Co-management involves small-scale fishers and other actors coming together to negotiate, establish, and agree to an equitable sharing of the management, tenure, and responsibilities of a territory or resource. Learn more about managing inland and marine resources through collaborative and participatory processes in the resources below. 

Resources

Stakeholder and network analysis within the context of traditional governance and tenurial rights in the artisanal fisheries sector in the central region of Ghana

This report identifies stakeholders of the artisanal fishery in Ghana, conducts a network analysis of these stakeholders and provides recommendations on how these networks could be harnessed for the development of the artisanal fishery in the region.
Fisheries policy, governance & management
Co-management
Fisheries management
Tenure rights
Other resources & approaches
Capacity development

The Governance of Artisanal Fisheries in the Sherbo River Area of Sierra Leone

This report sets out the historic and existing governance arrangements for artisanal fishing in the Sherbro River Estuary (hereafter the Estuary’), where fishing is vital to the livelihoods and food security of local communities. It uses research from 17 community visits and interviews of key stakeholders to analyse current and historic conditions at the levels of local communities, traditional authorities, local government and central government.
Fisheries policy, governance & management
Co-management
Fisheries management
Illegal fishing and enforcement
Other resources & approaches
Participatory processes and stakeholder engagement

The traditional tenure rights in the clam fishery of the Volta Estuary.

This report examines traditional management and tenure arrangements in the clam fishery of the Volta river estuary and provides recommendations for ensuring the sustainability of the clam fishery, which is critical for local livelihoods and food security.
Science, knowledge & information gathering
Traditional and local ecological knowledge
Fisheries policy, governance & management
Co-management
Fisheries management
Tenure rights
Value chains & post harvest
Value add and processing
Human rights & gender equality
Gender in fisheries

Legislating for sustainable small-scale fisheries

This document, Legislating for Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries – A guide and considerations for implementing aspects of the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication in National Legislation, is a tool for States to strengthen their fisheries legislation in order to establish conditions for inclusive and sustainable small-scale fisheries development, taking into account the interrelatedness of social, economic and environmental sustainability, while focusing on marginalized groups.
Science, knowledge & information gathering
Traditional and local ecological knowledge
Monitoring and reporting
Fisheries policy, governance & management
Co-management
Fisheries management
Tenure rights
Illegal fishing and enforcement
Human rights & gender equality
Gender in fisheries
Other resources & approaches
Participatory processes and stakeholder engagement

Law and Governance Toolkit for Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries: Best Regulatory Practices

"This Toolkit presents a methodology for assessing the reform needs to strengthen SSF governance, along with examples of model regulatory language for the core governance elements."
Fisheries policy, governance & management
Co-management
Fisheries management
Tenure rights
Illegal fishing and enforcement
Social development & employment
Fisher and fishworker organizations
Other resources & approaches
Capacity development
Participatory processes and stakeholder engagement

Strengthening organizations and collective action in fisheries: Towards the formulation of a capacity development program

This document provides a summary of the presentations, discussions, working group sessions and recommendations of the workshop “Strengthening organizations and collective action in fisheries: towards the formulation of a capacity development programme,” held in Barbados on 4–6 November 2014. The document also includes the nine in-depth case studies presented during the workshop and a contributed paper.
Fisheries policy, governance & management
Co-management
Fisheries management
Social development & employment
Fisher and fishworker organizations
Other resources & approaches
Capacity development
Participatory processes and stakeholder engagement

Cooperatives in small-scale fisheries: enabling successes through community empowerment

"Cooperatives in the small-scale fisheries sector are a way of maximizing long-term community benefits to deal with the threats of fisheries mismanagement, livelihood insecurity and poverty – harsh realities for many of the world’s small-scale fishers. Communities with successful community-based organizations are better off than those without (Ostrom, 1990). Successful cooperatives are possible, feasible and desirable and play an important role in community development. Cooperatives have the potential to empower small-scale fishers against environmental and socio-economic shocks such as catch shortfalls, sickness and death in their families, natural disasters and hunger. The following case studies show how fisheries cooperatives contribute to improving the conditions of small-scale fishers around the globe."
Fisheries policy, governance & management
Co-management
Fisheries management
Value chains & post harvest
Value add and processing
Social development & employment
Fisher and fishworker organizations
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