RESOURCE:

The resource appropriated from Coqueiral Raft Fishery is fish. The resource is the bay on which Coqueiral rests. It includes 20 miles of shoreline and extends 20 miles out to the continental shelf. The boundary of the resource is both physical and institutional; it includes a well defined bay, but the outer limits along the shoreline are defined by traditional usage and technology.

SCREENER:

Case: Coqueiral Raft Fishery, Brazil

The information regarding the following common-pool resource system was taken from empirical evidence from a field setting. Data on the system was extracted from a book. Currently, there are no additional documents to cite which may provide further information about this common-pool resource.

These documents describe one resource in detail. The primary resource is the Coqueiral Raft Fishery, situated in Coqueiral Raft Fishery of Brazil. More generally, it is located in South America. The system's sector is that of fisheries. Relatively good information has been collected about the stakes of participants who appropriate from Coqueiral Raft Fishery. The condition of this resource is not well understood. Complete information is available regarding the strategies used by key groups interacting with the system. There is thorough documentation of the operational rules for this resource. This is the result of a high level of confidence that the authors who recorded the features of Coqueiral Raft Fishery have a complete knowledge of its particulars. Furthermore, the authors have provided sufficient data to formulate a structured coding process.

There are 51-100 total appropriator teams appropriating from the resource . At the beginning of the period discussed by the authors, there was an apparently balanced supply of biological and physical resources withdrawn compared to the number of units available. Appropriator teams for the resource are sometimes formally organized.

"Jangadeiros" are fishermen of Brazil's northeast coast using a simple wooden raft with a sail (jangada). Forman's work in the village of Coquieral covers all aspects of their trade: the equipment, its cost, fishing methods (including maps of fishing grounds), the fishermen's association and its structure, catch division, and uses made of the fish. (Condition of the fishery resource is not discussed.) His dissertation explores why rafts continue to be used even as the price of logs rises and hull sailboats appear to offer greater comfort and earnings. Because most raft fishers cannot afford sailboats and are unwilling to work a boat owned by someone else who would take a share of the earnings, they opt to forgo a small increase in income to keep their independence. Their "conservatism" thus is due not to ignorance of alternatives or to apathy but to lack of any compelling economic inducement to change.

CITATION(S):

Forman, Shepard (1970) THE RAFT FISHERMEN: TRADITION AND CHANGE IN THE BRAZILIAN PEASANT ECONOMY. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. [SH 26.5 .C7 F72]

Forman, Shepard (1966) JANGADEIROS: THE RAFT FISHERMEN OF NORTHEAST BRAZIL. Ph.D. dissertation, Columbia University. [ILL: Heard Library, Vanderbilt University; HN 283.5 .F59]

RESOURCE INFO:

The resource appropriated from Coqueiral Raft Fishery is fish. It is produced biologically and is a renewable moving (fugitive) unit. The resource is the bay on which Coqueiral rests. It includes 20 miles of shoreline and extends 20 miles out to the continental shelf. The boundary of the resource is both physical and institutional; it includes a well defined bay, but the outer limits along the shoreline are defined by traditional usage and technology.

The boundary of this resource has natural/constructed and institutional arrangements which do not limit entry. The boundaries of this resource are smaller than the location, and exist in one country, and are not divided among multiple general purpose local jurisdictions at a single level. The boundaries of this resource are independent of a development project designed by non-residents.

There are distinct and stable micro-environmental or ecological zones within this resource (inferred). The quality and/or quantity of units is regularly better in some of the zones than in others (inferred). The variance in quality between the zones has at some point in time created conflict among appropriators.

There are not strategic points within the resource where the main flow of the fish can be controlled (highly confident). There is considerable, and mildly predictable variation over space in the availability of fish within the resource (highly confident). There is considerable, and predictable variation in the flow of fish within a single year (highly confident). There is considerable, but unpredictable variation in the flow of fish from year to year (highly confident).

The bottom topography of Coqueiral Raft Fishery is primarily gravel (educated guess).

If no rules in use were being followed, the relationship among the appropriation processes would have conflictual effects (educated guess).

The boundaries of the production resource do not coincide with the boundaries of the location. Rather, the location is within the boundaries of the appropriation resource (educated guess). The boundaries of the production resource are not equivalent to the boundaries of the location. The boundaries of the location lie within the boundaries of the production resource (educated guess). The boundaries of the distribution resource are not identical to the boundaries of the appropriation resource, but appropriation is within the boundaries of distribution (educated guess). The boundaries of the production resource have a relationship to the boundaries of the distribution resource that was not indicated in this case study.

