Abstract

ALVAREZ, Pablo; DELGADO, Claudia; SEINGIER, Georges  and  ESPEJEL, Ileana. Environmental History of Adaptive Co-management in Two Fishing Regions in Northwestern Mexico. Relac. Estud. hist. soc. [online]. 2018, vol.39, n.153, pp.41-67. ISSN 2448-7554.  https://doi.org/10.24901/rehs.v39i153.390.

The Baja California Peninsula is an isolated territory distinguished by the presence of export-oriented fisheries and the social organization of fishermen. The environmental histories of two fishing management schemes on the Pacific coast (abalone/lobster and sea urchin) are described. The origins of these two systems are similar in terms of (1) intensive fishing management schemes for catches that enjoy high commercial value in Asia; and (2) a change in occupations as land-based ranchers and farmers were converted into fishermen. In a second stage, fishermen organized in cooperatives, which led to the introduction of a co-management scheme to exploit abalone and lobster in the southern area and red sea urchins in the north. Responding to changes in the natural environment, social organization, institutions, commercial trends and, more recently, the climate, these fishers developed an adaptive co-management scheme that provides cases of successful experiences in the country that could stimulate the implementation of sustainable management schemes in other fisheries.

Keywords : Pacific Ocean; fisheries; development; cooperatives; environmental history.

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