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NOW UNDER NEW ADMINISTRATION: FISHING AGREEMENTS IN THE BRAZILIAN AMAZON FLOODPLAINS

Fisheries become undermined as floodplains suffer increasing pressure from infrastructure, pollution, changes in climate and over-extraction. For Amazonian riverside communities, less fish in the rivers and lakes means empty pockets and empty stomachs. This article uses common pool resource theory to analyze the origins and workings of collective fishing agreements in the Brazilian Amazon floodplains. As commercial fisheries expanded in the mid-1990s, experiences in community-managed lakes emerged in several locations, as a promising example of participatory grassroots management. Findings show that agreements yield considerable improvements, although their effectiveness is threatened by the weak vigilance and monitoring and by the lack of effectiveness of land tenure regulation. The article suggests that governmental agencies should support these agreements by developing (or adapting) mechanisms aiming at the decentralization of public decisions and management. Their failure may lead to changes in ecological processes, reduction of fishing stocks, and social-environmental conflicts.

participatory management; fishing agreements; grassroots management; common pool resources; Amazon region; Brazil


ANPPAS - Revista Ambiente e Sociedade Anppas / Revista Ambiente e Sociedade - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
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