Coral reef fisheries and the role of communities in their management

Coral reefs are one of the world's most diverse and productive ecosystems, but are seriously under threat from the problems caused by overfishing. Recent population booms, combined with a low level of economic development make many tropical coastal communities highly dependent on natural resources, leading to extraction rates often significantly exceeding maximum sustainable yield. A lack of suitable alternatives, in terms of both livelihoods and food security, means the use of highly impacting gear types persists, a scenario characteristic of Malthusian overfishing. These economic and socio-biological concerns, typically associated with small-scale artisanal fisheries as seen around coral reefs, bring with them a unique set of problems for conservation managers to overcome. Traditionally in tropical communities, a strict approach of top-down management has been employed, focusing on command and control strategies, but these have tended to fail due, amongst other factors, to a lack of compliance from local stakeholders. Recently, however, there has been increased emphasis on adaptive community-based management, which acts both to empower local user groups, and to build upon the wealth of local ecological knowledge traditional fishing families possess. This chapter aims to introduce coral reef fisheries, describe the distinctive dynamics of coral reef artisanal fisheries, and explore the idea behind community management. © 2012 Nova Science Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.