Co-management Institutions Research Articles

Conflicting governance realities: Aligning historical and cultural practices with formal marine protected area co-management in Senegal

This study examines governance strategies in the Joal Fadiouth Marine Protected Area (MPA) in Senegal with the aim to identify constraints to ensuring biodiversity conservation and socio-economic sustainability for coastal populations. We present a mixed-method empirical analysis that combines participatory mapping, focus group interviews, and individual semi-structured interviews with over 200 individuals from various stakeholder groups. The findings point to two divergent governance realities. One reality is the formal co-management institution – which is tasked with governing a defined space with specific rules, including direct and indirect stakeholder involvement. Another governance reality is that of traditional uses and norms, where, for example, cultural practices contribute to the protection of spawning areas or the conservation of species. Yet another reality is that negotiated in situ by actors who may be from diverse cultural backgrounds operating in an area. At Joal Fadiouth, a key point of misalignment between these realities is that neither traditional authorities nor traditional migrant users of the MPA are represented in the formal decision-making body. This undermines the legitimacy of formal co-management in the eyes of both locals and migrant users. In addition, formal governance has largely failed to consider the vast array of existing cultural and traditional uses of coastal and marine resources, as well as the inclusion of more diverse stakeholders, such as faith-based organizations and women, who are locally important and influential users. As a result, formal zoning and laws do not conform to local expectations, leading to perceptions of illegitimacy that motivate illicit income strategies and a lack of investment into co-management to showcase discontent.

The social-demographics and effects of unsustainable extraction and fish handling in Rukundo village, Buikwe District, Central Uganda

The fisheries of Lake Victoria have undergone a dramatic transformation during the last two decades. From being a locally based fishery with little intervention and capital investment from outside, the present fishery is dominated by national and international capital penetrating the industry. It is the explosion in the growth of Nile perch and the strong demand developed for this fish in the global markets, which have transformed the fisheries of Lake Victoria. This study evaluated the effect of social demographics of the fishing community and the unsustainable extraction and fish handling at Rukondo Village in Buikwe District. The specific objectives of the study were; to document the social-demographics of the fishing community; examine the fish handling and processing methods; and estimate the effect and damage on fish during extraction and handling methods. The study used descriptive longitudinal approach, both qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection was used to collect data from a sample of 2 fishery zones with 50 household per local private sector approximately to 70 households with in the area. Questionnaires were administered to the selected fishermen and fish traders who were selected using purposive and stratified simple random sampling. The information obtained was coded and entered in a database utilising the software package; the data were then converted into SPSS V.8.0 system files for processing and preliminary analysis. The study shows that tilapia and Nile perch are the common fish species traded in the study area. Some fishers who resort to bad fishing methods do it for their survival since they are poor, unemployed and cannot afford the legal gears, which are too expensive for them. The lack of a comprehensive law on fishing is also making it possible for illegal nets and poison to be used. The policy recommendation is that the government should focus on establishment and new extraction and handling techniques in fish farming which will help the majority of the fishermen involved in fishing out of the poverty cycle due to high profit margins accruing from fish farming. The loses and damage should be better integrated into the Fisheries Resource Co-management institutions on the Lake Victoria so as to provide technical advice and affordable solutions to fishermen in order to improve on the fish extraction and handling techniques.

Co-Management Practices by Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) in Selected Coastal Forest Zones of Bangladesh: A Focus on Sustainability

There has been an upsurge concerning the concept and application of “co-management” in the governance of natural resources in Bangladesh in recent years. Notwithstanding the popularity of co-management, however, the overall approach to implementation has been overtly technical in nature; and there has been limited attention to sustainability dynamics. This article aims to explore aspects policy and practice withinco-management based on several purposely selected cases in the coastal forest zones of Bangladesh. It also identifies the major challenges and issues concerning its sustainability. The lessons generated by this study may be relevant to both policy makers and practitioners. A qualitative research approach was adopted with empirical data collection methods including key informant interviews, focus group discussions, documentary research, and unstructured personal observation. The article begins with a recapitulation of the concept of co-management and its associations with sustainability, followed by an overview of the major co-management practices in Bangladesh. The discussion subsequently raises lessons learned and key issues relating to sustainability, including: the need for sorting out land-related tenurial complications and institutions used in co-management; unequal awareness of the concept of co-management and varying levels of participation of community organizations; the political interface and accountability of co-management institutions; issues of “ownership” at the community level; and the role of “external” support and facilitation. As a recently developed concept and practice, co-management seems to be rapidly taking root and displaying signs of gradual consolidation in Bangladesh. Considerable progress has been made in terms of required policy and legislative reforms, community level institution building, and a degree of change in the mindset of the government agencies to accommodate and nurture co-management. However, numerous issues (e.g., tenurial rights, effective community participation, equity, political dynamics, adequate financial support, accountability, and transparency) still need to be resolved if sustainability is to be fully achieved and satisfy the hopes and needs of local communities both now and in the future.

