The Role of Social Capital in Fostering Collective Action for Small-Scale Fishery Co-Management in the Baixo Juruá Extractive Reserve, Central-West Brazilian Amazon

Abstract

Social capital is pointed out as a key factor for community social organization and the collective management of natural resources. In this study, I investigated the role of community social capital in facilitating collective action for arapaima (Arapaima sp.) management and the underlying motivations for engagement on collective action, in the six arapaima management systems of the Baixo Juruá Extractive Reserve (Amazonas). Through semi-structured interviews with 62% of the 95 households of communities that participate on management, I compared household participation in arapaima management in relation to demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, social and political engagement, and social capital. In four out of the six management systems, 70% to 86% of households participated on management, compared to only 31% and 33% in the other systems. Participation in collective action for arapaima management varied in a similar fashion with social capital in the community. Both bonding and bridging social capital come into play in fostering collective action. Although human relations are important components in community collective action, people also reveal utilitarian motivations for engagement. Thus, when incentives are provided, they might find it relevant to participate on resource management. This study highlights the role of social capital in natural resource management and may serve both communities and decision makers.