LOCATION:

The appropriation resources are situated in the village of Coqueiral, the bay on which the village is located, 20 miles of coastline, from Jitai (north) to Joro (south), and 20 miles of open water out to the continental shelf. The boundaries of the location are combinations of institutional and technological limits. The appropriation resource present in this location consists of a general fishery.

The system is located within one country. Within this country, the system's location is not divided among several general purpose local jurisdictions at the same level. A permanent population lives year round in this location (highly confident). There is frequent contact and communication between people in this location and officials in a nearby administrative center (highly confident). This location is also characterized by an economy that is stable and tied to other economic networks during the entire time period (highly confident).

The latitude of this location is 10.4' S, and its longitude is 37.8' W. The elevation of this location is 0 meters. The highest elevation is 0. The lowest elevation of this location is 0. The region's average annual rainfall is . The region's average annual evapotranspiration is . The distribution of rainfall and evapotranspiration per month is as follows:

January precipitation: N/A, evapotraspiration: N/A

February precipitation: N/A, evapotraspiration: N/A

March precipitation: N/A, evapotraspiration: N/A

April precipitation: N/A, evapotraspiration: N/A

May precipitation: N/A, evapotraspiration: N/A

June precipitation: N/A, evapotraspiration: N/A

July precipitation: N/A, evapotraspiration: N/A

August precipitation: N/A, evapotraspiration: N/A

September precipitation: N/A, evapotraspiration: N/A

October precipitation: N/A, evapotraspiration: N/A

November precipitation: N/A, evapotraspiration: N/A

December precipitation: N/A, evapotraspiration: N/A

RESOURCE:

The resource appropriated from Coqueiral Raft Fishery is fish. The resource is the bay on which Coqueiral rests. It includes 20 miles of shoreline and extends 20 miles out to the continental shelf. The boundary of the resource is both physical and institutional; it includes a well defined bay, but the outer limits along the shoreline are defined by traditional usage and technology.

OPERATIONAL LEVEL:

TYPE OF SITUATION

The processes described in the related documents are primarily related to appropriation and use. The formal owner(s) of the resource discussed in this study is a central government. The set of individuals who have rights to withdraw from this resource is well-defined. As of the beginning of this period, the owners are exercising (or attempting to exercise de jure) but not effective in achieving closed access to this resource. Since the beginning of this period, the appropriators are exercising (or attempting to exercise de facto) closed access to this resource.

EVENTS MARKING THE BEGINNING ACTION SITUATION

It is estimated that the operational level coded on this form ended in 0. The estimated duration of the patterns that are described in this form is 26 to 50 years. Throughout the duration there was change made primarily by an external authority in operational, collective, or consititutional rules. There was no change in resource size or structure. There was no new technology introduced to the system over the duration of the patterns coded on this form. There was no substantial external change in the value of the units appropriated. The quantity of units available did not change due to a change in appropriation patterns of other appropriators' withdrawals from the same production or distribution resource. There were no new groups starting to withdraw units from the appropriation resource. There was no recorded change to one or more variables internal to the operational level. The author does not begin the description of this case at this point in history.

CONDITIONS AT THE BEGINNING AND END OF PERIOD COVERED BY THIS FORM*

For biological resources at the beginning of this period, the balance between the quantity of units withdrawn and the number of units available was moderately abundant (educated guess). For biological resources at the end of this period, the balance between the quantity of units withdrawn and the number of units available was moderately abundant (educated guess). For physical resources at the beginning of this period, the balance between the quantity of units withdrawn and the quantity of units needed, given the usual patterns of use for these units was moderately abundant (educated guess). For physical resources at the end of the period the balance between the quantity of units withdrawn and the quantity of units needed, given the usual patterns of use for these units, was moderately abundant (educated guess).

The following includes the available statistics on the use of this resource at the beginning of the time period, followed by the end of the time period:

It is not indicated whether or not the units were sexually mature at this size or age at the beginning of this period. It is not indicated whether or not the units were sexually mature at this size or age at the end of this period.

*In fisheries and other biological systems, this is the maximum sustainable number of units. In irrigation, this refers to the optimal water requirements of the crops in the established fields served by this system.

The information about how units are disposed at the beginning of the period is missing in this case.

At the end of the period, the units were predominantly sold in local markets, and also consumed by appropriators and families.

