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Is Greater Fishery Access Better for the Poor? Explaining De-Territorialisation of the Tonle Sap, Cambodia

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  • Thol Dina
  • Jin Sato

Abstract

The general tendency for states in South East Asia is to claim exclusive rights over natural resources at the cost of impoverishing the people who depend on them for subsistence. However, contrary to what one might expect, the government of Cambodia initiated unconventional intervention: it cancelled the fishing lots system, the de facto property rights that had granted exclusive access to certain aquatic resources to licence holders. These interventions, focused on Cambodia's largest lake, question the rationale behind such state measures to forfeit control. This paper demonstrates that political interests such as garnering election votes and circumventing certain bureaucratic agencies explain this radical shift in policy. Opening up previously exclusive lot areas to the communities won immediate support from the poor fishermen. However, now that the lake is under a more diverse, if obscure, system of governance managed by multiple agencies, the environmental and social consequences of the policy shift deserve a fuller examination.

Suggested Citation

  • Thol Dina & Jin Sato, 2014. "Is Greater Fishery Access Better for the Poor? Explaining De-Territorialisation of the Tonle Sap, Cambodia," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(7), pages 962-976, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:jdevst:v:50:y:2014:i:7:p:962-976
    DOI: 10.1080/00220388.2014.909027
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Baran, E. & Starr, P. & Kura, Y. (eds.) & WorldFish Center & Cambodia National Mekong Committee, 2007. "Influence of built structures on Tonle Sap fisheries : synthesis report," Monographs, The WorldFish Center, number 36990, April.
    2. Ratner, Blake D. & Halpern, Guy & Kosal & Mam, 2011. "Catalyzing collective action to address natural resource conflict: Lessons from Cambodia's Tonle Sap Lake," CAPRi working papers 103, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
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