Participatory Methods in Community-based Coastal Resource Management - Volume 1 - Introductory Papers (IIRR, 1998): Coastal communities living with complexity and crisis in search for control: Crisis

Participatory Methods in Community-based Coastal Resource Management - Volume 1 - Introductory Papers (IIRR, 1998)

Coastal communities living with complexity and crisis in search for control

		(introduction...)
		Coastal communities
		Complexity
		Crisis
		Who owns this sea?
		Coastal resource management
		Community-based coastal resource management

Crisis

Ecosystems and coastal communities are in crisis due to overexploitation and overpopulation. Much of this crisis is due to lack of control of resources, however, local people can take control.

The devastation of coastal resources has been increasing in recent years. Degradation of coral reefs, mangrove forests and estuaries is caused by: poverty driven over-exploitation, destructive fishing methods, pollution, erosion and other impacts of land-based "development".

Few coral reefs near populated areas are healthy. They have lost biological and structural diversity and the abundance of life they should support. Many mangrove forests are gone. Many estuaries have become sewers. It might be argued that the main crisis is that of control.