Author : Perlas, Marilyn B.

Summary : The study aimed to analyze structural (tenurial practices/rights) and institutional forces (presence of organized groups and institutional assistance) governing people's endeavor to access and use fishery resources management thus, affecting both socioeconomic and environmental coditions. It aimed to recommend policy interventions to ensure use and management of sustainable resources. The research was conducted in two coastal villages of Batangas, the Philippines. Selection was based on the following: "areas with open-access resources;" presence of a resource system (Pansipit river) to observe interactions between upstream and downstream communities; and the death of socioeconomic studies on coastal tenure. One hundred fishermen (50 per community) were randomly drawn based on the coefficient of variance with a margin error prescribed at 10 percent. Combinations of research methods were employed. Multiplicity of tests and measures involving descriptive statistics, Chi-square test of independence, and the logistic multinomial regression analysis were done. Under occupational classification where fishing was recorded as the lowliest, results revealed that fishing as a subsistence activity was very depressing. Fishermen respondents who had low educational attainment, belonged to large nuclear households and lived simply as shown by the in houses structure and lack of household facilities. Low income levels indicated poor economic condition. Inadequacy of skills and long years of fishing experience ruled out the possibility of engaging in other jobs.