Creating a Sustainability Ethic in Artisanal Fisheries
Fisheries are a significant source of food and income security for people all over the world, especially in developing countries. Because they are a common-pool resource, they are subject to the tragedy of the commons, meaning that rational actors will deplete fisheries completely if they fish without restrictions. This study used semi-structured interviews conducted in two artisanal fishing communities: Gazi, Kenya, and Mod Ta Noi Thailand, to understand how the efforts of conservation-focused NGOs in coastal communities could help to create a sustainability ethic among fishers that would influence how they interacted with their fisheries. The findings of this study suggest that conservation efforts which are initiated by an NGO but designed and implemented with input and feedback from local community members, and which emphasize community agency, can create an overarching sustainability ethic which leads to sustainable and equitable fisheries management policies and practices.