As of the beginning of the period, the quality of the units being withdrawn from the resource was not included in the study. As of the end of the period, the quality of the units being withdrawn from the resource was high (educated guess). At the beginning of the period of the study, there was no information provided regarding whether or not there are problems of pollution in this or other resources, due to the way units are being appropriated. At the end of the period of the study, there were no problems of pollution in this or other resources due to the way units are being appropriated (inferred). As of the beginning of the period, the extent of technical externalities resulting from the appropriation activities of participants from this resource was not indicated. As of the end of the period, the extent of technical externalities resulting from the appropriation activities of participants from this resource was quite low (inferred). At the beginning of this period the appropriators shared moderate to high levels of mutual trust (e.g. oral promises given high credence) (ambiguous). At the end of the period the appropriators shared moderate to high levels of mutual trust (e.g. oral promises given high credence) (inferred). ## Unknown markup: Start ##By the end of this period no change had occurred in the property rights regime related to the appropriation resource (educated guess). At the end of this period the owners were exercising, or attempting to exercise, de jure but not effective closed access to this resource (educated guess). At the end of the period the appropriators were exercising, or attempting to exercise, de facto closed access to this resource (educated guess).

INFORMATION LEVELS

There is no information in the study to indicate the availability of maps or charts of the appropration resource for use by the appropriators. Maps and/or charts of the production and distribution resources are not documented as being available, or unavailable in this case study. The appropriators of this resource can be seen by each other while withdrawing and delivering units (confident). No appropriators are in radio communication with each other while appropriating from the resource (educated guess). There are not actions being taken, by appropriators or officials, to generate information about the condition of the resource (educated guess). There are always records of the withdrawals from this resource kept in a systematic way (highly confident). There was no information in the study about whether or not there are records of the physical factors which directly affected the resource kept in a systematic way. Records are kept in a language accessible to most of the appropriators (highly confident). The keepers of these records are officials at some level (highly confident). The case study did not indicate whether or not these records are available for inspection by appropriators. The study did not indicate whether or not there are arenas being used for the exchange of information about conditions of the resource. The appropriators have an intimate knowledge of the characteristics of this resource (highly confident).

POTENTIAL ACTIONS AND LEVELS OF CONTROL

The quality or quantity of the units available to the appropriators are not documented as having experienced any effect of past appropriators. There are not problems of pollution resulting from activities of others who are not appropriators of this resource or inhabitants of this location (e.g. acid rain, sewage disposal) (educated guess). Almost all appropriators sell this resource in one market (inferred). There does not appear to be an insurance mechanism available to the appropriators related to variability of income from the resource (educated guess).

PATTERNS OF INTERACTION

Differences between subgroups relating to gender identification does not exist (highly confident). Differences between subgroups relating to ethnic identification does not exist (highly confident). Differences between subgroups relating to clan identification does not affect communication (inferred). Differences between subgroups relating to racial identification does not exist (inferred). Differences between subgroups relating to religious identification does not exist (highly confident). Differences between subgroups relating to languages spoken does not exist (highly confident). Differences between subgroups relating to general cultural views of the resource system and its use does not exist (highly confident). Differences between subgroups relating to any problems that affect communication does not exist (highly confident).

The general manner in which appropriators related to one another during this study is a relatively positive, reciprocal manner -- the presumption was made that long-term relationships are involved and positive actions are undertaken without a specific expectation of return (educated guess).

POSITIONS AND PARTICIPANTS

At the end of the period studied the position of non-appropriator (individuals prevented from using the resource) did not exist (highly confident). At the beginning of the period there was a general estimate of some undocumented number appropriators. There was a general estimate of 51-100 appropriators at the end of the period (highly confident). A general estimate of the number of participants in the team appropriation process was not included in the case study, at the beginning of the period. A general estimate of the number of participants in the team appropriation process was not included in the case study, at the end of the period. The "official" position of monitor (apart from the willingness of all appropriators to monitor) does not exist (inferred).

The case study did not include information regarding whether or not the appropriators monitor the appropriation activities of each other apart from the monitoring of any "official" guards.

NUMBER AND RELATIONSHIPS AMONG SUBGROUPS

There will be 1 subgroup form(s) completed in relation to this operational level form. The ID number(s) of the subgroup(s) coded are as follows: 34.1 - 0 - 0 - 0

EVALUATION OF RESULTS

There are appropriators who were consistently disadvantaged in this period (highly confident). The study did not indicate whether or not the relatively worst off appropriators have or have not been cut out of their benefits from this resource or substantially harmed.

AUTHOR'S EVALUATION AND CAUSAL ASSUMPTIONS

In this coding form the author does not focus on the readers' concept of results and the evaluation of results.

Fisherman are earning lower incomes than necessary due to the prices for units. These results are based on the time spent fishing, and are due to the choice of technologies, share of catch, and persons in position to exploit. The author discusses withdrawals per unit of effort based on Compans. time spent fishing with amount of fish caught.

