Understanding Small-Scale Fisheries in Thailand: Ecological Change and Local Governance Systems

Abstract

With the state of the world’s marine fisheries in decline and an ever increasing global demand for seafood products, there is rising concern for the future of both our oceans and the more than 180 million people living in the developing world who depend on fisheries for their livelihood. In a country like Thailand, where approximately 3.3 million individuals are working within the fishing industry either full-time or part-time and where catch per unit effort has decreased significantly over the years, understanding ecological change (especially as perceived by fishers whose knowledge is derived and continually updated through everyday lived experience) is paramount. At the same time, recognizing management schemes that realize local realities and acknowledge not only the resource system but the actors that depend on it and the interactions therein is also of great importance. By adopting Ostrom’s general framework for analyzing the sustainability of socio-economic systems the following research explores how ecological, social, and institutional factors are affecting small-scale fishers in the village of Khan Kradai, Prachuap Khiri Khan province. In doing so it contributes towards a deeper understanding of the reasons why small-scale fishers choose to either exploit local resources or use them in a more sustainable way.