shows they are learn- Months later, WorldFish eventually ing, the way they talk and accept mistakes discussed about sahid fishing. They even are signs of changes. These are evidenced observed how it is being done. They have by the following story written during the seen our catch as well. Even the small fishes Knowledge Fairs of one of the participants: are unavoidably being caught by the sahid. And they have seen it. Months passed and 6.3 Life of the Sahid Fishers we were again gathered in the town of Bal- Story told by Sabeniano Subalan, ingasag. Last 30 June (2014), a Consulta- fisher: tive Dialogue was held and there, all their You can call me Ben. Fishing is our concerns about sahid were deliberated. We only means of livelihood. The type of fish- were all there with the different agencies of ing that we do uses a gear what we call sa- the government and WorldFish. There, we hid. For quite a long time now, our family came to understand everything, that is, sa- has been dependent on this type of fishing. hid does bring damage to our seas. And so,

[ 116 ] Volume 3 Issue 1, June 2015 the sahid fishers were awakened like realized of cooperation, roles and responsibilities they were wrong. of stakeholders involved are well laid out, WorldFish brought about significant then trusting one another is not difficult to changes to us, sahid fishers. We did not ex- achieve. A cooperative multi stakeholder pect a change in our views with regard to our platform is achieved as shown in this case. livelihood. This [CRP 1.3/AAS Program] has 9. Networks and Cross Scale Linkages also taught us to realize the power of dream- Networks of fishers among themselves ing. We will only hope for the fulfillment of and across scales were established as a result BFAR’s promise of giving out nets and pump of all these processes. Before the AAS com- boat in exchange for sahid through their munity engagement in Balingasag, stake- Gear Swapping Program. We are grateful holders of small scale fisheries were not dis- for the CRP 1.3/AAS and WorldFish as they cussing how they can be of help and support helped us with means so we can put an end to each other. The Law Enforcers from the to sahid fishing in our place.” local government units up to regional insti- 7. Tipping the Balance of Power is In- tutions, while wanting to apprehend the law dicative of Equity in Process and Out- violators just closed their eyes. But the Con- comes sultative Workshop brought them together The Consultative Workshop was at- for a discussion to come up with strategies tended by stakeholders from various organi- on how to help each other. Thus, networks zations of power and authority. All of them within and cross scale linkages are estab- are responsible for the implementation of lished. A very concrete example of this is RA 8550 and the municipal ordinances. Rec- the inclusion of the 20 “sahid” fishers as ognizing that all of them have responsibili- part of National Stock Assessment Program ties to implement the law made them real- (NSAP) of BFAR’s catch monitoring. All ize their “power within”. As they part of a these indicate that as shown in Figure 2, the system that is interdependent to one another, processes of planning, acting, observing and the success or failure of any initiative that reflecting are part and parcel of every step of they are part of would not succeed without community visioning and action planning, their cooperation. The words of the BFAR review of action plans, deepening engage- Regional Director 10 admonishing every- ment, development of new action plans, and body to help one another is a key message to implementation of specific PAR plans. support each other. 10. Fostering conditions for transforma- 8. Collective Action Plan tion Crafting a collective action plan is Conditions for transformation have not that easy when participants in its de- been put in place. There are symbolisms at- sign come from various points of view and tached to the gear swapping ceremony that have differential power. However, when an took place on October 29, 2014. While it improved sense of clarity about the purpose was painful for the “sahid” fishers to -sur

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Figure 2. PAR research funnel in community engagement (adapted from Nurick& Apgar, 2015)

render their nets, their gesture symbolizes review of action plans, deepening engage- their readiness to embark on a new way of ment, development of new action plans, and doing their fishing. On the part of the BFAR, implementation of specific PAR plans. In so it was able to reach out to these people who doing, the program participants become re- have been pain in their necks for a long time. flexive so as to ensure that sustainable and Agreeing with one another and coming up equitable change is created by them and for with an action plan on how to manage and them. The use of PAR has demonstrated the govern their fisheries resources is an indica- potential for transformation of mind sets, tion of change in people’s behavior, attitudes attitudes, relationships within and across and mindsets. stakeholders. It also demonstrates how re- search through PAR can identify research- 11. Conclusion able topics that are of use to the community This paper concludes by illustrating and to the development stakeholders. how integrated is the iterative process of PAR in the whole process of community en- References gagement of the CRP1.3/AAS program. The AAS Team Philippines (a). (2014). Proceed- processes of planning, acting, observing and ings of the Community Visioning and reflecting are part and parcel of every step Action Planning in Barangay Biniti- of community visioning and action planning, nan, Balingasag, Misamis Oriental.

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CGIAR Research Program on Aquatic ICLARM Technical Report 60.212 p. Agricultural Systems. Penang, Malay- Lebel, L., J.M. Anderies, B. Campbell, C sia. Folke, S. Hatfield-Dodds, T.P. Hughes AAS Team Philippines (b). (2014). Proceed- and J. Wilson. (2006). Governance and ings of the Community Visioning and the capacity to manage resilience in Action Planning in Barangay Water- regional-ecological systems.Ecology fall, Balingasag, Misamis Oriental. and Society. 11(1): 19. [online]: http:// CGIAR Research Program on Aquatic www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol11/ Agricultural Systems. Penang, Malay- iss1/art19/. sia. Muallil, R. N., SS. Mamauag, J. Cababaro, Apgar, M., Douthwaite, B. (2013). Partici- H.O Arceo and J.P. Alino. (2014). patory Action Research in the CGIAR Catch trends in Philippine small scale Research Program on Aquatic Agri- fisheries over the last five decades: The cultural Systems. CGIAR Research Fishers’ perspectives. Marine Policy Program on Aquatic Agricultural 47(2014): 110-117.uy. Systems. Penang, Malaysia. Program Nayak, P. K., L. E. Oliviera, and F. Berkes. Brief: AAS-2013-27. (2014). Resource degradation margin- Begossi, A. (2006). Temporal stability in alization, and poverty in small scale fishing spots: conservation and co- fisheries: threats to social-ecological management in Brazilian artisanal resilience in India and Brazil.Ecology coastal fisheries. Ecology and Society and Society 19(2): 73. http://dx.doi. 11(1): 5. [online]URL: http://www. org/10.5751/ES-06656-190273. ecologyandsociety.org/vol11/iss1/art5. Nurick R and Apgar M. (2015). Participa- Crona, B. and O. Bodin. (2010). Power tory Action Research: Guide for Fa- asymmetries in small-scale fisheries: cilitators. Penang, Malaysia: CGIAR a barrier to governance transformabil- Research Program on Aquatic Agri- ity? Ecology and Society 15(4): 32. cultural Systems. Manual: AAS-2014- [online] URL:http://www.ecologyand- 46 http://aas.cgiar.org/publications/ society.org/vol15/iss4/art32/. participatory-action-research-guide- Governance: AAS Science Handbook. facilitators (2013). Pomeroy R, Carlos M. (1997). Community- La Vina, Antonio G.M. (2001). Communi- based coastal resource management in ty-Based Approaches to marine and the Philippines: a review and evalua- coastal resources management in the tion of programs and projects, 1984– Philippines: A policy perspective. In 1994. Marine Policy 1997;21: 445–64. Torell, M and AM Salamanca (eds). Small-scale capture fisheries –a global over- Institutional issues and perspectives view with emphasis on developing in the management of fisheries and countries. A preliminary report of the coastal resources in Southeast Asia. Big Numbers Project. Food and Ag-

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