Case MT-1 Government-initiated co-management of resources: case of Mauritania

Mauritania, government-led resource co-management, TAC system, quota system, individual quota system, collective quota system, Olympic system, octopus stock, IMROP, octopus stock census, closed season setting, Artisanal Fishers Federation

In Mauritania, where government-led fisheries management systems have been implemented, there has been a tendency to involve small-scale fishermen in resource co-management. This shift in focus towards resource co-management has emerged owing to concerns about the expansion of fishing effort associated with an increase in small-scale fishermen and the sustainability of the main target species such as octopus. How has the government-led resource co-management been developed?

The fisheries sector in Mauritania comprises three sub-sectors: offshore fisheries (peche autorier), coastal fisheries (peche cotier), and small-scale fisheries (peche artisanal)⁶. In 2016, a quota system based on the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) was introduced. The analysis of the required fishery resource quantity under the TAC system has been conducted by the government-affiliated fisheries research institute known as IMROP. In the management of octopus resources, IMROP conducts a census of octopus resources; based on the census results, the TAC for octopus is determined each year.

Among the three sub-sectors above, individual quotas are allocated to offshore and coastal fishermen, while a collective allocation system is employed for small-scale fishermen. The collective allocation system allows fishing within the quota through an Olympic-style allocation method⁷. If there is room between the total catch and the TAC, new entrants can be allocated quotas, considering socio-economic factors such as their contribution to employment.

According to IMROP, octopus in Mauritanian waters undergoes spawning from April to May, with new recruits joining in June. Therefore, a two-month fishing ban is annually enforced in June to protect the resource. A committee comprising government fisheries administrators and representatives from the Artisanal Fishers Federation, among others, is formed to facilitate regular discussions on fisheries resource management. According to a representative of the Artisanal Fishers Federation, while marine fishery resources are owned by the government, their utilisation methods are discussed transparently, and management policies are determined through dialogue.

In the current government-led fisheries resource management in Mauritania, the following issues have been identified:

1) Accuracy of resource analysis: IMROP, while maintaining a firm stance on resource analysis, sometimes struggles to adequately explain the scientific basis for resource quantity analysis.

2) Increasing artisanal fishermen: To provide preferential treatment to increasing artisanal fishermen, measures such as allowing octopus fishing for artisanal fishermen 15 days before the lifting of the fishing ban and in some cases permitting over-quota catches have been implemented.

In this context, despite the existing government-led resource management system in Mauritania, there is a growing inclination towards involving fishermen in resource co-management owing to the increase in artisanal fishermen and concerns about sustainable resource utilisation.

In countries that conduct government-led fisheries resource management, there is a growing interest in collaborative resource management as a strategy to enhance the effectiveness of resource management, especially in the changing environment with an increase in artisanal fishermen. This approach involves creating platforms for dialogue, such as committees comprising government officials and representatives of artisanal fishermen, where opinions and input are exchanged. These opinions and input are then incorporated into the government’s resource management plans.

Chapter 4 Strengthening the role and practical capacity of administration

In government-led top-down fisheries resource management, fisheries administrative agencies have implemented various fishing regulations to reduce excessive catch levels. However, in many countries facing budget and personnel constraints, it is difficult to effectively enforce bans on illegal fishing practices at all landing sites.

In countries where government-led top-down fisheries resource management has been implemented, the introduction of fisheries resource co-management serves as a reference case for encouraging fishermen to recognise the necessity of resource management and take proactive actions to protect resources.