Tracing innovation pathways behind fisheries co-management in Vanuatu

Co-management approaches have become a core part of coastal fisheries policy and planning practice in Vanuatu. With a long history of supporting community based fisheries management (CBFM), we trace its evolution in Vanuatu to understand how new structures and processes become adopted at scale. A theory of scaling for CBFM guides the analysis of regime shifts over time. We discuss planning for sustained spread under a national programme by categorising multiple drivers of change through three intervention pathways focussed, respectively, on developing (i) an enabling environment, (ii) institutional and individual capacity, and (iii) focussed innovative action in smaller targeted constituencies. Whilst we argue that local fisheries co-management institutions balance competing interests, and so differ amongst places, we also recognise the importance of connectivity and continuity. The realisation of a national programme therefore requires patchworks of siloed projects to be knitted together into coordinated programmatic approaches that strategically integrate activities.

Forest co-management in the Sundarban mangrove forest: Impacts of women's participation on their livelihoods and sustainable forest resource conservation

The impacts of women's participation in forest resource management on forest conservation and women's livelihoods are poorly understood. This study investigated women's role in Sundarban mangrove forest co-management in order to identify these impacts. Qualitative data was collected through focus group discussions (FGDs, n = 16) and key informant interviews (KIIs, n = 29) in four villages, at different tiers of co-management institutions, and with multiple stakeholders. Thematic content analysis, a well-established method for analysing qualitative data, was used to investigate the views of stakeholders on women's role in forest co-management and its impact on forest conservation and livelihood outcomes. Women participate in all tiers of forest co-management institutions, including the village conservation forum, people's forum, community patrol group, and co-management committee. This participation has increased their awareness and understanding of government rules and regulations in forest conservation, extended women's social networks, and created opportunities for involvement in alternative income-generating activities. Thus, women have benefited from the provision of greater financial input into their families, which has ultimately elevated women's status in the family. Local women's knowledge of sustainable forest resource harvesting methods and compliance with Bangladesh Forest Department directives can foster forest resources conservation and wildlife protection. Although women contribute to forest conservation through their participation, their representation is lower than that of men in the co-management of the Sundarban mangrove forest. Policy interventions for community members are needed to influence men's attitudes towards women working outside the home. This may equalise gender participation in forest co-management and increase women's livelihood support through greater recognition of their roles and elevating the value and impact of their participation.

Assessment of the Influence of Beach Management Units on Fisheries Governance in Migingo Island, Kenya

Beach Management Units (BMUs) in Kenya were established to ensure sustainable utilization and management of the fishery resource. BMUs as co-management institutions were conceptualized after the failed state-controlled fisheries management. Sustainable management by the BMUs has however not been realized, years after the institution’s inception. The study aimed to assess the management of Migingo BMUs; establish the effects of management of BMUs on the implementation of the regulations; and assess the implementation of regulations with regards to fish stocks. The study was done in Migingo Island, Lake Victoria which borders Kenya and Uganda. Data was collected from the BMU committee members and stakeholders at the fish landing site along the island’s shores. This was done through a questionnaire based survey; semi structured interviews from key informants and; focus discussion groups. Results revealed that the three out of seven functions were performed satisfactorily by the Migingo BMU. These were revenue collection, confiscation of illegal gears and arrest of offenders, as depicted by the satisfaction of respondents at 42%, 38%, and 68%, respectively. The other functions - conducting meetings, patrol of the lake, formulation of bylaws and inventory keeping had poor performance. Migingo’s BMU structure was found to be wanting as it lacked the assembly branch. Implementation of regulations by the BMU faced various challenges; lack of support from the government, inadequate funds and equipment and inadequate knowledge to operate its functions. This study shows that BMUs are viable institutions however the poor structure and management of Migingo’s BMU along with the challenges faced in implementing the stipulated regulations led to its ineffectiveness. Capacity building is therefore needed on the BMU’s management and governance at large, provision of relevant skills, equipment and funds and improved support from the government for the BMU to be efficient and effective.

