Figure 16.1. Fishers’ opinions of sasi in case study villages.
16.6 Significant Differences in Performance Indicators and Correlations
between Indicators and Other Factors
16.6.1 Equity
Role of fishers in management
Perceptions of fishers in the six villages varied significantly in some ways when analyzed by
ANOVA (Table 16.11). Compared to the past, the role of the fishers in management has
significantly increased in the sasi villages (Haruku and Nolloth), while in the other villages
their role has decreased. This is a more dramatic difference than was detected in the
comparison of sasi and non-sasi villages in the larger performance analysis (Chapter 8). Decline
in the role of fishers is especially the case in Hulaliu. The role of fishers in management is
perceived to be greater by fishers who are unwilling to change their job (Table 16.12). Other
related factors are the fishers’ attitudes towards changing the fisheries rules and bending the
rules; fishers who are happy with the current rules and who feel comfortable asking for a
dispensation to bend rules, feel they have a greater role in management. Finally, the perception
on the role of fishers in management is positively related to the possession of more expensive
gears, and negatively related to an elitist style of decision-making in the village.
Nolloth and Haruku fishers are generally more positive about their role in management,
whereas Hulaliu and Hutumuri fishers are most negative (Table 16.11). Job satisfaction plays
no role in the Nolloth score (Appendix 3), but Hulaliu fishers do have a greater tendency to
change their job so this helps explain their low score. Neither Nolloth nor Haruku fishers
possess expensive gear types; therefore, this does not explain their high scores. However, in
interviews, fishers stated that richer fishers have more influence in decision-making, and this
seems to be confirmed by this correlation between gear type and the way fishers perceive
their role in management (Table 16.12).
Fishers who are happy with the existing rules have a more positive perception on their role in
management. This holds true for Nolloth fishers of whom 57% do not want to change the
rules. Their rules are sasi, so there is a linkage here. In Hulaliu, on the other hand, many
fishers do want to change the rules (63%). These two villages are at the two opposite ends of
the scale in terms of decision-making styles. Nolloth fishers have one of the highest proportions
Comparative Analysis of Case Study Villages 221