Marketing Pesca Limpia:Recommendations for Further Action

Team El Salvador 9, January 2015

Samuel Chiriboga, Jenifer Jackson, Sophia KirschenmanMiddlebury Institute of International Studies

Series Editor: Adele Negro

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Content of Index

Acknowledgements …………………..………………………………………………………....…. 3

Executive Summary ...…………………...……………………………………………….…...……. 4

Introduction ……..………………………...…………………………………………….………..….... 5

Goals and Objectives ……….…………………………………………....…………………....…... 6 Objective 1: Marking Pesca Limpia …..……………………………......…..…...… 7 Methods……………..……………………………………………………..….…….…... 7 Results………………………………………………………………………..…..………. 8

Objective 2: Situating Pesca Limpia within the RegulatoryFramework......................................................................................................................10

Methods …...……………………………………………………..............….…………10

Results and Recommendations ………………….............................................................11

Summary of Recommendations ……………………..………………………................... 15Bibliographical References ……..………………………………...........…………………… 16

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Acknowledgements

We cannot express enough thanks to the individuals who encouraged and supported our research. Our gratitude goes out to: Oscar Armando Turcios Flores, Oscar Roberto Ventua Palcios, Amy Kessler, Jose Maria Argueta, Jose Dolores Rojas Zepeda, Holly Jones, Johanna Segovia and Adele Negro. Thank you for your direct contributions to this research.

This project could not have been completed if it were not for the support and contribution of: Ecoviva, Associación Mangle, Team El Salvador 9, La Coordinadora of Bajo Lempa, La Coordinadora of Puerto Parada and Pesca Limpia. It was a great experience working with you all.

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Executive Summary

In January of 2015, students from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies (MIIS) in Monterey, California went to Ciudad Romero to work with the fishers involved in Pesca Limpia. Based on previous reports and with guidance from Associación Mangle and EcoViva, we decided to focus on two areas: marketing Pesca Limpia products and analyzing the regulatory framework to determine how to garner institutional support for Pesca Limpia’s sustainable fishing practices.

Recommendations for Objective 1: Marketing Pesca Limpia Products● Continue to market and promote the Pesca Limpia brand by updating

social media and maintaining the relationship with Señora Lopez. ● Explore further market opportunities, such as renting a stand at the

market in Usulután. ● Use promotional materials created (pamphlets, video) to help educate

the public about the product.

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Recommendations for Objective 2: Institutional Support● Collaborate with ICMARES to establish baseline fishing criteria

necessary for Pesca Limpia.● Work together with all members of the Pesca Limpia organization to

create standardized best practices that are mutually agreed upon. ● After best practices have been established, create the necessary

monitoring, enforcement, and conflict resolution mechanisms.● Further collaboration with local non-governmental organizations such

as Asociación Mangle and EcoViva. ● Creation of a co-management plan between Pesca Limpia, the NGOs, and

the Salvadoran government. ● Long-term goal: Contribute to the creation of sustainability awareness

throughout the country.

Introduction

The Jiquilisco Bay Biosphere Reserve, located on the southeast Pacific coast of El Salvador in the department of Usulután, is a biodiversity hotspot. It contains El Salvador’s largest mangrove estuary, sandy dunes and

beaches, numerous bays and islands, as well as freshwater lagoons and brackish inlets, making it an important habitat for several endangered species of migratory birds and sea turtles (RAMSAR). In 2005, the Jiquilisco Bay was designated a RAMSAR site due to its importance as a breeding site for juvenile fish and endangered species. The Jiquilisco Reserve, and the mangroves in particular, serve an important function in preventing natural disasters by stabilizing the soil and reducing erosion.

In addition to serving as a habitat for many species, the Jiquilisco Bay is an important driver of local economic activity. Many of the surrounding communities depend on the bay for their livelihoods, which include fishing

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and agriculture. In the aftermath of the civil war and the availability of explosives, blast fishing became a common practice for fishers in the region. Blast fishing, the practice of using dynamite to stun or kill schools of fish, is highly environmentally destructive and dangerous for fishers. It is illegal in El Salvador, but the ban is not enforced.

Historically, the government has provided little support for the communities around the bay, leading to a lack of enforcement of environmental protection laws. Recognizing that their livelihoods depend on the continued biodiversity of the bay and noting its degradation as a result of blast fishing, four of the fishing cooperatives joined forces to protect the environment upon which their livelihoods depend. In 2008, these four cooperatives formed an organization called Pesca Limpia and pledged to use only sustainable fishing methods and monitor the bay to enforce the ban on blast fishing.

