Perupok Coastal Fishery, Malaysia

RESOURCE:

The resource appropriated from Perupok Fishery is mackerel. Fishing grounds are located off of Perupok in the China Sea. Boundary is based on traditional usage of grounds.

SCREENER:

Case: Perupok 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 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 Perupok Fishery, situated in Kelantan 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 Perupok 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 Perupok Fishery have a complete knowledge of its particulars. Furthermore, the authors have provided sufficient data to formulate a structured coding process.

The Perupok Fishery covers an unknown area. There are 201-500 total appropriator teams appropriating from the resource . At the beginning of the period discussed by the authors, there was an apparently balanced supply of biological and physical resources withdrawn compared to the number of units available. Appropriator teams for the resource are sometimes formally organized.

This is a detailed analysis of production, marketing, and distribution in a Malay fishing community (Perupok, in the state of Kelantan) prior to World War II. Firth describes the community structure; how fishing activities are planned and organized; how equipment is financed and maintained; the role of fish dealers; earning distribution; and post-war changes in all these. There are few explicit data on the community's fishery as a resource, on choice mechanisms, or information exchange, but these probably can be inferred from the available information.

CITATION(S):

Firth, Raymond (1966) MALAY FISHERMEN: THEIR PEASANT ECONOMY. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul Ltd. [SH 319.M2 F5 1971]

RESOURCE INFO:

The resource appropriated from Perupok Fishery is mackerel. It is produced biologically and is a renewable moving (fugitive) unit. Fishing grounds are located off of Perupok in the China Sea. Boundary is based on traditional usage of grounds.

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 divided among multiple general purpose local jurisdictions at a single level. 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 not regularly better in some of the zones than in others (educated guess). The variance in quality between the zones has at some point in time created conflict among appropriators.

There are not strategic points within the resource where the main flow of the Mackerel can be controlled (inferred). There is considerable, and mildly predictable variation over space in the availability of Mackerel within the resource (inferred). There is considerable, and predictable variation in the flow of Mackerel within a single year (highly confident). There is considerable, but unpredictable variation in the flow of Mackerel from year to year (inferred).

The bottom topography of Perupok 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 have a relationship to the boundaries of the distribution resource that was not indicated in this case study.

LOCATION:

The appropriation resources are situated in the village of Perupok and the fishing grounds of the lift net fishers in the China Sea. The boundaries of the location are primarily institutional, including the boundary of the village and the boundaries of the fishing grounds which are based on traditional usage. The appropriation resource present in this location consists of mackerel (coding), as well as herring, pomfret, and sea bream. Regarding the use of the irrigation system, there were few adverse affects throughout the entire period in the relationships among appropriation processes.

The system is located within one country. Within this country, the system's location is not divided among several general purpose local jurisdictions at the same level. A permanent population lives year round in this location (highly confident). This location is also characterized by an economy that is stable and tied to other economic networks during the entire time period (inferred).

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 Perupok Fishery is mackerel. Fishing grounds are located off of Perupok in the China Sea. Boundary is based on traditional usage of grounds.

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 well-defined. As of the beginning of this period, the owners are not indicated as either attempting, or failing to attempt to exercise access to this resource. Since the beginning of this period, the appropriators may be exercising or attempting to exercise closed access to this resource, however this information was not included in the study.

EVENTS MARKING THE BEGINNING ACTION SITUATION

It is estimated that the operational level coded on this form ended in 0. The estimated duration of the patterns that are described in this form is not indicated in the information provided. 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 no new technology introduced to the system over the duration of the patterns coded on this form. 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 variables that changed were -2. The author begins the description of this case at this point in history. The author begins at this point in history because did fieldwork in 1940.

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 not included in the case information. For biological resources at the end of this period, the balance between the quantity of units withdrawn and the number of units available was moderately abundant (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 not included in the case information. 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 moderately abundant (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:

*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.

