08 Nov Rights-based approaches for community co-managed coastal resources by Juan Carlos Seijo & Minerva Arce-Ibarra
This webinar has two aims; firstly, it gives account of historical traits of the origin as well as on current debates on Rights Based Approaches (RBA) to the management of coastal resources; secondly, it addresses the context of RBA of three Mexican Caribbean case studies – Punta Allen, Mahahual and Xcalak in which RBA to coastal resources are currently in place. The analysis is based on FAO’s rights-based use and management approach (Orensanz and Seijo 2013). Our results show that the case studies include a diversity of use and management rights including: (1) rights of use and community co-management to particular fishing areas; (2) rights of access to particular snorkeling and SCUBA areas for tourism; and (3) rights to use coastal resources (e.g., discarded shells) to make arts and crafts. The recorded RBAs have been evolving, from open access to community co-managed access rights during the last four decades. The three case studies analyzed show different institutional arrangements responding either to the presence or absence of natural protected areas in place, local contexts, status of coastal marine resources, and governance capacities in place.