9. Authority given to resource management rules
・There are several stages in the authorization of resource management rules.
・The first step is to establish a set of rules at the community level. The rules are agreed upon by the producers (inhabitants) who share the same fishing grounds or fish the same resources in a village, to guarantee food security, stabilise high selling prices, and restore resources. These rules are developed in consultation with the village administrative leaders and traditional authorities (e.g. elder groups) into community rules. The common law, which has been followed for the past several generations, is one of the community rules backed by the traditional authority of the village. However, even if rules are set at the community level, there will always be situations where some people do not respect the rules. In recent years, in particular, many young people tend to ignore traditional customary laws.
The second step is to ensure effective resource management by reaching out to local governments and having the community and governments work together to manage community rules and their penalties, and in some cases to turn them into laws or bylaws.
In the third stage, national administrations and research bodies work together to add more appropriate elements to the rules based on scientific knowledge, to turn them into by-laws or laws, and to develop sanctions in line with other legal norms in the country, in order to achieve fairer and stricter resource management.
Generally, as the steps above progress, the rules become more and more strict, and many feel blocked among community members. Therefore, it is advisable for community leaders and members to consult sufficiently with the relevant administration and discuss the development of rules and sanctions thoroughly to reach a consensus among community members. To increase the understanding and motivation of the inhabitants, organising training on resource management and fisheries capacity building is also effective.