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

As of the beginning of the period, the quality of the units being withdrawn from the resource was not included in the study. As of the end of the period, the quality of the units being withdrawn from the resource was high (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 (inferred). As of the beginning of the period, the extent of technical externalities resulting from the appropriation activities of participants from this resource was not indicated. As of the end of the period, the extent of technical externalities resulting from the appropriation activities of participants from this resource was relatively low (educated guess). At the beginning of this study, the interference between the appropriation technology for this resource and the appropriation processes for other resources in this location was not recorded in the case information. At the end of this study, the interference between the appropriation technology for this resource and the appropriation processes for other resources in this location had no effect on the appropriation resources (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 moderate to high levels of mutual trust (e.g. oral promises given high credence) (inferred). ## 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 (educated guess). At the end of the period the appropriators were exercising, or attempting to exercise, de facto 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 documented as being available, or unavailable in this case study. The appropriators of this resource can be seen by each other while withdrawing and delivering units (educated guess). No appropriators are in radio communication with each other while appropriating from the resource (educated guess). There are not actions being taken, by appropriators or officials, to generate information about the condition of the resource (educated guess). There are not records of the withdrawals from this resource kept in a systematic way (ambiguous). There are not records of the physical factors which directly affected the resource kept in a systematic way (ambiguous). The study did not indicate whether or not there are arenas being used for the exchange of information about conditions of the resource. The appropriators have an intimate knowledge of the characteristics of this resource (inferred).

POTENTIAL ACTIONS AND LEVELS OF CONTROL

The quality or quantity of the units available to the appropriators are not adversely affected by the strategies of prior appropriators (educated guess). There are not 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) (educated guess). Most 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 (ambiguous).

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 (inferred). 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 are not included in the case study.

The general manner in which appropriators related to one another during this study is a relatively positive, reciprocal manner -- the presumption was made that long-term relationships are involved and positive actions are undertaken without a specific expectation of return (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 likely as not that he/she would encounter social sanctions imposed by other appropriators (who are not filling posititions as official monitors) (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 (inferred). At the beginning of the period there was a general estimate of some undocumented number appropriators. There was a general estimate of 201-500 appropriators at the end of the period (confident). 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 25-50, at the end of the period (educated guess). The "official" position of monitor (apart from the willingness of all appropriators to monitor) does not exist (inferred).

The case study did not include information regarding whether or not the appropriators monitor the appropriation activities of each other apart from the monitoring of any "official" guards.

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: 53.1 - 0 - 0 - 0

EVALUATION OF RESULTS

The study did not indicate whether or not there are appropriators who were consistently disadvantaged in this period. 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. By the end of the period studied the distance between those who were the least advantaged and those who were the most advantaged could be characterized as remaining relatively constant over time (educated guess).

AUTHOR'S EVALUATION AND CAUSAL ASSUMPTIONS

In this coding form the author does not focus on the readers' concept of results and the evaluation of results (educated guess).

The author evaluates income and asset ownership, largely ignoring the resource. The author evaluated this system to be of low efficiency based on the number of days fished vs. the number of days that could have been fished..

SUBGROUP:

Participants:

This appropriation group are adult males living in Perupok who are lift-net fishers. The criteria for who is a member is well defined (inferred). . This group ended with a membership of 245 (confident).

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 Malay. The difference in composition with regard to clan identification does not affect communication (inferred). Racial identification causes no difference in composition (highly confident). Religious identification causes no difference in composition (highly confident). Most members of this subgroup are religiously identified as Muslim. There is no difference in composition with regard to languages spoken (highly confident). The language spoken by most members of the subgroup is Malay.

The appropriation process is organized as team process consisting of 5-15 teams..

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 is held de facto (educated guess). Exclusion from use of the entire resource is exercised de facto (educated guess). Members of this subgroup have de facto rights to decide who can be excluded from particular zones within the resource. (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). Transferring shares of major appropriation equipment which are necessary to engage in appropriation is not exercised either je jure nor de facto## Unknown column: EQUIPSHAR ##.

