4 research outputs found
How Locally Designed Access and Use Controls Can Prevent the Tragedy of the Commons in a Mexican Small-Scale Fishing Community
The Emergence of Access Controls in Small-Scale Fishing Commons: A Comparative Analysis of Individual Licenses and Common Property-Rights in Two Mexican Communities
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Summary The >150 islands in north-western M茅xico are relatively pristine, but may easily be damaged by unregulated human use. Tourists visit many of these islands, but their numbers and impact are unknown. To examine some of the costs and benefits of ecotourism we sent a questionnaire to 42 ecotourism companies that visit islands in north-western M茅xico; 29 respondents reported that tourist days on these islands had increased at >7% yr -1 , from <15 000 in 1986 to about 47 000 in 1993. Neither government regulation nor cost of trips were reported to be important impediments to tourism growth. In 1993, ecotourist organizations visiting islands reported spending US$3.7 million, none of which went directly to the protection and management of the islands. We provide several management options to increase the conservation benefits of ecotourism and minimize the negative impacts
The Emergence of Access Controls in Small-Scale Fishing Commons: A Comparative Analysis of Individual Licenses and Common Property-Rights in Two Mexican Communities
Addressing global fisheries overexploitation requires better understanding of how small-scale fishing communities in developing countries limit access to fishing grounds. We analyze the performance of a system based on individual licenses and a common property-rights regime in their ability to generate incentives for self-governance and conservation of fishery resources. Using a qualitative before-after-control-impact approach, we compare two neighbouring fishing communities in the Gulf of California, Mexico. Both were initially governed by the same permit system, are situated in the same ecosystem, use similar harvesting technology, and have overharvested similar species. One community changed to a common property-right regime, enabling the emergence of access controls and avoiding overexploitation of benthic resources, while the other community, still relies on the permit system. We discuss the roles played by power, institutions, socio-historic, and biophysical factors to develop access controls. 漏 2012 The Author(s)