Community based fisheries management on Guam

Abstract

Guam, the largest and most populated island in Micronesia, is surrounded by a narrow fringing reef that supports important cultural, subsistence and economic activities. However, this reef system is under immense pressure from development, sedimentation, and overharvesting. Managers lack the necessary resources to effectively address these threats, and fisheries management in particular has proven to be exceedingly difficult. Fishers and managers, though they do not agree on causes or solutions, both recognize dramatic declines in many fish stocks and the need to take action to reverse this negative trend. Community based management models offer one promising approach. This study examines the current state of Guam’s community based management efforts and obstacles to expanding community approaches on island. Data collected through participant observation and key informant interviews were used to create a series of recommendations to improve current management and move toward more community involvement in fisheries. Recommendations include the creation of programs to reconnect residents with the marine environment, repair of relationships between local and federal government agencies and stakeholders, improved enforcement, and pilot projects for community management in small village sites.