Lol Dahlet

Unraveling marine fisheries conflicts in the Blue Amazon: implications for fisheries governance

In the context of an increasingly globalized world, coasts and oceans are prey to competition for space and fishing resources. Overfishing has been reported since the XIV^th century, with the development of large-scale fishing fleets, further fuelled by the technological achievements of the industrial revolution. This has led to a worldwide decline in fish stocks, and the negative social, cultural and economic consequences are heavily experienced by small-scale fishers. As a result, conflict arise between and within fishing sectors commonly known as ‘artisanal’ and ‘industrial’. Conflicts, along with other types of social ties such as cooperation, shape the way fisheries work and are governed. By taking the state of Pará in the Brazilian Amazonian coast as a case in point, my research asks: how do fisheries conflicts influence the structure of marine fisheries governance off the Brazilian Amazonian coast?

In this region, fishing is an essential activity for local economy and livelihoods, while also feeding into the international market. I use participatory approaches for data collection and both quali- and quantitative data analysis to assess what relationships exist between different fisheries, including conflict, and how these are embedded in perceived local governance systems. Understanding the drivers and configurations of fisheries conflicts within the operating governance systems can enable the formulation of contextually grounded management strategies to secure small-scale fishers’ livelihoods.