Traditional knowledge and fisheries management
Insights from small-scale fisheries
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17271/1980082722120265506Keywords:
fishermen's knowledge, artisanal fishing, sustainable fishingAbstract
Objective – To analyze the integration of traditional knowledge held by artisanal fishers as a basis for improving fisheries management, examining its potential to support more participatory, equitable, and sustainable governance processes in small-scale fisheries.
Methodology – This article consists of a theoretical-reflective essay of an exploratory and descriptive nature, developed through a critical review of the literature on fisheries management, traditional knowledge, fishers’ knowledge, and the integration and co-production of knowledge systems.
Originality/Relevance – The study addresses the gap between conventional fisheries management models and traditional knowledge systems, contributing to theoretical debates on epistemological hierarchies in environmental governance and on the need to integrate different forms of knowledge into the formulation and implementation of public policies for small-scale artisanal fisheries.
Results – The analysis indicates that the integration of traditional knowledge has strong potential to improve decision-making and fisheries resource management by generating context-specific and socially relevant information for monitoring, evaluation, and adaptive management. It also strengthens stakeholder participation and enhances the legitimacy and effectiveness of governance processes.
Theoretical/Methodological Contributions – The article contributes by affirming traditional knowledge as a legitimate and epistemologically grounded knowledge system, whose articulation with scientific knowledge can strengthen fisheries management. It further mobilizes theoretical frameworks on knowledge integration, transdisciplinarity, and knowledge co-production as conceptual foundations for this articulation.
Social and Environmental Contributions – The reflections presented highlight the importance of strengthening social participation, recognizing artisanal fishers’ knowledge and territorial rights, and promoting social, economic, and environmental sustainability within the small-scale fisheries production chain.
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