Kampong Mee Trawl Fishery, Malaysia

RESOURCE:

The resource appropriated from Kampong Mee Trawl Fishery is demersal fish. The appropriation resource is located in the Strait of Malacca, it is not more than a half day's travel from the port of Kampong Mee. The boundaries are ambiguous.

SCREENER:

Case: Kampong Mee Trawl Fishery, Malaysia

The information regarding the following common-pool resource system was taken from empirical evidence from a field setting. Data on the system was extracted from a book. Currently, there are no additional documents to cite which may provide further information about this common-pool resource.

These documents describe one resource in detail. The primary resource is the Kampong Mee Trawl Fishery, situated in Penang Island, Malaysia of Malaysia. More generally, it is located in Orient. The system's sector is that of fisheries. Relatively good information has been collected about the stakes of participants who appropriate from Kampong Mee Trawl Fishery. The condition of this resource is well understood. Complete information is available regarding the strategies used by key groups interacting with the system. There is thorough documentation of the operational rules for this resource. This is the result of a high level of confidence that the authors who recorded the features of Kampong Mee Trawl Fishery have a complete knowledge of its particulars. Furthermore, the authors have provided sufficient data to formulate a structured coding process.

The Kampong Mee Trawl Fishery covers an unknown area. There are 51-100 total appropriator teams appropriating from the resource . At the beginning of the period discussed by the authors, there was a moderately abundant supply of biological and physical resources withdrawn compared to the number of units available. Appropriator teams for the resource are always formally organized.

The Andersons studied the trawler fishery of a village on Penang Island, Malaysia. The fishermen are organized into 6 coops which engage primarily in marketing. Apparently 6 coops exist because the fishermen organize themselves on the basis of village origin. The resource itself is open access, and over a decade from 1962 to 1972 has become badly depleted. The fishermen use very small mesh sizes which scoop up everything. At the end of the study, in 1972, the fishermen were harvesting great numbers of fry, which is threatening the resource base. (see also docs 145 and 203d)

CITATION(S):

Anderson, E. N., Jr., and M. J. Anderson (1977) "Fishing in Troubled Waters: Research on the Chinese Fishing Industry in West Malaysia." In ASIAN FOLKLORE AND SOCIAL LIFE MONOGRAPHS (100), edited by T. K. Lou. Taipei: The Chinese Association for Folklore.*

RESOURCE INFO:

The resource appropriated from Kampong Mee Trawl Fishery is demersal fish. It is produced biologically and is a renewable moving (fugitive) unit. The appropriation resource is located in the Strait of Malacca, it is not more than a half day's travel from the port of Kampong Mee. The boundaries are ambiguous.

The boundary of this resource has institutional arrangements. The boundaries of this resource are smaller than the location, and exist in one country and are not within any general purpose local jurisdictions. The boundaries of this resource are independent of a development project designed by non-residents.

There are distinct and stable micro-environmental or ecological zones within this resource (inferred). The quality and/or quantity of units is regularly better in some of the zones than in others (inferred). The variance in quality between the zones has at some point in time created conflict among appropriators.

The study did not indicate whether or not there are natural barriers within the resource. There are not strategic points within the resource where the main flow of the demersal fish can be controlled (educated guess). There is considerable, and mildly predictable variation over space in the availability of demersal fish within the resource (inferred). The case study did not include information regarding whether or not there is considerable variation in the flow of demersal fish within a single year. There is considerable, but unpredictable variation in the flow of demersal fish from year to year (inferred).

The bottom topography of Kampong Mee Trawl Fishery is not indicated in the case study information.

The boundaries of the production resource do not coincide with the boundaries of the location. Rather, the location is within the boundaries of the appropriation resource (educated guess). The boundaries of the production resource partially overlap the boundaries of the location, but the two boundaries are not equivalent (educated guess). The boundaries of the distribution resource are not identical to the boundaries of the appropriation resource, but appropriation is within the boundaries of distribution (educated guess). The boundaries of the production resource are not equivalent to the boundaries of the distribution resource. Distribution is within the boundaries of production (educated guess).

