336
R. Chuenpagdee and S. Jentoft
Introduction
The previous chapters of this book make the case for an examination of
governability related to capture fi sheries and aquaculture. It is argued that factors
affecting governability may be found in the system-to-be-governed, the governing system and the governing interactions. The interactive governance approach
offers a comprehensive lens through which governability challenges can be
researched. In this chapter, we present an overview of the governability assessment framework and what it has to offer. We see such an assessment as a logical
‘third’ step following the descriptive analysis in Fish for Life , the preliminary
exploration of the governability concept in the two special issues and the previous chapters of this book, which systematically analyze the basic elements and
apply it to real life situations. Building on what we wrote in Chap. 3 , we posit
that a governability assessment must begin by recognizing the ‘wickedness’ of
fi sheries problems, which arises from various concerns and hard choices in
fi sheries. In other words, we argue that these problems, and the associated governance challenges, may be dif fi cult to de fi ne and delineate from other governance issues. As wicked problems, they require a holistic approach that recognizes
the traits (i.e., diversity, complexity, dynamics and scale) of the natural and social
systems-to-be-governed, the governing system and the governing interactions
( Jentoft and Chuenpagdee 2009 ).
The fi rst step of the governability assessment begins with an examination of
the nature of problems, the degree and nature of their wickedness, and the ways
in which problems are perceived and understood by relevant stakeholders. These
are questions pertaining to the dimension of images that, according to the interactive governance approach, plays a major role in setting the stage for governance (Kooiman 2003 ; Kooiman and Jentoft 2009 ; Jentoft et al. 2010 ) . The next
step (Step 2) is to perform a systematic assessment of how the properties of the
governed natural environment and social system may contribute to lowering or
enhancing governability in particular situations. The same assessment applies to
the governing system. Governability also relates to the performance of the governing system and its capabilities (in other words, functional governability, see
Jentoft and Chuenpagdee, Chap. 3 , this volume). In Step 3, we therefore assess
what elements make up and drive the governing system, how suitable each mode
of governance is in responding to fi sheries challenges and in facilitating appropriate and timely interactions, and how the different orders of governance foster
or inhibit the governing system to produce desirable outcomes for systems-tobe-governed. Finally, governability rests upon the ways in which the system-tobe-governed and the governing system interact. This calls for Step 4, which is
an examination of factors affecting various interactions and the degree to which
these interactions are conducive to governability.
In the following section, we present the governability assessment framework,
detailing the key concepts and steps involved. Learning from the applications
R. Chuenpagdee and S. Jentoft
Introduction
The previous chapters of this book make the case for an examination of
governability related to capture fi sheries and aquaculture. It is argued that factors
affecting governability may be found in the system-to-be-governed, the governing system and the governing interactions. The interactive governance approach
offers a comprehensive lens through which governability challenges can be
researched. In this chapter, we present an overview of the governability assessment framework and what it has to offer. We see such an assessment as a logical
‘third’ step following the descriptive analysis in Fish for Life , the preliminary
exploration of the governability concept in the two special issues and the previous chapters of this book, which systematically analyze the basic elements and
apply it to real life situations. Building on what we wrote in Chap. 3 , we posit
that a governability assessment must begin by recognizing the ‘wickedness’ of
fi sheries problems, which arises from various concerns and hard choices in
fi sheries. In other words, we argue that these problems, and the associated governance challenges, may be dif fi cult to de fi ne and delineate from other governance issues. As wicked problems, they require a holistic approach that recognizes
the traits (i.e., diversity, complexity, dynamics and scale) of the natural and social
systems-to-be-governed, the governing system and the governing interactions
( Jentoft and Chuenpagdee 2009 ).
The fi rst step of the governability assessment begins with an examination of
the nature of problems, the degree and nature of their wickedness, and the ways
in which problems are perceived and understood by relevant stakeholders. These
are questions pertaining to the dimension of images that, according to the interactive governance approach, plays a major role in setting the stage for governance (Kooiman 2003 ; Kooiman and Jentoft 2009 ; Jentoft et al. 2010 ) . The next
step (Step 2) is to perform a systematic assessment of how the properties of the
governed natural environment and social system may contribute to lowering or
enhancing governability in particular situations. The same assessment applies to
the governing system. Governability also relates to the performance of the governing system and its capabilities (in other words, functional governability, see
Jentoft and Chuenpagdee, Chap. 3 , this volume). In Step 3, we therefore assess
what elements make up and drive the governing system, how suitable each mode
of governance is in responding to fi sheries challenges and in facilitating appropriate and timely interactions, and how the different orders of governance foster
or inhibit the governing system to produce desirable outcomes for systems-tobe-governed. Finally, governability rests upon the ways in which the system-tobe-governed and the governing system interact. This calls for Step 4, which is
an examination of factors affecting various interactions and the degree to which
these interactions are conducive to governability.
In the following section, we present the governability assessment framework,
detailing the key concepts and steps involved. Learning from the applications