| The health of the world's coastal ecosystems is in decline, and the overall effort expended in wild capture fisheries and mariculture production is increasing. Fishing effort is a key variable in this equation, and yet is still poorly understood. Much of the work to date has lacked either quantitative salience or has ignored the complex interaction between the many factors which impinge upon fishing behavior. In this dissertation I use a multi-level perspective to examine the myriad factors that have been reported to affect fisher behavior and compare these in a variety of analyses. Using data collected from ten months of fieldwork in Palestina, Ecuador, I examine the relationship between fishing effort and socio-cultural forces, individual personality, macro- and micro-economic pressures, weather, and the current coastal management regime in Ecuador. Several methods are used, including consensus analysis, surveys, daily diaries, participant-observation, interviews and oral histories. Consideration of the data leads to the conclusion that fishing effort operates in response to different forces, depending upon the level at which it is measured. Moreover, the ability to control effort is not equal at each level, and it is recommended that successful fisheries management in Ecuador might best be achieved through nationally-directed programs. Several obstacles exist, however, to this endeavor. Political instability and economic crises in Ecuador have seriously impeded the government's ability to manage the country's coastal resources. The need for international aid is therefore emphasized. |