LOCATION:

The appropriation resources are situated in the Kampong Mee fishery and village, located on Pinang Island off of the northwest coast of Malaysia. The fishery is located in the Strait of Malacca. The boundaries of the location are not well defined. The location includes a town, which is institutionally defined, but the appropriation resource boundaries are ill defined. The fishermen do not venture more than 1/2 day away from port. The appropriation resource present in this location consists of demersal fish (coding), as well as shrimp, prawns, pemfrets, and sole..

The system is located within one country. Within this country, the system's location is not within any general purpose local jurisdiction. A permanent population lives year round in this location (highly confident). There is frequent contact and communication between people in this location and officials in a nearby administrative center (highly confident). This location is also characterized by an economy that is changing and tied to other economic networks during the entire time period (confident).

The latitude of this location is not specified, and its longitude is not specified. The elevation of this location is 0 meters. The highest elevation is 0. The lowest elevation of this location is 0. The region's average annual rainfall is . The region's average annual evapotranspiration is . The distribution of rainfall and evapotranspiration per month is as follows:

January precipitation: N/A, evapotraspiration: N/A

February precipitation: N/A, evapotraspiration: N/A

March precipitation: N/A, evapotraspiration: N/A

April precipitation: N/A, evapotraspiration: N/A

May precipitation: N/A, evapotraspiration: N/A

June precipitation: N/A, evapotraspiration: N/A

July precipitation: N/A, evapotraspiration: N/A

August precipitation: N/A, evapotraspiration: N/A

September precipitation: N/A, evapotraspiration: N/A

October precipitation: N/A, evapotraspiration: N/A

November precipitation: N/A, evapotraspiration: N/A

December precipitation: N/A, evapotraspiration: N/A

RESOURCE:

The resource appropriated from Kampong Mee Trawl Fishery is demersal fish. The appropriation resource is located in the Strait of Malacca, it is not more than a half day's travel from the port of Kampong Mee. The boundaries are ambiguous.

OPERATIONAL LEVEL:

TYPE OF SITUATION

The processes described in the related documents are primarily related to appropriation and use. The formal owner(s) of the resource discussed in this study is a central government. The set of individuals who have rights to withdraw from this resource is not well-defined. As of the beginning of this period, the owners are not exercising nor attempting to exercise closed access to this resource. Since the beginning of this period, the appropriators are not exercising, or attempting to exercise closed access to this resource.

EVENTS MARKING THE BEGINNING ACTION SITUATION

It is estimated that the operational level coded on this form ended in 1976. The estimated duration of the patterns that are described in this form is 11 to 25 years. Throughout the duration there were no changes made in operational, collective, or consititutional rules. There was no change in resource size or structure. There was an enhancement of physical capabilities to withdraw units (e.g. introduction of turbine pump) from the resource during the time of this study. There was no substantial external change in the value of the units appropriated. The quantity of units available did not change due to a change in appropriation patterns of other appropriators' withdrawals from the same production or distribution resource. There were no new groups starting to withdraw units from the appropriation resource. There was no recorded change to one or more variables internal to the operational level. The author does not begin the description of this case at this point in history.

CONDITIONS AT THE BEGINNING AND END OF PERIOD COVERED BY THIS FORM*

For biological resources at the beginning of this period, the balance between the quantity of units withdrawn and the number of units available was moderately abundant (educated guess). For biological resources at the end of this period, the balance between the quantity of units withdrawn and the number of units available was a moderate shortage (educated guess). For physical resources at the beginning of this period, the balance between the quantity of units withdrawn and the quantity of units needed, given the usual patterns of use for these units was moderately abundant (educated guess). For physical resources at the end of the period the balance between the quantity of units withdrawn and the quantity of units needed, given the usual patterns of use for these units, was a moderate shortage (educated guess).

