Exclusive Fishing Zone for Small-Scale Fisheries in Northern Chocó, Colombia: Pre- and Post-implementation

Abstract

Exclusive fishing zones (EFZs) are a type of place-based management tool designed primarily to mitigate conflicts between fishing sectors by granting exclusive rights to one sector to fish the resources that occur in a specific area. As with other tools, several factors can determine effectiveness of EFZs, and knowing what these factors are could lead to improving how the tool is performed. The effectiveness of EFZs depends first and foremost on the way in which they are considered, how they are introduced, and by whom. Such an understanding is especially pertinent when EFZs involve small-scale fisheries in order to avoid violation of rights or the displacement of livelihoods. Learning about the effects of EFZs on small-scale fisheries provides useful insights for the implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries (SSF Guidelines), which were developed to protect the rights of small-scale fishers and fish workers around the world. Under this premise, this chapter presents a case study of an EFZ established in Choco, Colombia, in 2008. Specifically, it examines the pre-and post-implementation processes of the Choco-EFZ, asking questions about what triggered its establishment, who was involved in the process, who was excluded, and what challenges it faced in the implementation. Finally, insights from the case study are drawn, along with a discussion of the implications for the implementation of the SSF Guidelines in Colombia.