37. Enhancing the Governability of Small-Scale Fisheries Through Interactive Governance

This final chapter synthesizes the arguments that chapter authors make with regard to the governance and governability of small-scale fisheries. They point to a general conclusion that in order to enhance governability for the benefit of small-scale fisheries, given the related conditions and characteristics, governance designs and interactions must be sensitive to the needs of small-scale fishing people and responsive to their situations. We do not claim that one governing mode, be it hierarchical, co- or self-governance, is inherently better than others. Rather, the choice of governing modes must take into account the particularities of the system-to-be-governed as well as the governing system. Small-scale fisheries globally will benefit from more constructive interaction, collective action, empowerment, and innovation, but they are simply too diverse for preconceived and generalized governance blue prints. Governability assessments as carried out by chapter authors reveal that despite their structural commonalities, governing modes typically have unique features. Each governing mode must be seen as a governor’s response to the existing and emerging challenges and opportunities of a specific small-scale fishery. The transition of governing modes observed in many cases illustrates how governance actors try to cope with system dynamics. Often, the combination of different modes into one coherent but hybrid approach is warranted. This chapter summarizes how these processes occur in real world situations accounted for by the chapter authors in this book.