Institutionalising co-management activities for conservation of forest resources: Evidence from the Sundarban mangrove forest management of Bangladesh

Understanding local stakeholders' perceptions of co-management institutional activities serves a significant role in the proper functioning of the co-management institutions for the Sundarban mangrove forest conservation effort, but this currently remains unexplored. This study aimed to identify the current co-management institutions, co-management activities, and local people's understanding of these activities in the implementation of the co-management approach. The study was conducted in four villages in the Chandpai range of the Sundarban mangrove forest. Thematic content analysis was conducted on the qualitative data, which had been collected through key informant interviews at the local, regional and national levels, followed by focus group discussions in the study villages. The key forest co-management activities and practices identified were: forest protection and monitoring; meetings; local livelihood initiatives; and organisational supports. These co-management activities were implemented through institutions largely situated at the local level, through Village Conservation Forum, People's Forum and Community Patrol Group; higher-level institutions included the Co-management Committee, where local, district and national stakeholders were represented. Local people with forest dependency were participating in forest co-management activities and their awareness of forest conservation and social network had increased. In addition, people who had received training from government and non-government organisations reported benefits such as improved resource harvesting techniques, organisational skills and practical knowledge, which would be useful in times of natural disasters. However, local people also reported a range of issues affecting their full participation, which included top down decision-making, insignificant financial support, absence of alternate income sources, lack of meeting places for VCF members, gender inequality in participation, corruption and lack of skill-based training. A key governance issue for the local-level forest co-management institutions was limited access to the government organisations who oversaw policy and institutional control. In contrast, non-government organisations provided important institutional capacity-building support to local communities, and acted as a conduit to higher level committees. Broader impact could be achieved by fostering local participation, especially that of women, through genuine collaboration with other stakeholders, and extending the lessons learned from the study villages through exchange visits and sharing of ideas with other VCF villages in the area.

Dual Governance and the Shadow of State Authority: Co-Management Realities in Rema-Kalenga Protected Area of Bangladesh

ABSTRACT Forest co-management models between local communities and the state have gained considerable attention over the past two decades to reconcile ecological conservation with sustainable livelihoods of local communities. Grounded in an exploratory qualitative methodological focus, this study examines how forest co-management realities have fared vis-à-vis continued asymmetrical power relationships between communities and the state in Bangladesh’s top-down forest governance system, specifically de facto forest governance structures in the case of Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary and its larger landscape zone. Rema-Kalenga’s regional forest actors have been struggling to develop a shared understanding regarding the goals and distribution of power in protected area co-management. The study points toward two developments: First, a low realized level of devolution as Rema-Kalenga’s co-management institutions operate as mere unpaid “helpers” under the shadow of the state’s centralized top-down governance in the Wildlife Sanctuary. Second, this study found signs of emerging dual governance in which local co-management institutions have created their own spaces of engagement and de facto influence in the larger Rema-Kalenga landscape zone, while significantly lacking active involvement in the core zone. Connections between these two spheres are sporadic, hampering ecosystem-approaches in Rema-Kalenga, and questioning the cohesiveness of co-management purposes in the studied area.

Evaluation of Consultation Notes Within and Across Institutions: A Preliminary Study

Background/Objective: Patients with multiple chronic conditions require specialty consultations both within and across institutions for effective co-management of comorbidities. Poor communication during the referral process increases physician workload, patient burden and risks. Successful co-management relies on bi-directional information flow that supports interpersonal communication and establishment of clear tasks and responsibilities among physicians. However, flow of health information is often limited to specific health network access, phone calls, or faxes. Interpersonal communication is dependent on limited encounter notes. In this preliminary study, our objective was to understand how consultants’ notes support physician collaboration within and across health care institutions. 
 
 Project Methods: To assess consultants’ notes, outpatient charts were randomly selected from the Indiana Network for Patient Care database representing consultations with five different specialties within the IU Health network, including referrals from within and outside of IU Health. The Quality of Consult Assessment tool was adapted to assess content of notes, emphasizing clinical recommendations, distribution of tasks and responsibilities, and communication plans. 
 
