Authors: Yinji Li* and Ratana Chuenpagdee*
* TBTI member
Known as the “Jewel of Suruga Bay,” Sakura shrimp has long been an important fishery that supports the economy of the local communities in Suruga Bay, Shizuoka, Japan. The fishery experienced an unprecedented decline in 2018, with the catch volume falling to 312 mt, which is about one-fourth of the average catch from 2010 to 2017. This has led to the questioning of the pooling system, considered an effective management system in the long history of the fishery. Other natural and anthropogenic factors have also been discussed as possible causes of the resource decline. Through a pre-and post-crisis analysis, this paper examines the complex issues and challenges facing the Sakura shrimp fishery, focusing specifically on the performance of the governance system, given its structure and functions. Drawing on informal discussion with key stakeholders involved in the fishery and field observation, the paper discusses the nature of the problem and proposes transdisciplinarity as a new lens for governing the shrimp fishery in a time of uncertainty.
Li, Y., Chuenpagdee, R. Governing in an uncertain time: the case of Sakura shrimp fishery, Japan. Maritime Studies (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40152-021-00219-0
