Table 5. Summary of suggested
reasons for the inadequacy or failure of fisheries management in either
a domestic or international setting or both. Many or all of these
may apply to an individual directed fishery. Source: adapted and
modified from Allison (2001 p. 936)
| 1. |
“Dedicated
access privileges” and ownership regimes unsuitable or
poorly defined, leading to ‘Tragedy of the Commons.’ |
| 2. |
Lack of political
will to limit fishing, due to the major economic importance of
the fisheries sector in some localities. |
| 3. |
Conflict
with other uses of the ocean, principally as a ‘common
sink’ for discharge of pollutants and degradation (i.e.
filling in) of key coastal habitats (e.g. salt marsh, mangroves,
and also coral reefs) leading to “essential fish habitat” degradation
affecting fishery yields. |
| 4. |
Inadequate
financing and capacity to enforce a nations fishery and ocean
laws, allowing circumvention of management aimed at sustaining
stocks; also problems with monitoring “high seas” resources. |
| 5. |
Prevalence
of production-orientated resource ‘development’ paradigm,
leading to neglect of sustainability issues. |
| 6. |
Subsidized
over-capacity in fishing fleets; subsidies mask signals of resource
scarcity. |
| 7. |
Failure to
manage the consequences of rapid technological and political
change. |
| 8. |
Failure to
specify and/or adhere to long-term management objectives and
goals to allow for rational sector-wide planning and sustainability. |
| 9. |
Lack of resource-user
involvement in management and policy making, i.e., co-management
protocols. |
| 10. |
Inadequate
or incorrect scientific advice on sustainable harvesting levels
and a management system that is under-reliant on proper scientific
advice. |
| 11. |
Insufficient
consideration of social, economic and political dimensions of
sustainable fisheries by fisheries extension and/or advisory
services. |
| 12. |
Value of
marine ecosystem services not taken into account in the prevalent
single-species management approaches. |
| 13. |
Pelagic and
transboundary nature of fish stocks – several commercial
and recreational species move through multi-governed spaces. |
| 14. |
Failure to
adequately account for natural (climate-induced) variability
in resource productivity and sustainability in most management/development
plans. |