39
3 Concerns and Problems in Fisheries and Aquaculture – Exploring Governability
Structural Governability
From the interactive governance perspective, governability is explored as a measure
of how governable fi sheries and coastal systems are given the particular features of
the natural and social systems-to-be-governed, the governing system(s), and the
interaction between them. For the system-to-be-governed, we distinguish between
two sub-systems, the natural ecosystem and the socio-economic system. From a
governability perspective, we focus on their separate qualities as well as the relationship and interaction between them. While the marine environment has intrinsic
value on its own, it also provides a wide range of ecological goods and services to
organisms within the system, not least humans. The social system affects change in
this natural system, but it is also dependent and therefore impacted by these changes,
which set limits to resource users’ potential. The governing system aims to in fl uence
the interaction between the natural system and the socio-economic systems that it
governs.
The natural system-to-be-governed in the fi sheries context refers to the marine
environment (including the geological, physical, and chemical properties), the fl ora,
fauna and other organisms contained within the ecosystem, the habitats within
which they live (including the water column), and oceanographic currents such as
upwelling and storm surges. Natural ecosystems are related to the biophysical and
geo-morphological environment, living and non-living organisms, vegetated and
non-vegetated habitats. The external in fl uences that may alter the natural system
come from open oceans, coastal zones, as well as from upland areas.
The socio-economic system-to-be-governed comprises of direct and indirect
resource users (e.g., commercial and recreational fi shers fi sh farmers, shell fi sh gathers, divers, tourists, developers, oil and gas explorers, etc.), the social relations that
they form, and interactions that occur among them. These various users may share
common values, but more often than not their interests vary to the point that their
activities cause competition, con fl icts and resource degradation. In the simplest form,
some of their use areas may overlap, and tension arising from this may be lessened
through proper zoning. Some activities may, however, completely displace others. For
example, areas used for mariculture are no longer accessible for small-scale fi shing.
Likewise, the development of an exclusive beach resort often prohibits others from
enjoying the area. Additionally, there are issues like externalities such as those
caused by the use of destructive fi shing gears by a group of fi shers, which degrade
ecosystems and create loss of income and livelihoods for others. The social relations
and interactions among various groups may be more or less structured, institutionalized
and exposed to interference by governing bodies through, for instance, numerous
regulations and rules. The social system-to-be-governed can also form governing systems themselves, as is the case with user organizations or communities.
The governability of the social system-to-be-governed may be looked at as a
three stage process. In the context of halting ecological degradation, for instance,
the governing system must work with and through the socio-economic system by
in fl uencing user-behaviour such as fi shing patterns. However, it is also a process
3 Concerns and Problems in Fisheries and Aquaculture – Exploring Governability
Structural Governability
From the interactive governance perspective, governability is explored as a measure
of how governable fi sheries and coastal systems are given the particular features of
the natural and social systems-to-be-governed, the governing system(s), and the
interaction between them. For the system-to-be-governed, we distinguish between
two sub-systems, the natural ecosystem and the socio-economic system. From a
governability perspective, we focus on their separate qualities as well as the relationship and interaction between them. While the marine environment has intrinsic
value on its own, it also provides a wide range of ecological goods and services to
organisms within the system, not least humans. The social system affects change in
this natural system, but it is also dependent and therefore impacted by these changes,
which set limits to resource users’ potential. The governing system aims to in fl uence
the interaction between the natural system and the socio-economic systems that it
governs.
The natural system-to-be-governed in the fi sheries context refers to the marine
environment (including the geological, physical, and chemical properties), the fl ora,
fauna and other organisms contained within the ecosystem, the habitats within
which they live (including the water column), and oceanographic currents such as
upwelling and storm surges. Natural ecosystems are related to the biophysical and
geo-morphological environment, living and non-living organisms, vegetated and
non-vegetated habitats. The external in fl uences that may alter the natural system
come from open oceans, coastal zones, as well as from upland areas.
The socio-economic system-to-be-governed comprises of direct and indirect
resource users (e.g., commercial and recreational fi shers fi sh farmers, shell fi sh gathers, divers, tourists, developers, oil and gas explorers, etc.), the social relations that
they form, and interactions that occur among them. These various users may share
common values, but more often than not their interests vary to the point that their
activities cause competition, con fl icts and resource degradation. In the simplest form,
some of their use areas may overlap, and tension arising from this may be lessened
through proper zoning. Some activities may, however, completely displace others. For
example, areas used for mariculture are no longer accessible for small-scale fi shing.
Likewise, the development of an exclusive beach resort often prohibits others from
enjoying the area. Additionally, there are issues like externalities such as those
caused by the use of destructive fi shing gears by a group of fi shers, which degrade
ecosystems and create loss of income and livelihoods for others. The social relations
and interactions among various groups may be more or less structured, institutionalized
and exposed to interference by governing bodies through, for instance, numerous
regulations and rules. The social system-to-be-governed can also form governing systems themselves, as is the case with user organizations or communities.
The governability of the social system-to-be-governed may be looked at as a
three stage process. In the context of halting ecological degradation, for instance,
the governing system must work with and through the socio-economic system by
in fl uencing user-behaviour such as fi shing patterns. However, it is also a process