Fifteenth International Conference on Interdisciplinary Social Sciences

Abstract

Ideally, fishery governance connects government with civil society, harmonizing individual, sectoral, and societal perspectives and maintaining social order and productive socio-ecological systems. In practice, however, challenges related to policy implementation abound that need to be unraveled and contextualized, creating a need for studies like this. Understanding the intricacies of regulations is a necessary challenge for determining its cumulative effects on the resources, stakeholders, and sectors involved. Recognizing the interplay of ecological and social dimensions in fisheries management and providing an enabling space for these dimensions to be addressed collectively is critical for achieving sustainable and equitable fisheries. This study draws on political ecology framework and uses qualitative and quantitative research methods to gain a better understanding of the impact of the seasonal fishery closure implemented in the Visayan Sea, Philippines, on the resource, fisheries stakeholders, and explores the factors that affect the policy outcomes. Results of this study inform future decisions and policy directions in relation to fishery management. Further, study results contribute to designing development programs that are attuned to the specific needs and capacities of fisheries stakeholders towards a more inclusive development in the fisheries sector. This study is an invaluable addition to the growing literature on human dimensions of fisheries management, particularly in thinking about ‘framing, carrying out and analyzing research that stretches across different spaces, scales, and social groups’; and ‘in better conceptualizing the political in studies of environmental changes, problems, and issues’, thereby strengthening the nexus between science and policy.