Governance of the Cassurubá Extractive Reserve, Bahia State, Brazil: An analysis of strengths and weaknesses to inform policy

DANIELA TRIGUEIRINHO ALARCON; ANA CINTI; ALEXANDRE SCHIAVETTI; DANIELI MARINHO NOBRE

Marine policy

Elsevier

Año: 2017 vol. 77 p. 44 - 55

0308-597X

This study analyzed thegovernance of the Cassurubá Extractive Reserve or RESEX in Bahia State, Brazil,exploring the favorable conditions and the difficulties faced by this newlyestablished and complex governance system. RESEXs are protected areas that involvetraditional communities in its administration through majority representationin a Deliberative Council (DC). Research was conducted through literature anddocuments review, participant observation through direct involvement incommunity activities along several years (2008-2016), and semi-structured andstructured interviews applied respectively to members of the DC and to users ofthe RESEX during 2012 and 2013. The Institutional Design Principles were usedas an analytical tool to reflect on the strengths, limitations, and themultiple factors affecting its governance. Interview results suggest a morenegative perception of resource users about RESEX functioning and prospectsthan DC members. Participation of resource users in RESEX meetings was low anda passive performance of council members was observed. Since 2012-2013, participationof users and council members has been gradually increasing. Several of thedesign principles were found to be present (boundaries, congruence, collectivearrangements though enhanced participation is needed, conflict resolutionmechanisms, recognition of rights to organize, nested enterprises), and onlytwo were deemed insufficient or mostly absent: monitoring (4A and 4B), butimproving in terms of community participation in vigilance, and graduatedsanctions (5), present in legislation but hardly implemented. Further studiesshould be pursued for continuing adding blocks to the understanding of CPRgovernance systems with diverse degrees of complexity.