Dynamics of Social‐ecological Traps: The Case of Small‐scale Fisheries in the Philippines

Philippine Update Conference 2016: Sustaining the Momentum for Change beyond 2016September 3, 2016, PS2: Rural Communities and Prospects of Development in the Periphery

Acton Theater, Crawford School, Australian National University

Jennifer Marie S. AmparoPh.D. Scholar

Fenner School of Environment and SocietyCollege of Medicine, Biology, and Environment

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State of SSF: Global Scenario

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Photo Credits: Mark Atole, Blacksmith Institute

Source: Pauly, 2006

Small‐scale fisheries (SSF): No universal definitionCountry Small‐scale fishery definition

Brunei Darussalam

Artisanal; boats up to 60 ft. (18.3 m) LOA (.3nm)

Indonesia Small‐scale: vessels <5 GT/10 HP engine (0‐3 nm); and < 25 GT/50 HP engine (3‐7 nm)

Malaysia Inshore or traditional: boats <10 GT (within 3 nm)

Philippines Municipal / capture fisheries:  Boats <3 GT (<15 KM, ~8 NM)

Fishponds: <5 hectare fishponds

Mariculture parks: Bamboo fish cages 5x5 m or 10x10mThailand <12 nm mainly gillnets

4Source: SEAFDECPhoto Credits: Mark Atole, Blacksmith Institute

State of SSF in the PhilippinesOne of the top fish producers in the world

Fish production increasing particularly from aquaculture

Philippine fishers still poorer compared to other sectors

Early adopter of co‐management in fisheries governance; national fisheries plan and policies in place 

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Annual Fisheries Production (1980‐2012), Philippines Source: Bureau of Agricultural Statistics, Country Stat

Social‐ecological trapsSituations in which there are strong reinforcing controls that prevent the flexibility needed for adaptation and leads to undesirable and persistent maladaptive situations                        (Carpenter and Brock, 2008; Steneck et al., 2011)

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Analytical Framework

Social Trap

• Platt 1973; Cross and Guyer1980; Teger1980; Costanza1987; Barry and Bateman 1996

Poverty Trap

• Allison and Hobbs 2004; Bowles, Durlauf, and Hoff; Carpenter and Brock 2008;

Commodity Trap

• Meadows 2008; Sustainability Institute 2003

Drawing Credits: Apel, Funita and Karr (2013)

Systems-based Human Ecology Framework

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state of human &wellbeing

state of ecosystem

state of communitystate of cultural

paradigmsocial effects

environmentaleffects

co-effects

health effects

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Cultural Adaptation Template

Attributes of Traps (adapted from Barry and Bateman, 1996)

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Temporality ScalarityConstituency

Symmetry Action/Response Cognizance

Exclusivity

Stakeholders’ perception of SES and SET Time element (recognition, effects, action)

Difference in effects/impacts to different stakeholders

Awareness of the SET; social learning

Control and power to identify and act on the SET

Scale SET is felt, act upon

Type of action and changes

Case Study Sites (Philippines SSF)

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Marilao‐Meycauayan‐Obando River System (MMORS), Bulacan, Philippines

Balingasag, Misamis Oriental, Philippines

Iligan Bay, Misamis Occidental, Philippines

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Case Study Sites (Philippines SSF)Predominance of small-scale fisheries and coastal areasIssues on multiple use of the ecosystemPrimary interventions were done

Freshwater and brackish water fish farming

Mariculture park Capture fishingMariculture park

Types of fish ponds and fish cages

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HDPE circular fish cage (Norwegian cage) in Lopez Jaena mariculture park, Misamis Occidental

Bamboo fish cage in Lopez Jaena mariculture park, Misamis Occidental

Local design of the Norwegian cage in Balingasag mariculture park, Misamis Occidental

Earth-diked fish ponds in Bulacan Netted fishponds in Bulacan

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1900s ‐‐‐‐‐‐ 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010‐‐‐present

