The sea urchin fishery in Grenada: A case study of social-ecological networks

This thesis explores the white sea urchin (Tripneustes ventricosus ) or the "sea egg" fishery in Grenada prior to its closure in 1995. It is a case study examining the social-ecological networks of the fishery to identify the participants and their networks with consideration for the multitude of challenges and issues facing small-scale fisheries and their subsequent management. Improving governance and using social network analysis to understand social structure and features may improve the likelihood that an alternative to the prevailing centrally-controlled management strategies can be found and be more effective.;The research was undertaken in Grenada during the summer of 2008 using a methodology that began by meeting with dive fishermen and conducting participatory observation while accompanying them in reef fishing. This was followed by semi-structured interviews with divers, fisheries officials and marketers. Data were also obtained through a review of fisheries documents and by participating in a survey of sea egg fishing areas undertaken by Grenadian fisheries officials and dive fishermen.;Prior to closure, the commercial sea egg fishery in Grenada was mainly comprised of young men ages 15-35 who dove with snorkel, fins and mask, using rowboats to reach productive sea egg grounds. Sea eggs were sold locally along the roadside roasted in the shell or raw packed in plastic bags. They were exported by plane, packed raw in containers or plastic bags through a small number of agents based in southern Grenada and whose major market was Barbados and Martinique.;The study shows that while obtaining comprehensive network data was difficult from issues stemming from memory recall, there were social network features that were significant and have implications for managing the fishery in the future. The participant groups were noticeably distinct both when the fishery was still open and still today. While the two groups had little interaction, there were common actors or "brokers" (Bodin et al. 2006) who linked the groups by buying sea eggs for export from various fishing communities.;The sea egg in Grenada is most commonly found in near shore habitats along the east and southeast coasts from River Antoine to Calliste. The sea egg fishery was closed in 1995 after it collapsed following a period of increasing harvest aimed at meeting local and export demand.;Should the fishery be reopened without adequate provision for management and improving governance, its sustainability may be threatened by harvesting and marketing networks that could facilitate rapid resource depletion. The identified network features, among others indicate that there is potential for an alternative approach to managing the fishery, including the potential for co-management and the inclusion of the divers in a management strategy.