 Results: Our sample included ten charts for patients who had comorbidities. All notes contained clinical recommendations that included an assessment and plan. 70% of notes contained explicit responsibilities of the consultants. Conversely, only one contained explicit responsibilities for referrers. Charts denoted reliance on support staff to send messages between referrers, consultants, and patients via phone and fax. Phone calls and faxes were more prominent in referrals across institutions. 
 
 Conclusion and Impact: Our preliminary findings indicate that current clinical documentation supports specialty referrals for transitions of care rather than co-management of care. Difficulties in accessing patient charts across institutions leads to a lack of clinical context and workflow inefficiencies when attempting to co-manage care. These findings demonstrate negative implications in health outcomes for patients with multiple comorbidities that require more care coordination within and across institutions.

Achieving multiple socio-ecological institutional fits: The case of spiny lobster co-management in Wagu, Japan

This paper analyzes a unique fisheries co-management institution in Japan that has implemented two distinct sets of co-management rules within a single fishing season. The uniqueness stems from the fact that the fishing effort coordination implemented during the first half of the season and the ‘derby’ fishing during the latter half sit at the opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of cooperative behavior. The paper reveals that this rather complex co-management institution is designed to ‘fit’ the multiple ecological and socio-economic objectives that the fishermen desire to achieve. We broaden the concept of institutional fit a la Young by bringing in the notion of ‘shared understanding’ that the fishermen construct through their daily social interactions negotiating various ecological and socio-economic objectives that they wish to achieve.

Seafood certification schemes in Japan: Examples of challenges and opportunities from three Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) applicants

While there has been a global proliferation of marine certification schemes aiming to incentivize sustainable fishing in the last decade, the uptake has been comparatively slow in Japan. Suggested reasons include difficulties assessing Japanese fisheries co-management institutions, and reduced profitability from complex seafood distribution networks and mismatched consumer preferences. However, a few Japanese fisheries have been awarded the international Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification. This paper investigates the motivations and experiences of three such MSC applicants: the Kyoto Danish Seine Fisheries Federation offshore fishery, Ishihara Marine Products skipjack and albacore pole and line fishery, and Maruto Suisan rope grown Pacific oyster fishery. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with key informants from each case study and coded into motivations, problems and impacts. It was found that although there were economic motivations to apply for the certification, this mainly involved increasing domestic distribution channels rather than gaining or retaining access to premium-paying foreign markets. The co-management system that governs the Kyoto fisheries hampered the re-certification process of the fishery due to the difficulty of influencing the higher levels of management within the system. It also became clear that the type of applicant was important to consider: the two more recent MSC clients – both seafood processors – are better placed in the value chain to utilize the certification and its logo, and therefore more likely to financially sustain the certification. The study provides an important insight into the applicant experience of certification schemes in countries with lower consumer demand for them, such as Japan.

Information access and knowledge exchange in co-managed coral reef fisheries

Effectively managing ecosystems is an information intensive endeavour. Yet social, cultural, and economic barriers can limit who is able to access information and how knowledge is exchanged. We draw on social network theory to examine whether co-management institutions break down these traditional barriers. We examined the factors that predict information access and knowledge exchange using interview and knowledge sharing network data from 616 Kenyan coral reef fishers operating in four communities with formal co-management institutions. For access to fisheries management information, we found disparities in fisher's age, leadership status, and wealth. Yet once we accounted for formal engagement in the co-management process, only wealth disparities remained significant. In contrast, knowledge exchange was insensitive to whether or not we accounted for engagement in co-management. We found that community leaders and external actors, such as NGO representatives, were primary sources of fisheries-related knowledge. Among fishers, knowledge exchange tended to occur more often between those using the same landing site. Fishers engaged in the co-management process and community leaders were likely to transfer knowledge widely (acting as ‘central communicators’), yet only leaders bridged disconnected groups (acting as ‘brokers’). Ethnic minorities and those with higher levels of education were more likely to fall on the periphery of the knowledge exchange networks. Taken together, our results suggest that co-management can break down traditional social and cultural – but perhaps not economic – barriers to information access; while social, cultural, and economic factors remain important for structuring knowledge exchange.

