- Resource System
- Coastal marine ecosystem
- Resource Units
- Lobster
Since this original case, much of the Atlantic Canadian fisheries have been reduced to a fraction of historical levels. In Port Lameron, very few harvesters fish for groundfish (cod, haddock, pollock, hake), swordfish, or tuna. The collapse of the Codfishery has been attributed to many issues, including scientific uncertainty, government policies to increase employment in the area, and subsidies to increase fishing capacity, and the inability of enforcement to stop foreign trawlers from overfishing within the 200 mile economic zone. In the 1980s, the government set fish quotas for the large-scale fleets, and in the 1990s, these quotas were extended to the small-scale fleets, including Port Lameron, including fixed gear (longline and handlining).
While there used to be a system of zoning for catching different species of inshore fish, these rules do not seem to prevail today, because there are no fish to zone for. Currently the depletion of groundfish stocks seem most pronounced on the inshore grounds. This may be due to increased predation from grey seals, parasatism caused by increased grey seal populations, or a lack of recruitment due to low populations on the offshore grounds. Nevertheless, the collective action arrangements surrounding finfish in Port Lameron are largely non-existent today.While the harvesting of lobsters is sustainable, this fishery is experience a curse of abundance, combined with high dependency on lobsters due to the decline of groundfish (i.e., cod, hake, pollock, haddock) and the concentration of quota. This has led many harvesters to increase their pressure on lobster stocks. The current regulatory framework has been set up for increasing larval recruitment, but does not have institutions to deal with high abundances. In addition, the lack of trust in the public infrastructure providers and lack of participation from resource users leaves the collective action arena regarding harvesting institutions in a rigid and vulnerable state.
Post-DFO SES (1980s to present day)
Resource System
Lobster
Resource Users
Inshore strategy - catch less lobsters with less fuel costs and higher quality;
Offshore strategy - catch more lobsters with higher fuel costs and lower quality
Public Infrastructure Providers
The DFO is responsible to the Minister of Fisheries, and not fishermen;
They focus on maximizing economic rents, employment, and sustainability of resource harvesting;
The DFO is slow to change rules or to make modifications;
Public Infrastructure
Limitations on technology, minimum size requirement of lobsters caught, requirement to throw egg-bearing females back, trap limit and seasonal closures. Gentlemen's agreements are less prevalent but still exist, mostly on inshore grounds.
Relationship 1
High effort, especially during the beginning of the season, resulting in gluts and low prices
Relationship 2
Low trust or belief the DFO, and a lack of influence on the DFO's decisions
Relationship 3
The DFO sets a series of broad rules, and enforces them using DFO enforcement officials, and tips from resource users
Relationship 4
(none specified)Relationship 5
Current rule enforcement is seemingly effective at maintaining catches of lobsters, but not at ensuring incomes for captain and crewmembers.
Relationship 6
Harvesters do not participate in decision-making in regulations, and resist regulatory changes imposed by the DFO
Exogenous Drivers 7 (Resource System)
Increased lobster abundance due to lower predation from groundfish (i.e., monkfish and wolf-fish), and increasing growth rates due to climate change.
Exogenous Drivers 7 (Public Infrastructure)
(none specified)Exogenous Drivers 8 (Resource Users)
Low prices for lobsters due to low demand and an increasing absorption of excess supply by processors, and high dependence on lobsters due to the decline of abundance and concentration of quota ownership of ground fish, swordfish, and halibut fisheries. This is the trap! RUs need to fish hard to maintain their incomes due to the absence of supplementary incomes, but fishing hard creates excesses in supply and quality problems. Additionally, ownership of fishing rights is increasingly concentrated among companies attempting to gain control of the market chain.
Exogenous Drivers 8 (Public Infrastructure Providers)
Budget cuts to DFO science and management, which has resulted in increased abdication of responsibility for management of the lobster fishery
Human Infrastructure, Private and Human-Made (Resource Users)
(none specified)Human Infrastructure, Private and Human-Made (Public Infrastructure Providers)
(none specified)Port Lameron Before DFO intervention (Before early 1970s)
Resource System
Lobsters, groundfish, herring, mackerel,
Resource Users
Small-scale inshore fishermen
Public Infrastructure Providers
Fishermen are public infrastructure providers
Public Infrastructure
Gentlemen's agreements, which specify territories and fishing bottom to be fished by local fishers using specific technologies
Relationship 1
Resource users switch between species depending on season, prices, and catch rates, and based on a knowledge of migratory patterns and spawning times.
Relationship 2
Rules are discussed and reinforced over citizen band radio at sea and at fishermen's havens
Relationship 3
Fishermen monitor each other and enforce rules using social shaming strategies
Relationship 4
Not applicable
Relationship 5
Infrastructure is responsive to changing conditions. For example, in times of scarcity, outsiders are more rigorously repelled, but in times of abundance, territories are more permeable.
Relationship 6
Low cost of monitoring and sanctioning due to direct relationship between resource users and public infrastructure providers
Exogenous Drivers 7 (Resource System)
Industrialization of the fishing fleet puts increased pressure on resources.
Exogenous Drivers 7 (Public Infrastructure)
Locally specified rules are threatened by government imposition of rules
Exogenous Drivers 8 (Resource Users)
(none specified)Exogenous Drivers 8 (Public Infrastructure Providers)
After the imposition of the 200 mile exclusive economic zone (1977), the government begins to implement strategies to simultaneously increase industrial capacity, while imposing restrictions of fishing activity.
Human Infrastructure, Private and Human-Made (Resource Users)
(none specified)Human Infrastructure, Private and Human-Made (Public Infrastructure Providers)
(none specified). 1975. The Organization of Production and Market Relations in a Nova Scotian Inshore Fishing Community. University of Manitoba Department of Anthropology, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. M.A.