Abstract

Within recent years there has been growing emphasis on the participation of resource users and other stakeholders in fisheries management. Participants with diverse backgrounds and perspectives are required to communicate in the process of co-management. Because of this diversity, communication is often problematic unless there is agreement about what, in principle and in simple terms, makes sense and is scientifically sound. The literature shows that barriers to communication often exist between fisheries managers/scientists and fisherfolk in particular. “Common science” embodies common sense and fisheries science. It is a useful approach for introducing co-management to fisherfolk. In this paper, the principles it utilizes are described. The application of common science in a small-scale open access fishery is briefly examined.

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