Abstract/Summary:
Local fishers have historically been subjected to the detrimental effects of overfishing, a consequence of open access practices that are likely to persist in the coming decades. The open- access nature of many fisheries is a significant driver of overfishing, which poses a substantial threat to marine ecosystems and their livelihoods that depend on them. The concept of common property theory provides a theoretical framework that can be used to explain the phenomenon of overfishing due to open access practices. Fishery resources are regarded as examples of a common property, implying that these resources belong to all fishers. This assumption gives rise to intense competition among fishers to exploit the fishery resources. One potential solution to this problem is to establish a territorial use rights system (TURF) that would prevent open-access practices.
This thesis argues that all relevant stakeholders in small-scale fisheries management should prioritize environmental stewardship, regardless of the system used to address the overfishing problem caused by open-access practices, as this constitutes a principal factor in determining sustainability. This perspective is particularly relevant in the context of TURF implementation as numerous studies have demonstrated that TURF is an effective means of fostering stewardship. This thesis presents a collection of three studies that address the two primary topics of TURF and stewardship. While this thesis is primarily based on a case study of TURF implementation and stewardship actions (fishing logbook) in Kepulauan Seribu, Indonesia, I hope that the resulting publications will serve as additional references and contribute to the global discussion on TURF and stewardship.
This thesis comprises five chapters. The first section presents a comprehensive overview of the research background, theoretical framework, and methodological approach adopted in this study. The second, third, and fourth sections contain three studies that form the primary basis of this thesis. Of the three studies, the last was submitted for publication and the first two were already published online in peer-reviewed journals.
The first study (Chapter Two), entitled “Drawing on the project initiators perspectives to evaluate TURF implementation in the Kepulauan Seribu Marine National Park, an online Q methodology study,” discusses the evaluation of the TURF system from the perspectives of key stakeholders involved in its design and implementation. The results demonstrate the existence of two distinct perspectives on the crucial elements that contributed to the success of TURF in Kepulauan Seribu. The respondents’ first dominant perspective expressed appreciation for the technical design of TURF, particularly its exclusion mechanism and
boundaries. The second perspective argues that clarity of rights, roles, and responsibilities is fundamental. Both opinion groups reached a consensus that consistent law enforcement is a prerequisite for the successful implementation of TURF.
The second study (Chapter Three) is entitled "Fishing logbook as stewardship action within TURF management in Kepulauan Seribu Marine National Park, Indonesia." It focuses on the practice of fishing logbook as an example of stewardship actions in the implementation of the TURF system in Kepulauan Seribu. The fishing logbook integrates local and fishery biology data, thereby providing a basis for determining strategies for addressing local overfishing problems. Although the concept and purpose of fishing logbook activities may be beneficial if implemented sustainably, this study identified several key factors contributing to its failure. These key factors are based on the local environmental framework, which guides me in outlining different leveraging strategies that could potentially relaunch logbook activities in Kepulauan Seribu.
The third study (Chapter Four), titled ‘Design Matters: How Territorial Use Rights in Fisheries (TURF) Systems Encourage Collective Management Behavior and Promote Sustainability’," is a systematic literature review that proposes eight principles for establishing a well-designed and functioning TURF. I believe that a well-designed TURF system will encourage collective action among fishers, which is critical for establishing long-term stewardship behavior. This study also assessed the relationship between the proposed design principles and the elements of environmental stewardship (motivation, capacity, and actors) to identify where and how TURF design supports stewardship. It also identifies additional strategies to promote collective stewardship behavior as a complement to the TURF system.
The last chapter is the conclusion, which consists of a summary of all the studies, including the limitations and challenges encountered in the course of this thesis. In the concluding section, I provide insights for future research. In conclusion, the goal of this dissertation is not to help stakeholders build as many TURFs as possible. This dissertation aims to help stakeholders, especially local fishing communities, implement collective management actions to solve the overfishing problem. In essence, this dissertation argues that the local implementation of a TURF system can solve the overfishing problem; however, for this system to be sustainable, collective stewardship actions must be prioritized.