Governability of the Marine Small-Scale Fisheries of Venezuela in the Context of the Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission

Abstract

The fisheries of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is dominated by marine small-scale fisheries (SSF) accounting for more than 50% of the total fisheries and aquaculture production over the past 10 years. The subsector is an integral component of the fisheries governance framework of Venezuela which is embedded within the Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission (WECAFC) regulatory framework as a member State. This presents a nested institutional arrangement situation that demands institutional compatibility at multiple levels to address the peculiar characteristics of the marine small-scale fisheries and steward towards economic diversification, sustainable development, employment, poverty reduction and food security. This research aims to propose reforms for developing a strong synergy and coherence between Fisheries of Venezuelan regulatory framework and that of the WECAFC provisions for the effective governance of marine small-scale fisheries. In pursuing the goal, the study identified and described the peculiar challenge generating characteristics of the marine small-scale fisheries of Venezuela such as diversity, complexity, dynamics and scale. The governance arrangements of the Ministry of People's Power of Fisheries and Aquaculture and their adequacy to address the characteristics of the marine small-scale fisheries were then assessed. Additionally, the governance framework of the WECAFC was analyzed with respect to its coherence/compatibility with the State fisheries governance arrangement. This enabled highlighting challenges in SSF and proffering the required reforms that will create coherence between the fisheries institutions of national and international stakeholders for an effective and sustainable collaborative SSF stewardship framework. Using secondary data, this research drew on the interactive governance framework to assess the governability of marine small-scale fisheries in Venezuela focusing on the inherent qualities of the system to be governed (the fisheries system); the governing system (the State, civil society and market) and the governing interactions. This facilitated an analysis of the regulatory, policy and strategic frameworks of the Venezuelan Government and that of the Commission to assess coherence and compatibility in the SSF stewardship. The results indicate that there are significant gaps in sustainable resource management, socio-economic aspects of fisheries, women's role in fisheries and climate change issues between the Venezuelan State regulatory framework and that of the WECAFC provisions contrary to the hypothesis of strong synergy between them. Accordingly, some reforms proposed focused on improving the governing interactions mechanisms of the government of Venezuela and the Commission. The institutional strengthening of the Ministry of People's Power of Fisheries and Aquaculture of Venezuela; a comprehensive and participatory review and update of the Decree-Law on Fisheries and Aquaculture of Venezuela (2014); and the support to the institutional redesign of WECAFC into a Regional Fisheries Management Organization, are critical in enabling a coherent governance of the marine small-scale fisheries that will sustainably meet the full potential of the subsector in achieving societal wellbeing.