Stakes and Resources:

Around 91%-100% of members reside in or adjacent to this resource (confident). Given the assets of members, the capital required to set up an appropriation team does not place pressure upon the appropriators to get immediate returns from appropriation (educated guess). Most people in this subgroup are very dependent (i.e. most of the family income) on this resource (inferred). Around 91%-100% of this subgroup work a substantial amount of time in activities not associated with appropriation from this resource (educated guess). The proportion of this subgroup that currently appropriates similar units from other resources is less than 10% (ambiguous). Given the economy of the location, the average annual family income (including all non-monetary forms of income) is considered average (educated guess). The variance of the average annual family income across families is high (educated guess). Over time the variance of the average annual family income across families is high (educated guess). 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 heavily constrain (inferred), time limit rules cause unknown contraints, quantity rules cause unknown contraints, marginal units or units obtained by increasing levels of appropriation have a moderate value immediate return (ambiguous).

Technology:

The appropriative power of the technology used does not threaten the balance between units withdrawn and units available even if no new users are added (educated guess).

Strategies Adopted:

At the end of the period the rate of unit withdrawals was constant (educated guess). During this time period members have not invested resources, such as their own labor, in maintaining or improving the structure of the appropriation resource (educated guess). Investment into constructing or improving production or distribution works for maintaining or improving their resource has not been made by members (educated guess). Members have access to an alternative source of supply (ambiguous). Members of this group have not increased their use of alternative sources of supply of this unit (educated guess). At least one member has assumed entrepreneurial activity in trying to achieve coordinated strategies in relationship to withdrawal of appropriation units (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 follow the rules set in place (inferred). The level of infraction of members who are not rule followers is generally small (ambiguous).

Subgroup Results:

This subgroup appropriates 91%-100% of its total appropriated units at the end of this period (educated guess). By the end of this time period the appropriates from this resource have remained approximately constant (educated guess).

RESOURCE:

The resource appropriated from Perupok Fishery is mackerel. Fishing grounds are located off of Perupok in the China Sea. Boundary is based on traditional usage of grounds.

OPERATIONAL RULES:

Concerning national collective choice relating to the resource, the author provides NO information about operational level rules as devised by national collective choice mechanism. 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, there is a local level of government or organization of appropriators, but it does not exercise jurisdiction in relation to the type of resource appropriated by this subgroup.

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.

The local level(s) of government or organization had no jurisdiction over the resource.

A rule exists requiring citizenship of a country. This rule is enforced at the rules-in-use level(s).

A rule exists requiring citizenship of a major subdivision of a country. This rule is enforced at the rules-in-use level(s).

A rule exists requiring citizenship or residence of a local community. This rule is enforced at the rules-in-use level(s).

A rule exists requiring membership in an ethnic group. This rule is enforced at the 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 that an appropriator be of a particular race. 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 rules-in-use level(s).

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:

The local level(s) of government or organization had no jurisdiction over the resource.

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

There is a rule requiring withdrawal at specific locations or spots, based on the historical pattern of appropriation. This rule is enforced at the rules-in-use level(s), and is part of the most restrictive, regularly adopted/used set of rules.

There is a rule forbidding withdrawal whenever and wherever desired, based on the historical pattern of appropriation. This rule is enforced at the 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:

The local level(s) of government or organization had no jurisdiction over the resource.

Information Rules

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: inferred. Moderate fines can be imposed on appropriators for breaking rules related to the appropriation of this resource. Appropriators are not party to price support contracts or guaranteed purchase agreements for the selling of resource units or commodities produced by resource units.

There is a single arrangement by which the appropriation process is organized by teams.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) - operators(s) of primary appropriation equipment:

38%

Regular crew (each):

62%

The ownership of the primary and/or supplemental appropriation equipment is divided into shares. For a description of shares, see page 237.

Aggregation Rules

Overall Questions About Rules Configuration