COLLECTIVE ACTION AND PROPERTY RIGHTS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Collective Action and Property Rights in Fisheries Management

ntil the late 1960s,villagers on the island of San Salvador inthe Philippines enjoyed open and unrestricted access to anabundance of coastal resources.In the early 1970s an influx ofmigrants,combined with the integration of the village economyinto the international market for aquarium fish and a shift todestructive fishing operations,ruined the local fishing grounds,and conflicts erupted.Government claims of full control overthe use and protection of marine and coastal resources did notstop the depletion or degradation of the resource.The developing world presents many similar exampleswhere central government management of fisheries resources isunable to either reduce overfishing or counteract destructivefishing methods.The state often lacks the capacity to enforceproperty rights and regulations on resource use.Fisheries are complex and interdependent ecological andsocial systems that require integrated management approaches.The actions of one person or group of users affect the avail-ability of the resource for others.Managing such common poolresources requires conscious efforts by a broad range of stake-holders to organize and craft rules enabling equitable andsustainable use of the resources for everyone’s benefit.Collective action is often a prerequisite for the development ofcommunity-based institutions and the devolution of authoritythat is required from central to local authorities.