SUBGROUP:

Participants:

This appropriation group are the raft fishermen live in Coqueiral. The criteria for who is a member is well defined (inferred). . This group ended with a membership of 85.

The following statements characterize the composition of this subgroup's population with respect to variables that may affect the capacity to communicate effectively:

Gender identification causes no difference in composition (highly confident). Ethnic or cultural identification causes no difference in composition (highly confident). The difference in composition with regard to clan identification does not affect communication (highly confident). Racial identification causes no difference in composition (highly confident). Religious identification causes no difference in composition (highly confident). There is no difference in composition with regard to languages spoken (highly confident).

.

Legal Rights:

Members of this subgroup have de jure rights of access (highly confident). The right to withdraw is held by this subgroup de jure (highly confident). Rights to participate in management of this resource is held de facto (educated guess). Exclusion from use of the entire resource is exercised de facto (educated guess). Members of this subgroup cannot exercise the right to decide who can be excluded from particular zones within the resource either de facto nor de jure. (educated guess).

Stakes and Resources:

The length of time this subgroup has regularly appropriated from this resource is 301 through 500 years (inferred). Around 91%-100% of members reside in or adjacent to this resource (highly confident). An estimated 2 months through 3 months are needed to build or to earn enough income to purchase the equipment for an appropriation team (inferred). Given the assets of members, the capital required to set up an appropriation team does not place pressure upon the appropriators to get immediate returns from appropriation (highly confident). Most people in this subgroup are very dependent (i.e. most of the family income) on this resource (inferred). Less than 10% of this subgroup work a substantial amount of time in activities not associated with appropriation from this resource (inferred). The proportion of this subgroup that currently appropriates similar units from other resources is less than 10% (inferred). Given the economy of the location, the average annual family income (including all non-monetary forms of income) is considered very low (highly confident). The variance of the average annual family income across families is moderate (educated guess). Capital is owned by 91%-100% of this subgroup (educated guess). No real alternatives for the supply unit are available (educated guess).

Potential Actions and Levels of Control:

A noticeable impact on the balance of the quantity of units withdrawn and the number of units available in this resource would not occur in a drastic reduction of this subgroup's appropriation activities (educated guess). Keeping in mind the physically available levels of withdrawal that are possible from this resource, the following shows the extent to which rules concerning different aspects of withdrawal constrain appropriation: technological rules heavily constrain (inferred), time limit rules cause unknown contraints, quantity rules cause unknown contraints, marginal units or units obtained by increasing levels of appropriation have a low value immediate return (educated guess).

Technology:

The most recent technological change experienced by this subgroup was less than one year ago (inferred). Considering other technologies that have not changed, this technology has been in use for 301-500 years (inferred). The appropriative power of the technology used does not threaten the balance between units withdrawn and units available even if no new users are added (inferred).

Strategies Adopted:

During this time period members have not invested resources, such as their own labor, in maintaining or improving the structure of the appropriation resource (educated guess). Investment into constructing or improving production or distribution works for maintaining or improving their resource has not been made by members (educated guess). Resources have not been expended (including time) to avoid actions that would harm the structure of the appropriation resource (educated guess). Members have access to an alternative source of supply (inferred). In characterizing the usual behavior of the members of this subgroup with respect to local operation level rules-in-use (other than in extreme shortage), it can be said that about half of the members follow the rules (educated guess). The level of infraction of members who are not rule followers is generally large (educated guess).

Subgroup Results:

This subgroup appropriates 91%-100% of its total appropriated units at the end of this period (confident).

RESOURCE:

The resource appropriated from Coqueiral Raft Fishery is fish. The resource is the bay on which Coqueiral rests. It includes 20 miles of shoreline and extends 20 miles out to the continental shelf. The boundary of the resource is both physical and institutional; it includes a well defined bay, but the outer limits along the shoreline are defined by traditional usage and technology.

OPERATIONAL RULES:

Concerning national collective choice relating to the resource, the author provides a few detailed references to operational level rules as devised by national collective choice mechanisms which have been coded below. Concerning regional collective choice, the author provides NO information about operational level rules as devised by regional collective choice mechanisms, however a regional level of government does exist.

With regard to local collective choice, a level of government or organization of appropriators exists at the location and the author provides a few detailed references about operational level rules as devised by collective choice mechanisms which have been coded below.

Boundary Rules

The following rules define the requirements that must be met before individuals are eligible to harvest or withdraw units from the appropriation resource.

A rule exists requiring citizenship of a country. This rule is enforced at the national level(s).