The dynamics of institutional innovation: Crafting co-management in small-scale fisheries through action research

This paper investigates the dynamics of institutional development and co-management performance in small-scale fisheries. The study covers different contexts and spatial and temporal scales, for nine case studies in the South Pacific. In these cases, new co-management institutions were intentionally set up from 2008 to 2016 through fishery policy intervention to address over-exploitation problems of sea cucumber resources. This was carried out in a process of adaptive experimentation, based on a collaborative and problem-solving approach to governance, and a context-based vision of sustainability issues. In order to quantitatively and empirically assess change in governance within and between cases, a multidimensional analytical framework of governance performance is developed. A set of governance performance criteria is defined and the criteria are scored using data from an institutional diagnosis of the cases, throughout the research period. Ten out of eleven criteria were positively impacted by the co-management interventions. Three institutional development trajectories can be identified for the fishery co-management building process, involving a range of gradual and abrupt changes. Consolidation of the institutional changes achieved by the interventions is required to successfully develop the resilience of the fishing systems to multiple stresses. This empirical study provides a methodology for systematically assessing institutional dynamics in fisheries, and in particular the crafting and sustaining of co-management regimes in small-scale fisheries. The approach could potentially be applied to other complex social-ecological systems.

Impacts of co-management on fish biodiversity and livelihoods of fishers of Baikka beel, Moulvibazar, Bangladesh

Co-management plays a significant role in fisheries and natural resources management. In the case of fisheries, it has most often been taken to mean a sharing of responsibility for sustainable resource management between government and fishing communities. Baikka Beel, situated in Moulvibazar, Bangladesh has been identified and established as a wetland sanctuary by local community members in conjunction with the Management of Aquatic Ecosystem through Community Husbandry (MACH) project. In this study, the role of co-management institutions, including federations of resource user groups (FRUGs) and resource management organizations (RMOs) were investigated on sustainable wetland resource management and fish production and biodiversity in Baikka Beel. Study results shown that the knowledge and attitudes of MACH fishers towards sustainable resource management were positive and optimistic than non-MACH fishers; MACH fishers were involved with AIGAs. The results from independent samples t-test showed that the income of MACH group from fishing was significantly lower than the income of non-MACH group while income from AIGAs of MACH group was significantly higher than the income of non-MACH group. Fishing rights of both MACH and non-MACH fishers are not well established due to current leasing system. Both production and biodiversity of fish has been improved due to community-based sustainable management of Baikka Beel.J. Bangladesh Agril. Univ. 16(2): 328-336, August 2018

Reinventing papadak/hoholok as a traditional management system of marine resources in Rote Ndao, Indonesia

Indigenous people have their own knowledge and perspectives on the use of natural resources, including marine resources. Papadak/hoholok, implemented by the Rote Ndao community, is one of many marine resource management systems in Indonesia. Our study aims to understand the process that contributes to the success of the establishment and implementation of papadak/hoholok in managing marine resource in Rote Ndao. The data were collected from observations and in-depth interviews on indigenous (adat) leaders, governments and experts from several NGOs regarding the application of papadak/hoholok. The study results explain that, although not yet fully implemented, there are potential social mechanisms in these traditional management practices, including the use of local institutions to provide leaders/stewardship and rules for social regulation, and the internalization of local culture in marine resource management practices. The application of papadak/hoholok emphasizes the learning process that combines traditional and scientific knowledge to respond to feedback from the environment as guidance on marine resource management. Exchange of knowledge between people involved in papadak/hoholok provides an opportunity for all stakeholders involved to develop new knowledge and understanding of the resources and foster shared responsibilities. Although there is still a need for an in-depth study of the successful application of papadak/hoholok, the results of the study can be useful in the process of revitalization of traditional institutions or the establishment of new co-management institutions of marine resources in Indonesia and elsewhere.

Between Participation and Collective Action—From Occasional Liaisons towards Long-Term Co-Management for Urban Resilience

For resilience building, cities need to foster learning and innovation processes among all actors in order to develop transformative capacities of urban governance regimes to manage extraordinary situations as well as continuous change. A close collaboration of urban governmental actors and citizens is, therefore, of high importance. This paper explores two different discourses on urban governance: participation and self-organized collective action for the management of the commons. Both address the involvement of citizens into governance, albeit from different perspectives: on the one hand from the viewpoint of the government, selectively handing some of its power over to citizens, on the other hand from the perspective of citizens who self-organize for a collective management of urban commons. Based on experiences in the Austrian city of Korneuburg, it is argued that the collective action literature may help overcome some of the self-criticisms and shortcomings of the participation discourse. More specifically, Elinor Ostrom’s design principles for the management of the commons provide valuable input to overcome restrictions in thinking about citizen participation and to effectively design institutions for long-term urban co-management.

