Survival And Sustainability In Small Scale Mexican Fisheries

Small-scale fisheries are critical for securing livelihoods for millions of people around the world, yet are increasingly vulnerable to external drivers of change such as globalization and climate change. There is an imminent need to redirect management goals towards facilitating resilient small-scale fisheries capable of adapting in a constantly changing world. The purpose of this dissertation is to investigate how to faciliate resilient small-scale fisheries from both a social and ecological perspective at various scales. This research was carried out using a comparative case study approach across fishing communities and cooperatives along Bahia Magdalena and Golfo de Ulloa, Baja California Sur, Mexico, an important region for small-scale fisheries, characterized by extreme uncertainty and variability. I found that increased access to the environment through the equitable distribution of resources and rights can facilitate resilient small-scale fisheries from a social perspective. The ecological impacts of diversification across fisheries and livelihoods are likely context specific, however negative impacts can be minimized when policies recognize the multiple dimensions of small-scale fisheries, and when fishers are integrated into policy processes. Furthermore, a greater suite of economic opportunities within and outside the small-scale fisheries sector can provide alternative pathways out of poverty-overfishing cycles. Overall, this research suggests that with greater attention to access, equity, and participatory governance, small-scale fisheries in Mexico and beyond will be better equipped to sustain livelihoods and the environment in a changing world.