Social equity in shore-based fisheries: Identifying and understanding barriers to access
January 1, 2023 - Furman, Kelsi L.; Harlan, Sharon L.; Barbieri, Luiz; Scyphers, Steven B.
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EmailJournal or Book Title: MARINE POLICY
DOI:10.1016/j.marpol.2022.105355
Abstract: Understanding fishing access and social outcomes, including potential inequities, is essential for fisheries man-agers to develop more holistic management strategies that balance desires for all stakeholders. For shore-based fisheries, which support many lower-income and subsistence anglers, fishing opportunities and outcomes are influenced by multiple socio-environmental factors. Drawing from a theoretical framing in social equity and a case study in Key West, Florida, this paper aims to examine the following questions: 1) Who is shore fishing; 2) What motivates anglers to participate in shore fishing; and 3) Is there social equity in shore fishing? More specifically, is there equitable a) access to natural resources among different groups of users, b) space allocated across different individuals or groups, and c) representation of stakeholder groups in participatory conservation, management, and decision-making? To answer these questions, we conducted 105 creel intercept surveys in Key West, Florida from June to August 2019. Our findings showed that low-income shore fishers and Black shore fishers were less satisfied with fishing access and regulations than higher-income or White fishers and more likely to be fishing for subsistence. Low-income shore fishers and non-White shore fishers were more likely to be fishing along natural mangrove shorelines compared to seawalls or piers. The most reported barrier to shore-based fishing was fishing access, and barriers disproportionately affect non-White shore fishers and lower-income shore fishers. Collectively, our results demonstrate that three types of inequities can exist in shore-based fish-eries, including resource, spatial, and participation, resulting in both distributive and procedural injustices. Overcoming these inequities will require intentional and collaborative efforts among many key stakeholders including shore-based fishers, fisheries managers, coastal zone management institutions, and local municipalities.
Type of Publication: Article