Canadian fisheries will thrive if they follow co-management model, researchers say

Carmen  Chai -

Global fisheries, including those in Canada, can be sustained by following a "community-based co-management" model, according to an American study that suggests input from local fishers would stop illegal fishing and increase resources.

Researchers at the University of Washington investigated more than 130 fisheries in 44 countries to study how co-management practices affect fisheries around the world. The results showed that the framework, based on shared responsibility between the government and local fishers, is the "only realistic solution" to the problems fisheries face, said lead researcher Nicolas Gutierrez, who studies aquatic and fisheries science.

His team's findings, published Wednesday in the journal Nature, also examined small-scale and industrial fisheries in Atlantic Canada, on Vancouver Island and the West Coast, in the Arctic and Native fisheries.

"Many people believe that having fishermen involved in the management process is letting the fox guard the henhouse. What (this research) shows is just the opposite, that the more involved the fishing industry is in management, the better the outcome," co-author Ray Hilborn said.

Major components identified in the co-managed fisheries studied included a leader who enforces guidelines based on community input, securing catch and ownership over an allotted space and protecting harvested areas for conservation.

Incorporating these components resulted in less illegal fishing, a greater abundance of resources and higher profits, Gutierrez said.

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