Fishponds developed even pre-colonial times

Obando was formerly known as “Catanghalan”

First batch of tilapia (O.mossambicus) from Thailand (Dr. Deogracias Villadolid)

Freshwater aquaculture progressed

Fisheries Code of the Philippines (1998)Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (1997)

Fisheries Industry Production Plan

National Fisheries Policy and Plan

MTFMDP

AgrikulturangMaka-masa

GMA for Fisheries

NFIDP

Focus on production

Co-management and NRM

Promotion of mariculture parks development

UNCLOS / EEZ

Fishery infrastructure and aquaculture

Bangkok Dec of Strat for Aquaculture DevtLarge-scale fishery devt

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GLOBAL

Philippine Fisheries management plans and policies: Timeline

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livelihoodsecurity

ecosystemhealth

Extent of supportfor small-scale fishfarm development

belief in fishfarming as asustainablelivelihood

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state of healthand well-being

state ofecosystem

state ofcommunity

state of culturalparadigm

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Cultural adaptation template (left) translated into a livelihood security problem space (right)

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Cultural adaptation template (left) translated into a specific-system-of-interest in MMORS based on the livelihood security problem space (right)

MMORS: Upstream and Downstream Pollution Dynamics

Trap Attributes in MMORS• Upstream-downstream dynamicsConstituencyConstituency

• Legacy pollution / slow variablesTemporalityTemporality• Hierarchy in decisions in fish farmsSymmetrySymmetry• Aware of pollution problem; solution “not from my end”CognizanceCognizance• Technical knowledge limited to certain sectors / traditional know-howExclusivityExclusivity• Mismatch between river management and fisheries managementScalarityScalarity• Adaptation; “slider effect” (loans, remittances from relatives)Action/responseAction/response

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Cultural adaptation template (left) translated into a specific-system-of-interest in mariculture parks based on the livelihood security problem space (right)

Risks exposed of SSF in MPs in Northern Mindanao

Trap Attributes in Mariculture Parks• Absentee fish cage operators; fish cage caretakers – labourConstituencyConstituency

• Slow and fast variablesTemporalityTemporality• Hierarchy in decisions in fish farmsSymmetrySymmetry• New project; disasters made them aware of their vulnerabilityCognizanceCognizance• Unaware of technical data/ traditional know-howExclusivityExclusivity• Mismatch mariculture managementScalarityScalarity• Focus on material side of poverty – income/employmentAction/responseAction/response

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Social‐ecological trap structure

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Systemic structure-Weak and missing feedback links-Time lags-“limits to growth” and “success to the successful” system archetypesAdaptation-Short term, “slider effect”Focus on material side of poverty

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Thank you very much.   Maraming salamat po.

jennifer.amparo@anu.edu.auTwitter: @jennifer_amparo

Supervisory Panel:Dr. Rob Dyball, FSES-ANUDr. Sara Beavis, FSES-ANUDr. Alpina Begossi, ECOMAR / UNISANTA, Brazil

References• DYBALL, R. & NEWELL, B. 2014. Understanding Human Ecology: A Systems Approach to

sustainability, London, UK, Earthscan Publishing.• FAO 2014. The state of world fisheries and aquaculture: Opportunities and challenges. Rome,

Italy: FAO.• FAO, WORLDFISH & WORLD BANK 2008. Small-scale capture fisheries - A global overview with

emphasis on developing countries: A preliminary report of the Big Numbers Project Rome and Penang: FAO and WorldFish.

• GARCES, L. 2011. The Role of Small-scale fisheries in Food security and livelihood in the Philippines. SEARCA Agriculture and Development Seminar Series. SEARCA, Los Banos, Laguna.

• MALENAB, M. C. T., VISCO, E. S., TORIO, D. A. & AMPARO, J. M. S. 2013. Fish Farm Management Study. Los Banos, Laguna: University of the Philippines Los Banos.

• PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY 2014. Fishermen, Farmers and Children remain the poorest basic sectors.

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