The following includes the available statistics on the use of this resource at the beginning of the time period, followed by the end of the time period:

Tons of fish harvested per year at the beginning of the period: 6120 (inferred)

Tons of fish harvested per year at the end of the period: 6120 (inferred)

At the end of this period, the units were not sexually mature at this size or age (educated guess).

*In fisheries and other biological systems, this is the maximum sustainable number of units. In irrigation, this refers to the optimal water requirements of the crops in the established fields served by this system.

The information about how units are disposed at the beginning of the period is missing in this case.

At the end of the period, the units were predominantly sold in local markets, and also consumed by appropriators and families.

As of the beginning of the period, the quality of the units being withdrawn from the resource was high (educated guess). As of the end of the period, the quality of the units being withdrawn from the resource was poor (educated guess). At the beginning of the period of the study, there was no information provided regarding whether or not there are problems of pollution in this or other resources, due to the way units are being appropriated. At the end of the period of the study, there were no problems of pollution in this or other resources due to the way units are being appropriated (ambiguous). As of the beginning of the period, the extent of technical externalities resulting from the appropriation activities of participants from this resource was relatively high (educated guess). As of the end of the period, the extent of technical externalities resulting from the appropriation activities of participants from this resource was relatively high (educated guess). At the beginning of this period the appropriators shared levels of trust that are not indicated in the case study. At the end of the period the appropriators shared levels of trust that are not indicated in the case study. ## Unknown markup: Start ##By the end of this period no change had occurred in the property rights regime related to the appropriation resource (inferred). At the end of this period the owners were not exercising, nor attempting to exercise closed access to this resource (inferred). At the end of the period the appropriators were not exercising, nor attempting to exercise, closed access to this resource (educated guess).

INFORMATION LEVELS

There are no maps or charts of the appropriation resource for use by the appropriators (educated guess). Maps and/or charts of the production and distribution resources are not available to the appropriators (educated guess). The appropriators of this resource can be seen by each other while withdrawing units from the resource (educated guess). No documentation was included in the study regarding whether or not the appropriators of this resource are in radio communication with each other while appropriating from the resource. There are actions being taken, by appropriators or officials, to generate information about the condition of the resource (highly confident). There are always records of the withdrawals from this resource kept in a systematic way (highly confident). There was no information in the study about whether or not there are records of the physical factors which directly affected the resource kept in a systematic way. Records are kept in a language accessible to most of the appropriators (inferred). The keepers of these records are officials at some level (highly confident). These records are available for inspection by appropriators (highly confident). There are arenas being used for the exchange of information about conditions of the resource (highly confident). Appropriators get together to discuss mutual problems of the resource at a frequency which was not included in the case study. The appropriators have a moderate familiarity with the characteristics of this resource (educated guess).

POTENTIAL ACTIONS AND LEVELS OF CONTROL

The quality or quantity of the units available to the appropriators are adversely affected by the strategies of prior appropriators (educated guess). There are problems of pollution resulting from activities of others who are not appropriators of this resource or inhabitants of this location (e.g. acid rain, sewage disposal) (inferred). Almost all appropriators sell this resource in multiple markets (educated guess). There appears to be an insurance mechanism available to the appropriators related to variability of income from the resource (inferred).

PATTERNS OF INTERACTION

Differences between subgroups relating to gender identification does not exist (highly confident). Differences between subgroups relating to ethnic identification does not exist (highly confident). Differences between subgroups relating to clan identification does not affect communication (educated guess). Differences between subgroups relating to racial identification does not exist (highly confident). Differences between subgroups relating to religious identification does not exist (highly confident). Differences between subgroups relating to languages spoken does not exist (highly confident). Differences between subgroups relating to general cultural views of the resource system and its use does not exist (highly confident). Differences between subgroups relating to any problems that affect communication does not exist (inferred).

