For a good understanding of the conflicts, it is imperative to determine whether or not
interactions exist between different fisheries sectors, within each fisheries sector, and between the fisheries sectors and government. Then it is also important to determine whether spatial interactions are a cause of conflicts (Smith and Vallega, 1991; Vallega, 1992; Smith and Vallega, 2002) or whether it is other reasons (Bennett et al, 2001). It is also important to know whether one fisheries sector has conflicts with another sector and vice versa, and also whether the fisheries sectors have conflicts with government and vice versa. Results obtained from the analysis of occurrence and patterns of conflicts within Ghana‟s marine fisheries have been presented in Table 4.2 which indicate that interactions and conflicts exist between different fisheries sectors, within same fisheries sectors, and between the fisheries sectors and government.
Canoe fishers have conflicts with semi-industrial sector and semi-industrial fishers also have conflicts with canoe fishers over the issues described in Table 4.2. Both sectors have the potential to offend each other in their interactions. Canoe fishers have conflicts with the
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conflicts with government over issues related to pre-mix fuel supply and distribution by
government to canoe fishers also concerning the enforcement of fishing rules and regulations and other management issues and government also has conflicts with canoe fishers regarding the enforcement of fishing rules and regulations and other management issues.
Semi-industrial sector has conflicts with the industrial sector and industrial sector also has conflicts with the semi-industrial sector because semi-industrial trawlers fish within the same space as industrial trawlers, targeting the same species. Semi-industrial sector has conflicts with government over the supply of fishing inputs, enforcement of fishing rules and regulations and the registration and licensing of vessels. Government also has conflicts with semi-industrial regarding the enforcement of fishing rules and regulations and other management issues. Industrial fishers have conflicts with government also concerning the supply of fishing inputs, enforcement of fishing rules and regulations and the registration and licensing of vessels and government also has conflicts regarding same issues. These results conform to the observation by Sandole et al. (2009) that everything can be conflicting.
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Table 4.2: Occurrence and patterns of internal marine fisheries interactions and conflicts
Canoe Semi-industrial Industrial sector Government
Canoe Conflicts occur within the
canoe fishery sector; e.g. competition for inputs such as pre-mix fuel, fishing space, fish, fish catch shares fishing gear and fishing methods, fish marketing and installation of chief fisherman.
Canoe sector has conflicts with semi- industrial sector; e.g. competition for fishing space, fish, fishing gear and fishing methods, and fish marketing.
Canoe sector has conflict with the industrial sector; e.g. competition for fishing space, fish, fishing gear and fishing methods.
Canoe sector has conflicts with Government; e.g. pre- mix fuel and other fishing inputs, top-down
management approach and enforcement of fishing rules and regulations.
Semi- industrial
Semi-industrial sector has conflict with the canoe sector; e.g. competition for fishing space, fish, fishing gear and fishing methods.
Conflicts occur within the semi-industrial sector; e.g. competition for fishing space, fish, fishing gear and fishing methods, and fish marketing.
Semi-industrial sector has conflicts with the industrial sector; e.g. competition for fishing space, fish, fishing gear and fishing methods.
Semi-industrial sector has conflicts with Government; e.g. over supply of fishing inputs, top-down
management approach, vessel registration and licencing and enforcement of fishing rules and regulations.
Industrial The industrial sector has
conflicts with the canoe sector; e.g. competition for fishing space, fish, fishing gear and fishing methods.
Industrial sector has conflicts with the semi- industrial sector; e.g. competition for fishing space, fish, fishing gear and fishing methods.
Conflicts occur within the industrial sector; e.g. competition for fishing space and fish.
Industrial sector has
conflicts with Government; e.g. over supply of fishing inputs, top-down
management approach, vessel registration and licencing and enforcement of
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fishing rules and regulations.
Government Government has conflicts
with the canoe sector; e.g. enforcement of fishing rules and regulations.
Government has conflicts with the semi-industrial sector; e.g. over catch returns, vessel
registration and licensing.
Government has conflicts with the industrial sector; e.g. over catch returns, vessel registration and licensing.
Ocean governance and management institutions come into conflict due to overlaps in roles and responsibilities and inadequacies in legal framework for ocean governance and management.
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Table 4.3 also shows the degree of interactions within fisheries sectors and between fisheries sectors on a scale of 1 – 3 indicating the assessed strength of the interaction (3 is strongest). The numbers presented in Table 4.3 are derived based on the intensity of the positive or negative interactions that occur within the same fisheries sector or between fisheries sectors, between fisheries sectors and government, and within government agencies. The positive numbers indicate positive interactions where the interactions are mutually beneficial and lead to
cooperation in fisheries while the negative numbers depict negative interactions which lead to conflicts. The highest level of interactions which translates into conflicts occurs among canoe fishers within their group due to their large numbers, methods of fishing, gears employed, the wide range of fish post-harvest activities associated with canoe fisheries and their traditional governance system. This means that the canoe sector is most prone to conflicts therefore more attention should be given to this group by policy makers and managers when it comes to conflict resolution. Interactions within the canoe sector are not all negative. There is some level of positive interaction within canoe fisheries which is as a result of the cooperation that exists within the sector. This is also true for the other fisheries sectors and government as well which is why there is no score of -3 in Table 4.3. Conflicts within the canoe fisheries sector, which are analysed and discussed in more detail subsequently, come about as a result of the high level of interactions that occur among players in the sector. Less interactions occur between the canoe sector and the semi-industrial sector compared to the level of interactions within the canoe fishery and hence less conflicts between the two sectors. There are fewer numbers of industrial vessels which fish further offshore than semi-industrial vessels which means that there are much less interactions between the canoe sector and the industrial sector and hence less conflicts between them over the issues described.
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The degree of interactions among the semi-industrial sector is less than that which exist within the canoe sector because semi-industrial vessels are fewer than canoes. This also translates into fewer incidences of conflict within the semi-industrial sector. Interactions within and between fisheries sectors could be described as negative of course as fisheries sectors compete in many aspects over limited resources. Government agencies largely interact positively among
themselves and also government interacts more positively with all the three fisheries sectors because government has oversight responsibilities for managing the fisheries and all other matters related to fishing. This happens because if government interacts negatively with fishers, that will negatively affect the image of government who is rather supposed to be leading by example. This does not mean government never has conflict with fishers but this rarely happens. Ocean governance agencies also interact positively as they are supposed to be working towards common goals but conflicts sometimes occur in the performance of their duties. However, there was a signal of negative interactions between government agencies because of overlapping roles and responsibilities which is why their level of interaction is rated +1 and not +3 as shown in Table 4.3. The nature of the interactions and the conflicts arising from them are described and analysed in more detail in the next section.
Table 4.3: Assessed interaction matrix of fisheries sector interactions and interactions with
government
Canoe Semi-industrial Industrial Government
Canoe
-3 -2 -1 +1
Semi-
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Industrial
-1 -2 -1 +1
Government
+1 +1 +1 +1
4.4 DRIVERS OF THE CONFLICTS WITHIN THE MARINE FISHERIES SECTOR