A rule exists requiring citizenship or residence of a local community. This rule is enforced at the local and rules-in-use level(s).

A rule exists requiring membership in an organization. This rule is enforced at the national and local level(s).

A rule exists permitting membership in an organization. This rule is enforced at the rules-in-use level(s).

A rule exists permitting ownership of some other form of limited property related to the appropriation from the resource. This rule is enforced at the rules-in-use level(s).

A rule exists requiring an appropriator to be of a certain gender. This rule is enforced at the rules-in-use level(s).

A rule exists permitting continued usage of resource entry rights. This rule is enforced at the rules-in-use level(s).

A rule exists permitting demonstration of knowledge or skills (or holding a skills license) in order to gain access to the resource. This rule is enforced at the local level(s).

A rule exists requiring demonstration of knowledge or skills (or holding a skills license) in order to gain access to the resource. This rule is enforced at the rules-in-use level(s).

A rule exists permitting appropriators specify the purpose for which the withdrawn units will be devoted. This rule is enforced at the local and rules-in-use level(s).

A rule exists requiring an appropriator to obtain a license for entry or for equipment in order to appropriate. This rule is enforced at the national and local level(s).

A rule exists permitting an appropriator to obtain a license for entry or for equipment in order to appropriate. This rule is enforced at the rules-in-use level(s).

There are no rules-in-use related to inheritance of entry rights.

Within one generation of potential resource appropriators, entry rights cannot be transferred to anyone else.

The boundary rules do not assign substantially unequal privileges to some subgroups over others.

-2

Authority and Scope Rules

The default conditions for both authority and scope rules do not apply.

The following paragraphs include information on rules of 1 cycle(s).

Authority Rules:

The length of the withdrawing season is 0 week(s)..

There is a rule requiring withdrawal at specific locations or spots, based on the historical pattern of appropriation. This rule is enforced at the rules-in-use level(s), and is part of the most restrictive, regularly adopted/used set of rules.

There is a rule forbidding withdrawal whenever and wherever desired, based on the historical pattern of appropriation. This rule is enforced at the rules-in-use level(s), and is part of the most restrictive, regularly adopted/used set of rules.

The authority and scope rules do not apply to whether or not certain subgroups received substantially unequal privileges, because there is only one subgroup.

Scope Rules:

There is a rule requiring a periodically assessed appropriation tax, based on the quantity of units withdrawn. This rule is enforced at the national and local level(s), and is part of the most restrictive, regularly adopted/used set of rules.

There is a rule permitting a periodically assessed appropriation tax, based on the quantity of units withdrawn. This rule is enforced at the rules-in-use level(s), and is part of the most restrictive, regularly adopted/used set of rules.

Information Rules

There exists a rule requiring recording of the number of units withdrawn. This rule is enforced at the national and local level(s).

There exists a rule permitting recording of the number of units withdrawn. This rule is enforced at the rules-in-use level(s).

This information was recorded by an AGO.

Payoff Rules

The default condition, that all appropriators can retain whatever they can physically keep hold of and no external rewards, taxes, or sanctions are imposed is not imposed in this case. The authors have the following confidence level for the results of this section: inferred. Appropriators can obtain aid from a national (private or public) agency(s) to develop or repair their production, distribution, or appropriation resources. Appropriators are not party to price support contracts or guaranteed purchase agreements for the selling of resource units or commodities produced by resource units.

There are three arrangements by which the appropriation process is organized by teams.The different arrangements apply based on whether or not the owner fishes, and whether or not he provides food. The following percentages indicate the percentages assigned to individual positions. If more than one percentage is listed per position, the individual percentages refer to the different arrangements existing within the operational rules.

Owner(s) (non-operator(s)) of primary appropriation equipment:

45%; 33%; 0%

Owner(s) - operators(s) of primary appropriation equipment:

0%; 0%; 0%

Owner(s) (non-operator(s)) of supplementary appropriation equipment:

0%; 0%; 0%

Owner(s) - operator(s) of supplementary appropriation equipment:

0%; 0%; 0%

Crew with special assets (including non-owner captain):

0%; 0%; 0%

Regular crew (each):

55%; 64%; 0%

Other:

0%; 0%; 0%

When the owner fishes from his own craft he keeps his own catch and takes a half of the crew's catch. The crew then equally divides the remaining catch.

Aggregation Rules

The default condition, that no rules specify contraints or requirements on the process to be used in deciding which actions will be taken, and that appropriators can have as much independence in deciding upon actions as they are physically able to exert, is imposed in this case.

Overall Questions About Rules Configuration

The general framework of the rules-in-use has governed the activities of this subgroup for 26 to 50 years.