The general manner in which appropriators related to one another during this study is a relatively negative, perhaps even spiteful manner -- one indicator of this would be vandalism by appropriators against appropriators. (educated guess). The documents present evidence that the appropriators have a general cultural pattern that stressed various types of cooperative activities besides the management of this resource (educated guess). If someone violated the rules-in-use related to the appropriation process from this resource, it is unlikely that he/she would encounter social sanctions imposed by other appropriators (who are not filling posititions as official monitors) (educated guess). If someone violates the rules-in-use related to the appropriation process from this resource, it is unlikely that he/she would encounter physical sanctions by other appropriators (who are not filling posititions as official monitors) (educated guess). If someone violates the rules-in-use related to the appropriation process from this resource, it is unlikely that an official monitor or guard would move to impose sanctions (educated guess). There is a moderate range of sanctions imposed depending on rule infractions and in regard to social, physical, and official sanctions (educated guess).

POSITIONS AND PARTICIPANTS

At the end of the period studied the position of non-appropriator (individuals prevented from using the resource) did not exist. There was a general estimate of 501-1000 appropriators at the end of the period (educated guess). A general estimate of the number of participants in the team appropriation process was not included in the case study, at the beginning of the period. A general estimate of the number of participants in the team appropriation process was 201-500, at the end of the period (confident). The "official" position of monitor (apart from the willingness of all appropriators to monitor) does exist, and monitors are employees of an external governmental authority (confident).

The appropriators do not monitor the appropriation activities of each other apart from the monitoring of any "official" guards (educated guess). The general estimate for the number of official monitors on duty at one time during peak hours was not included in this case study. Official monitors are paid in money. Almost all of the monitors were full-time (ambiguous).

NUMBER AND RELATIONSHIPS AMONG SUBGROUPS

There will be 1 subgroup form(s) completed in relation to this operational level form. The ID number(s) of the subgroup(s) coded are as follows: 29.1 - 0 - 0 - 0

EVALUATION OF RESULTS

There are appropriators who were consistently disadvantaged in this period (ambiguous). The study did not indicate whether or not the relatively worst off appropriators have or have not been cut out of their benefits from this resource or substantially harmed.

AUTHOR'S EVALUATION AND CAUSAL ASSUMPTIONS

In this coding form the author focuses on the readers' concept of results and the evaluation of results.

The results on balance between units withdrawn and units available, volume of withdrawal, age, and pollution, indicate a fishery that is being destroyed. This is probably a result of the type of technology used, effort, and lack of cooperation. Comments recorded regarding evidence that is presented concerning the nature and level of transaction costs are as follows: The information regarding the nature and level of transaction costs indicate that the costs were high. One suggestion was to impose governmental order. The author discusses withdrawals per unit of effort based on Author does discuss withdrawals/effort, consider how often fishers cast nets; cast nets more at end of situation then at beginning.

SUBGROUP:

Participants:

This appropriation group are the Trawl fishermen who live in Kampong Mee.. This group ended with a estimated membership of 501-1000.. An estimated 91%-100% of this group is literate in a language that records or publications about this resource and/or location (or other similar resources) is kept.

The following statements characterize the composition of this subgroup's population with respect to variables that may affect the capacity to communicate effectively:

Gender identification causes no difference in composition (highly confident). Ethnic or cultural identification causes no difference in composition (highly confident). Most members of this subgroup are ethnically identified as Chinese. The difference in composition with regard to clan identification does not affect communication (educated guess). Racial identification causes no difference in composition (highly confident). Most members of this subgroup are racially identified as Oriental. Religious identification causes no difference in composition (highly confident). Most members of this subgroup are religiously identified as Chinese folk religion. There is no difference in composition with regard to languages spoken (highly confident). The language spoken by most members of the subgroup is Chinese.

The appropriation process is organized as a team process consisting of 90 groups.

