Synthesis of Social Considerations and Ecological Dynamics to Inform the Management Process of a Dominican Coral-Reef Fishery

The community of Buen Hombre, Dominican Republic relies on an insecure small-scale fishery to support the livelihoods of its residents. The community is part of a larger effort to develop a sustainable management plan within the Montecristi National Park. In this multi-species fishery with little history of successful management and few resources available for implementation, interventions must be thoughtful and have a high probability of generating perceivable gains. In order to develop fair and effective management strategies, it is important to understand the social-ecological processes at play. Here, we present research and lessons learned from four years of involvement in this community. First, we discuss social aspects of the fishing system that are important to the development of management strategies appropriate in this context. Next, we use models of fishers’ decision making and fish population dynamics to explore potential management actions. The predicted outcomes can then be weighed against the costs incurred by stakeholders involved in developing the management plan. Our approach to research and the details revealed can serve as a case study for others seeking to facilitate the management process of other small-scale fisheries with limited resources.