The realities of fishery management in the Southeast Asia region

Fishery management, particularly in Southeast Asia, is concerned primarily with people problems rather than resource problems. It cannot be successful unless viewed in the context of rural development. Conventional constraints to management include lack of theory, lack of data, lack of trained personnel, lack of institutional infrastructure, lack of physical infrastructure and gear conflicts. Unconventional constraints include large numbers of artisanal fishermen distributed over exceedingly long coastlines, responsibilities diffused throughout government, intra-government conflicts, international competition for the same resources and a close identity with nature leading to a fatalistic view about the course of events. Requirements for a successful fishery management system are listed. In spite of constraints and requirements, there are nevertheless reasons for optimism including the establishment of EEZs and examples, of which three are cited, of the ability and willingness of responsible individuals in government to identify critical problems and to take difficult decisions/actions with respect to such problems.