Legal Rights:

Members of this subgroup have de jure rights of access (inferred). The right to withdraw is held by this subgroup de jure (inferred). Rights to participate in management of this resource are not held either de facto nor de jure (educated guess). Exlusion from use of the entire resource is not exercised either de facto nor de jure (educated guess). Members of this subgroup cannot exercise the right to decide who can be excluded from particular zones within the resource either de facto nor de jure. (educated guess). The separable right of transfer to the flow of units from this resource is not held either by de jure nor de facto (educated guess). The separable rights to exercise transfer to shares of this appropriation resource, or closely related production and/or distribution resources are neither held de jure nor de facto (educated guess).

Stakes and Resources:

The length of time this subgroup has regularly appropriated from this resource is 1 through 10 years (educated guess). Around 91%-100% of members reside in or adjacent to this resource (confident). More than one year is needed to build or to earn enough income to purchase the equipment for an appropriation team (educated guess). Given the assets of members, the capital required to set up an appropriation team places pressure upon the appropriators to get immediate returns from appropriation (inferred). Most people in this subgroup are very dependent (i.e. most of the family income) on this resource (inferred). Less than 10% of this subgroup work a substantial amount of time in activities not associated with appropriation from this resource (inferred). The proportion of this subgroup that currently appropriates similar units from other resources is less than 10% (inferred). Given the economy of the location, the average annual family income (including all non-monetary forms of income) is considered high (highly confident). The variance of the average annual family income across families is moderate (educated guess). Over time the variance in average annual family income is low (ambiguous). Capital is owned by 91%-100% of this subgroup (educated guess). No real alternatives for the supply unit are available (educated guess).

Potential Actions and Levels of Control:

A noticeable impact on the balance of the quantity of units withdrawn and the number of units available in this resource would occur in a drastic reduction of this subgroup's appropriation activities (ambiguous). Keeping in mind the physically available levels of withdrawal that are possible from this resource, the following shows the extent to which rules concerning different aspects of withdrawal constrain appropriation: technological rules cause unknown contraints, time limit rules cause unknown contraints, quantity rules cause unknown contraints, marginal units or units obtained by increasing levels of appropriation have a low value immediate return (educated guess).

Technology:

The appropriative power of the technology used threatens the balance between units withdrawn and units available even if no new users are added (highly confident).

Strategies Adopted:

At the beginning of the period the rate of unit withdrawals was accelerating (ambiguous). At the end of the period the rate of unit withdrawals was constant (inferred). During this time period members have not invested resources, such as their own labor, in maintaining or improving the structure of the appropriation resource (inferred). Investment into constructing or improving production or distribution works for maintaining or improving their resource has not been made by members (educated guess). Resources have not been expended (including time) to avoid actions that would harm the structure of the appropriation resource (educated guess). Members do not have access to an alternative source of supply (educated guess). Members of this group have not increased their use of alternative sources of supply of this unit (educated guess). In characterizing the usual behavior of the members of this subgroup with respect to local operation level rules-in-use (other than in extreme shortage), it can be said that almost all of the members do not follow the rules (educated guess). The level of infraction of members who are not rule followers is generally large (educated guess). Action in the collective choice arena has been proposed to alter the operational or collective-choice rules affecting the appropriation from this resource (inferred). Attempting to alter the behavior of appropriators, members of this group have threatened or actually used violence to obtain a more favorable situation (regardless of the rules).

Subgroup Results:

The absolute quantity of appropriation units obtained by this group has remained constant (educated guess).

RESOURCE:

The resource appropriated from Kampong Mee Trawl Fishery is demersal fish. The appropriation resource is located in the Strait of Malacca, it is not more than a half day's travel from the port of Kampong Mee. The boundaries are ambiguous.

OPERATIONAL RULES:

Concerning national collective choice relating to the resource, the author provides a few detailed references to operational level rules as devised by national collective choice mechanisms which have been coded below. Concerning regional collective choice, the author provides NO information about operational level rules as devised by regional collective choice mechanisms, however a regional level of government does exist.

