Different Approaches to Responsible Fisheries: Global Standards Versus Local Initiatives

IIFET 2004 Japan Proceedings DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO RESPONSIBLE FISHERIES: GLOBAL STANDARDS VERSUS LOCAL INITIATIVES Naohiko Watanuki, Overseas Agro-Fisheries Consultants Co., Ltd., [email protected] ABSTRACT Senegal is facing severe depletion of demersal fish stocks due to industrial fisheries and a fast and spontaneous development of artisanal fisheries. Fisheries overexploitation is caused by little awareness among artisanal fishermen about the importance of fisheries management and conflicting and competing interests of local and migrant fishermen. The general trend promotes local participation of fishermen, however, approaches to achieve responsible fisheries sharply differ. The Government of Senegal, with the help of Western donors, supports the implementation of “global standards” not only for its economic and political systems but also for fisheries management. This involves the creation of Western style democratic institutions and the strengthening of civil society at the national and local levels through capacity-building programs of fishermen's organizations. In contrast, Japan and several NGOs favor “local initiatives” and promote community-based fisheries management (CBFM). The main strategies employed by CBFM include: (i) generation of data on spawning seasons of fish as basis for closed seasons, (ii) technical advices to local fishermen to control fishing and marketing, and (iii) examination of government support for fishermen-led management to establish a model for co-management. Some fishing villages in Senegal have successfully adopted the CBFM approach. Keywords: Community-Based Fisheries Management; Responsible Fisheries; Senegal; International Cooperation; Japan; Western Donors INTRODUCTION In Senegal, the recent stagnant production growth of artisanal fisheries, accounting for 80% of the country’s fisheries production, has highlighted the need for fisheries management. Two approaches have dominated the country’s debate on desirable fisheries management. One is the top-down approach where fisheries management of a global standard, designed primarily by the central government, is applied to all fishing villages irrespective of differences in terms of the characteristic of fishing and/or socio-economic conditions of these fishing villages. The other is the bottom-up approach where fisheries management methods are to develop based on the ideas and opinions of fishermen, relying on local initiatives. While the former is promoted by France and other Western donors, the latter is advocated by Japan and NGOs. The idea of co-management where the government and fishermen play their respective roles is also being discussed, but the principles involved vary from one donor to another. The author has been involved in the Study on Fisheries Resources Assessment and Management in Senegal as a consultant working for the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) since July 2003. The objectives of this Study are to assess the major fisheries resources of Senegal’s EEZ and to present a feasible fisheries management approach which primarily focuses on artisanal fisheries, thereby contributing to the sustainable development of fisheries in Senegal. As the characteristic of artisanal fisheries in Senegal has many similarities with that of Japan, a pilot project is being implemented which is based on Japan’s experience (in community-based fisheries management). Although the pilot project has not yet been completed, preliminary observations and updates are regularly shared, including factors that influence or hinder success in community-based management initiatives, to raise awareness and allow the utilization of learnings by the Senegalese government, the donor community, and other countries embarking on similar initiatives. Given the interim nature of this report, the descriptions and analysis of the aid approaches of Western countries and the achievements of Japanese cooperation, etc. are not sufficient. These aspects will be dealt with in more detail in a future report. It must be noted that 1 IIFET 2004 Japan Proceedings the contents of this report reflect the personal opinions of the author and, therefore, do not represent the opinions of the organization to which the author belongs or the JICA. REASONS FOR UNSUCCESSFUL MANAGEMENT OF ARTISANAL FISHERIES Senegal has the largest fisheries sector among West African countries with an annual production of 400,000 tons (Ministry of Economy and Finance 2003). The modernization of fisheries, including the introduction of the purse seine technique for artisanal fisheries and motorization, as well as increased size of fishing boats, explains the sharp increase of the catch from 200,000 tons in the 1980’s. Macro- economic factors such as tax exemption policy for fuel for fishing boats, devaluation of the country’s currency in 1994, further boosted the performance of the fishing industry to make it a major industry in Senegal to date (Overseas Fishery Cooperation Foundation 1999). However, the catch is said to have reached the maximum sustainable yield, causing a drop in fisheries production from a peak of 450,000 tons in the late 1990’s despite a continuous increase in fishing effort as in the case of demersal fisheries (Figure 1). The problems faced by the fishing industry in Senegal include: (i) increased competition due to guaranteed open access to fishing grounds for artisanal fisheries, (ii) depletion of demersal fish resources due to the increased fishing capacity of artisanal fishing boats and the invasion of industrial fishing boats in coastal fishing zones, and (iii) insufficient manpower of the public body to monitor fishing activities at more than 100 landing sites dotted along a coast line of 700 km. The Government of Senegal enacted the Fisheries Law in 1998 (Law No. 98-32), calling for appropriate fisheries management by fishermen and also for a change of the local fishing practices with the participation of donors and NGOs. Nevertheless, the situation of fisheries resources has been steadily deteriorating. 200000 1000000 Fishing Effort 800000 150000 600000 100000 400000 Biomass Biomass (tons) 50000 200000 Fishing Effort (hours) 0 0 1983 1990 1997 Figure 1. Biomass of five commercially important demersal species and fishing effort of industrial fishing fleets from 1983 to 1997 in Senegal. Biomass is from Laurans et al. (2003) and fishing effort is from Dahou and Dème (2000). The reasons frequently cited for the unsuccessful management of artisanal fisheries are: (i) the seasonal migration of fishermen in search of fish, (ii) the strong political influence of fishing bodies, and (iii) the absence of an alternative livelihood to fisheries (JICA 2003). However, the author believes there are more critical factors aside from the ones mentioned. One is the lack of technical and administrative capacity of the fisheries department which has primary mandate over fisheries management. The other is over- dependence on the government or the lack of self-reliance among local fishermen as a negative outcome of the government policy of promoting artisanal fisheries in a preferential manner. The Government of Senegal upholds the theory of fisheries resources and fisheries management that “as fisheries resources belong to the people, the government as the representative of the people is responsible 2 IIFET 2004 Japan Proceedings for fisheries resources and fisheries management”. Under these circumstances, the adequate control of fisheries is essential. In Senegal, however, the top-down fisheries management by the government has not been functioning well due to the adverse conditions of insufficient equipment, funds and manpower despite the strenuous efforts of administrators and researchers. What is, therefore, required in Senegal is fisheries management of the “energy conservation type” (i.e. requiring fewer inputs) which does not require huge funding or manpower. The general attitude of fishermen is another factor which should not be ignored. Until the 1990’s, the Government of Senegal adopted a modernization policy for the local fishing industry, including tax exemption for fuel for fishing boats, fishing gear and engines, etc. As a result, the volume of fisheries production increased (Dahou et al. 2002) while over-protecting fishermen who became dependent on government assistance. As an extension of this policy, it appears that the government today still performs functions which should really be conducted by fishermen who tend to rely on the government for everything. There appears to be cases where a project led by the government or a donor to implement fisheries management comes to an abrupt end as soon as the assistance is withdrawn because of the passiveness of fishermen. Strong resistance by fishermen of any initiative introduced by the government is rife at the field level that it would be extreme good luck if a project actually enters the stage of implementation. The author believes that a reasonable way to solve these problems is to provide technical assistance to fishermen to actively conduct fisheries management on their own initiative even though some time will be required for this approach to succeed. In other words, the practice of community-based fisheries management led by fishermen or co-management by both fishermen and the government should be introduced. As the former has already started at some fishing villages in Senegal, the experience of these villages must be extended to other fishing villages. COMMUNITY-BASED MANAGEMENT OF HAND-LINE FISHERY AT

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