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Exploring Influences on Environmental Stewardship of Fishing Communities in Fisheries Management in the Philippines

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Abstract

Fisheries compliance has been explored conceptually and empirically in numerous contexts but in many fisheries, compliance with rules is not sufficient to return to sustainable levels of effort. Failing to understand the context and what drives fishers to behave the way they do, has the potential to misdirect investments. The authors present a conceptual model of fisheries ecosystem stewardship (FES) that expands upon fisheries compliance with the addition of moral obligation for fishing communities. This paper uses household survey data from fishing communities in three marine key biodiversity areas (MKBA) in the Philippines to test part of the FES model using logistic regression and multiple regression analysis with empirical data to test the model. Data shows that apart from the respondents’ location (i.e., which MKBA is adjacent to their community), knowledge of laws protecting coastal/marine resources was the most important predictor of environmental stewardship, followed by support for limiting fishing effort and knowledge of illegal fishing. Individual decisions about if and how-to fish are influenced by the economic context and available livelihood opportunities. However, the moral obligation to “do the right thing” is equally, if not more important to consider for fisheries ecosystem stewardship in fishing communities.

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Notes

  1. Articles 147 and 148 of the Family Code recognizes and honors the possibility of cohabiting without the benefit of marriage in the Philippines.

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Acknowledgements

The research presented in this manuscript was co-funded through the generous support of the American people through United States Agency for International Development Fisheries Fish Right Program, Cooperative Agreement number: 72049218CA00004, Fish Right. The authors would like to thank the Philippine community members, including fishers, post-harvest processors, biodiversity conservation champions, community leaders, and fisheries extension officers who participated in the research that forms the basis for this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Rhode Island, Coastal Resources Center, 220 South Ferry Road, Narragansett, RI, USA

    Dawn M. Kotowicz, Elin Torell & Glenn Ricci

  2. The PATH Foundation Philippines Inc., Cityland Condominium 10, 154 H.V. dela Costa Street, Salcedo Village, 1227, Makati, Philippines

    Joan Castro

  3. Research and Development Center 3/F Rm 302 Uytengsu Computer Studies Hall, Silliman University, Dumaguete, Philippines

    Enrique G. Oracion

  4. School of Marine & Environmental Affairs, University Of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Richard Pollnac

  5. Department of Marine Affairs, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA

    Richard Pollnac

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  1. Dawn M. Kotowicz
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  2. Elin Torell
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Correspondence to Dawn M. Kotowicz.

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Kotowicz, D.M., Torell, E., Castro, J. et al. Exploring Influences on Environmental Stewardship of Fishing Communities in Fisheries Management in the Philippines. Environmental Management 69, 1102–1117 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-022-01645-4

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