Towards deliberative and pragmatic co-management: a comparison between inshore fisheries authorities in England and Scotland

ABSTRACTIn seeking to answer the question ‘who should be included in fisheries co-management?’, a constructive critique of the existing co-management literature is provided by filling the gaps of Habermas’s deliberative theory of democracy with Dewey’s pragmatism. Three conditions for ensuring democratic co-management are extrapolated from the theories: actors’ authority over decision making (empowerment), actors’ diversity (membership), and the right to self-nomination (procedures for external inclusion). The theoretical insights developed are supported with two examples of co-management institutions for inshore fisheries in the UK: Scottish Inshore Fisheries Groups (IFGs) and English Inshore Fisheries Conservation Authorities (IFCAs).

The development and unraveling of marine resource co-management in the Pemba Channel, Zanzibar: institutions, governance, and the politics of scale

Marine resource management programs face conflicting mandates: to scale-up marine conservation efforts to cover larger areas and meet national and international conservation targets, while simultaneously to downscale and decentralize management authority to resource users and local communities. These conflicting goals create tensions in marine resource management. This paper explores these tensions by presenting and evaluating the outcomes of a fisheries co-management program on the island of Pemba, Tanzania, where institutions and scale were configured and reconfigured under externally funded programs to improve marine conservation through co-management. The initial institutional arrangements for co-management supported a functioning system to protect marine resources, ensure fishermen’s access, and distribute tourism revenues. However, a subsequent push to scale-up marine management reconfigured institutional arrangements and power in a more hierarchical and potentially weaker system. With the expansion of the co-management program, protected area coverage, financial resources, and the number of community organizations created for fisheries co-management expanded tremendously; however, community participation in marine management decreased, and the fishermen’s association previously involved in co-management dissolved. Several factors contributed to this outcome: inadequate time to solidify co-management institutions and arrangements, diverse resource users inexperienced with local management, a sudden and substantial new source of funding, and political pressures to restructure marine management. Rather than focusing primarily on expanding coverage and devolving authority, it is important to adapt co-management arrangements to the local contexts in which they operate.

Nested Localized Institutions for Adaptive Co-Management: A History of State Watershed Management in the Pacific Region of the United States

Collaborative watershed management incorporates a number of recent innovations in natural resource management, from ecosystem-based management to adaptive co-management of social-ecological systems. Facing jurisdictional barriers to compliance with landmark federal environmental laws, state governments in the Pacific region embraced collaborative watershed management to simultaneously address diffused water pollution and habitat loss on private land. Collaborative watershed management functions by leveraging local social capital through monetary and nonmonetary incentives, enabling the application of common property regimes to multi-owner landscapes. Here, I describe the historical development of state watershed management frameworks in the Pacific region of the United States. Results indicate that federal financial incentives enabled states to establish unique watershed management frameworks to improve compliance with federal environmental law. I suggest that nested localized institutional design is an effective method of implementing adaptive co-management across socially and ecologically diverse landscapes.

Lacking the Means or the Motivation? Exploring the Experience of Community-Based Resource Management Among Fisherfolk on Lake Victoria, Uganda

Co-management – a partnership between government, community organisations and other stakeholders – is now a commonly used approach in fisheries management. However, the effectiveness of fisheries co-management has varied considerably, especially in low-income settings. Although research into co-management is growing, there are few accounts of co-management that explore the experiences of community leaders and how their role within co-management institutions fits within the broader social and economic context of their lives. In this article, I utilise qualitative data collected from two landing sites on Lake Victoria, Uganda where the growth of the Nile perch export market in the 1980s and 1990s resulted in rapid social and economic change on the lakeshore. I explore how the attitudes and actions of the individuals who lead local co-management institutions are not simply governed by assumed economic incentives but are affected by complex social and political factors. I also consider how the co-management institutions are perceived by community members more broadly. Finally, I reflect on how the findings contribute to broader debates about co-management and its potential to protect the sustainability of fish stocks.