Social Capital and Fisheries Governance

This paper analyzes how social capital influences fisheries governance. Social capital is shown to play a crucial role in promoting trust and co-operation among fishers, and can reduce the 'race to fish'. The effects of bonding, bridging and linking social capital are described in terms of six key aspects of fisheries governance and examined in terms of their ability to promote better fisheries management practices. The paper finds that a social capital view of fisheries governance suggests there should be a redirection in priorities and funding away from 'top-down' fisheries management towards 'co-management' with a focus on engendering rights and responsibilities for fishers and their communities.