Abstract
Historical data describing changing social-ecological interactions in marine systems can help guide small-scale fisheries management efforts. Fisheries landings data are often the primary source for historical reconstructions of fisheries; however, we argue that reliance on data of a single type and/or from a single scale can lead to potentially misleading conclusions. For example, a narrow focus on aggregate landings statistics can mask processes and trends occurring at local scales, as well as the complex social changes that result from and precipitate marine ecosystem change. Moreover, in the case of many small-scale fisheries, landings statistics are often incomplete and/or inaccurate. We draw on case study research in Mozambique that combines national landings statistics and career history interviews with fish harvesters to generate a multi-scale historical reconstruction that describes social-ecological interactions within the coastal Mozambican fishery. At the national level, our analysis points toward trends of fishing intensification and decline in targeted species, and it highlights the significant impact of small-scale fisheries on marine stocks. At the local level, fishers are experiencing changes in fish abundance and distribution, as well as in their physical, social, and cultural environments, and have responded by increasing their fishing effort. We conclude with a discussion of the governance implications of our methodological approach and findings.
Highlights
Coastal ecosystems around the world are being restructured by overfishing and other factors (Jackson et al 2001, Myers and Worm 2003)
We draw on case study research in Mozambique that combines national landings statistics and career history interviews with fish harvesters to generate a multi-scale historical reconstruction that describes social-ecological interactions within the coastal Mozambican fishery
There is a need to supplement aggregate landings statistics such as those supplied to the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) with other data to understand better the dynamics of intensification, expansion, and stock depletion in coastal small-scale fisheries (Berkes et al 2003, Pauly and Zeller 2003, Murray et al 2006, 2008)
Summary
Coastal ecosystems around the world are being restructured by overfishing and other factors (Jackson et al 2001, Myers and Worm 2003). In Mozambique, for example, national catch data for the small-scale sector have been calculated using a sample of provinces that excluded the province with the largest number of active boats (Jacquet et al 2010). In these cases, there is a need to supplement aggregate landings statistics such as those supplied to the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) with other data to understand better the dynamics of intensification, expansion, and stock depletion in coastal small-scale fisheries (Berkes et al 2003, Pauly and Zeller 2003, Murray et al 2006, 2008)
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