Permalink : http://hdl.handle.net/2115/51113

KEYWORDS : Fisheries right system;Community-based management;Special zone for reconstruction for fisheries

The coastal fisheries right system (CFRS) in Japan derived from exclusive usufruct (legal right of use) of coastal communities is a typical community-based fisheries management system associated with local fisheries cooperative associations (FCAs). While community-based management in Japan has been viewed as a success, the system in Japan has recently faced challenges as the private sector seeks fisheries rights that have been preferentially granted to FCAs. After the Tsunami-disaster on March 11th, 2011, the Miyagi prefecture governor proposed creating a special zone for reconstruction that would allow companies to have fisheries rights, but many FCAs, including Tsunami affected prefectures opposed this plan. Regardless if they are fishers or non-fishers, people’s sentiment about the CFRS of coastal communities as a whole is important when considering the CFRS in light of current policy conflict between FCAs and groups seeking reform of the CFRS, because institutional derivation of current CFRS lies in historical usufruct of coastal communities. In this connection, research on sentiment of coastal villagers about the CFRS was conducted in two different types of villages in Shiriuchi town, Hokkaido, in November 2011. The results show that among both fishers and non-fishers, most people in both villages support the existing CFRS, and even non-fishers in both villages share general sentiment about importance of the CFRS for local fishers. However, less than of the people support allowing special arrangements of the CFRS to meet reconstruction needs for fisheries damaged by the Tsunami.