Social (In)Justice for Small-Scale Fisherfolk in the Turks and Caicos Islands: Struggling to Stay Afloat in a Tax Haven

Abstract

AbstractSmall-scale fisheries were once the bedrock of the economy in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI), a small-island nation in the Wider Caribbean Region. However, small-scale fisheries are becoming a forgotten industry and fisherfolk are marginalized. They have a weak voice, despite nominal representation, and access to some traditional fishing areas is restricted. ‘Blue Growth’ is likely to exacerbate this troubling outlook for small-scale fisheries as the country favors tourism and other sectors. As a tax haven which has experienced exponential growth in population and economic development, the cost of living in TCI has risen to among the world’s highest. Yet, working conditions in small-scale fisheries have changed little in 50 years, incomes have stagnated or declined, safety is an issue, and low-paid immigrant workers now fill many roles, further marginalizing the industry. Seafood processing plants dominate the industry and many fisherfolk cannot access different markets, negotiate prices, or compete against larger businesses and low-priced imported seafood. In this chapter, we demonstrate that ‘Blue Justice’ for small-scale fisheries is compromised by failings of governance at the meta-order (images and values), second order (institutions and rules), and first order (implementation and interactions). Current top-down governance is unlikely to accommodate community-based or co-management approaches. Opportunities to improve ‘Blue Justice’ for small-scale fisheries include developing diverse local value-added markets, seafood certification programs, enduring fisherfolk organizations, advocacy, and pathways into the tourism industry.KeywordsSmall-scale fisheriesGovernanceEconomic developmentHuman rightsBlue justice