Date of Award
2026
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Marine Affairs
Department
Marine Affairs
First Advisor
Nateja Nenadovic
Abstract
Small-scale fisheries (SSF) are critical to food security, livelihoods, and coastal economies, yet they remain highly vulnerable to environmental change, market instability, and governance challenges. In Baja California Sur, Mexico, fishers operate largely within self-governed systems such as cooperatives and patron-client arrangements, both of which shape access to resources, decision-making, and opportunities for adaptation. This study examined the relationship between governance arrangements and adaptive capacity among small-scale fishers, with particular attention to how household, livelihood, and institutional factors influence changes in household situations.
Using survey data collected from 209 fishers across five fishing communities and 27 fishing organizations, this study applied a multilevel logistic regression model to assess the determinants of adaptive capacity. Household situation change was used as the primary adaptive outcome and was recoded into a binary variable representing improvement versus no improvement. Predictor variables were selected from five adaptive capacity domains: assets, flexibility, organization, learning, and agency, following the framework of Cinner et al. (2018). Governance type (cooperative versus permit holder/patron-client arrangement) was included as the central explanatory variable, while locality was modeled as a random effect to account for place-based variation.
The results showed that fishers targeting a greater diversity of species and those with higher participation in enforcement activities were significantly more likely to report improvements in household conditions. Membership in cooperatives was positively associated with improved household situations, although the relationship was marginally significant, suggesting that cooperative governance may support adaptation through stronger collective action and institutional support. Appliance ownership also showed a positive marginal effect, while respondent income diversification and participation in capacity-building activities were negatively associated with household improvement, indicating that diversification and training may reflect coping under stress rather than proactive adaptation. Significant locality effects further demonstrated that adaptive capacity is strongly shaped by place-based social and ecological conditions.
The findings confirm that adaptive capacity in SSF is multidimensional and influenced by the interaction of governance, livelihood flexibility, institutional participation, and local context. The study highlights the importance of strengthening cooperative institutions, promoting participatory governance, and designing context-specific adaptation strategies that recognize the diversity of fishing communities. These results contribute to a better understanding of how governance arrangements shape resilience and provide practical insights for fisheries management and policy in resource-dependent coastal systems.
Recommended Citation
Oyewole, Emmanuel O., "GOVERNANCE ARRANGEMENTS AND THE ADAPTIVE CAPACITY OF SMALL-SCALE FISHERS OF BAJA CALIFORNIA SUR, MEXICO" (2026). Open Access Master's Theses. Paper 2705.
https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/theses/2705