With regard to local collective choice, a level of government or organization of appropriators exists at the location and the author provides a few detailed references about operational level rules as devised by collective choice mechanisms which have been coded below.

Boundary Rules

The following rules define the requirements that must be met before individuals are eligible to harvest or withdraw units from the appropriation resource.

A rule exists forbidding membership in an ethnic group. This rule is enforced at the national level(s).

A rule exists requiring membership in an ethnic group. This rule is enforced at the local and rules-in-use level(s).

A rule exists requiring membership in an organization. This rule is enforced at the national, local, and rules-in-use level(s).

A rule exists requiring an appropriator to be of a certain gender. This rule is enforced at the rules-in-use level(s).

A rule exists requiring use of a particular technology. This rule is enforced at the local and rules-in-use level(s).

A rule exists requiring an appropriator to obtain a license for entry or for equipment in order to appropriate. This rule is enforced at the national, local, and rules-in-use level(s).

A rule exists requiring ownership of shares in an organization. This rule is enforced at the national, local, and rules-in-use level(s).

-2

Authority and Scope Rules

The default conditions for both authority and scope rules do not apply.

The following paragraphs include information on rules of 1 cycle(s).

Authority Rules:

There is a rule requiring withdrawal at a fixed time slot, based on the type of license issued by governing authority. This rule is enforced at the national level(s), and is part of the most restrictive, regularly adopted/used set of rules.

The length of the withdrawing season is 0 week(s)..

There is a rule permitting withdrawal whenever and wherever desired, based on membership/non-membership in an organization. This rule is enforced at the local and rules-in-use level(s), and is part of the most restrictive, regularly adopted/used set of rules.

The authority and scope rules do not apply to whether or not certain subgroups received substantially unequal privileges, because there is only one subgroup.

Scope Rules:

Information Rules

There exists a rule requiring recording of the number of units withdrawn. This rule is enforced at the national, local, and rules-in-use level(s).

This information was recorded by an AGO.

There exists a rule requiring recording of the quality of units withdrawn. This rule is enforced at the national level(s).

There exists a rule permitting recording of the quality of units withdrawn. This rule is enforced at the local and rules-in-use level(s).

This information was recorded by an AGO.

There exists a rule requiring recording of the condition of the resource. This rule is enforced at the national level(s).

There exists a rule permitting recording of the condition of the resource. This rule is enforced at the local and rules-in-use level(s).

This information was recorded by an AGO.

Payoff Rules

The default condition, that all appropriators can retain whatever they can physically keep hold of and no external rewards, taxes, or sanctions are imposed is not imposed in this case. The authors have the following confidence level for the results of this section: educated guess. Moderate fines can be imposed on appropriators for breaking rules related to the appropriation of this resource. Severe community shunning is not used as a sanction that is consciously imposed on appropriators who break rules related to the appropriation of this resource. Appropriators can obtain external aid from a national (private or public) agency(s) to develop their appropriation technologies. Appropriators can obtain aid from a national (private or public) agency(s) to develop or repair their production, distribution, or appropriation resources. Appropriators are not party to price support contracts or guaranteed purchase agreements for the selling of resource units or commodities produced by resource units.

The following percentages indicate the percentages assigned to individual positions. If more than one percentage is listed per position, the individual percentages refer to the different arrangements existing within the operational rules.

Owner(s) (non-operator(s)) of primary appropriation equipment:

0.5%; 0%; 0%

; 0%; 0%; 0%; 0%; 0%; 0%Crew with special assets (including non-owner captain):

0.11%; 0%; 0%

Regular crew (each):

0.07%; 0%; 0%

; 0%; 0%

Aggregation Rules

Overall Questions About Rules Configuration

The general framework of the rules-in-use has governed the activities of this subgroup for 11 to 25 years.