Pesca Limpia fishing methods include the use of hook and line, rather than nets or dynamite. In theory, this practice allows the fishers to be selective, keeping only the species of fish that can be sold on the markets and ensuring that the fish have gone through their reproductive cycles. The fishing cooperatives in Pesca Limpia created artificial reefs with cement blocks, which attract fish. Each cooperative is in charge of maintaining and monitoring its reef to enforce Pesca Limpia fishing practices. However, the RAMSAR designation of the bay makes these reefs illegal, jeopardizing the livelihood of the fishers and the Pesca Limpia goal of ensuring sustainable fishing practices in the region.

Goals and Objectives

In January of 2015, students from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies (MIIS) in Monterey, California went to Ciudad Romero to work with the fishers involved in Pesca Limpia. Based on previous reports and with guidance from Associación Mangle and EcoViva, we decided to focus on two areas: marketing Pesca Limpia products and analyzing the regulatory framework to determine how to garner institutional support for Pesca Limpia’s sustainable fishing practices.

The main goal of the marketing campaign was to explore alternative market opportunities to ensure fair prices and distribution of earnings for Pesca

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Limpia products. Pesca Limpia products warrant a higher price than fish caught using other methods for several reasons. First, line-caught fish are of a higher quality, taste better and last longer than fish caught with nets or dynamite. Fish caught by nets often suffocate before reaching the shore and are bruised. Using dynamite affects the flavor and texture of the fish, pollutes the water, and destroys crucial marine habitat by killing everything within its radius. Second, the monitoring activities of the fishers are costly in gasoline and at present, they are not receiving support from the government for their monitoring endeavors. Third, artisanal fishing methods are labor and time intensive.

Currently, the fishers sell their catch to women who are members of the Commercialization Committee. The women then sell the fish to intermediaries, who then sell the fish to markets in Usulután and beyond. The intermediaries source the fish from all twenty-six cooperatives on the bay, not all of whom use sustainable fishing practices. When they are buying the fish, the intermediaries do not differentiate between Pesca Limpia products and fish caught by other methods; the women receive the same price for the fish regardless of whether or not the fish was caught sustainably. When the intermediaries sell the fish, however, they do charge a premium for Pesca Limpia fish, because they recognize that it is a superior product. Under the current marketing strategy, the fishers and women in charge of commercialization are not rewarded for adopting sustainable fishing practices, jeopardizing the future of Pesca Limpia and the integrity of the bay’s ecosystems. The second objective of the work was to analyze the regulatory framework within which Pesca Limpia operates to help the cooperatives manage their reefs legally. Currently, the reefs are illegal, which diminishes the long-term viability of Pesca Limpia’s efforts. The goal was to garner governmental support for the sustainable fishing practices adopted by Pesca Limpia to cultivate a culture of sustainable development in the area. Pesca Limpia’s vision of sustainable development offers an opportunity to help merge the needs of the people with the needs of the environment. In order to be successful, government support is crucial. Legalizing the reefs and adopting best-practices for sustainable fishing is the first step in helping to ensure the region’s long-term viability.

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Objective 1: Marketing Pesca Limpia

Methods

With the help of Associación Mangle and Ecoviva, the team met multiple times with cooperative representatives of Pesca Limpia and their commercialization team in Puerto Parada. Through informal interviews and focus groups we uncovered the existing challenges faced by the commercialization of Pesca Limpia. By asking unbiased, open ended questions, we were able to get an understanding of what Pesca Limpia truly wants. In addition to meeting at the Coordinadora in Puerto Parada, we visited a cooperative storage facility and made our way around the bay to access the entire operation. It was identified that the communities in Puerto Parada could not afford to pay a price premium on sustainably caught fish. Accordingly, the team sought to analyze markets in other communities to determine a willingness to pay.

Market research was completed by visiting the central market of Usulután, La Tiendona in San Salvador and Chelo’s Market in El Cuco. Informal interviews were conducted with local fishmongers to acquire information about the supply chain of fisheries in El Salvador. We specifically asked for the species type, origin and technique with which it was caught as well as the price it is sold at. In more successful interviews we also found out how much the fish was purchased for, as well as how many were sold in a day.In addition, a formal interview with Holly Jones, an expert on restaurant supply chains in El Salvador and representative of El Esperante in San Salvador, really helped draw the research together.

Results The prices per pound at each market are as followed:

Puerto Parada

Usulután La Tiendona/Sa

n Salvador

Esperanto/

San

Mauricia/ San

Salvador

Chelo’s/ El Cuco

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Salvador

Pargo - Boca

Colorada

$1.70 $3.00 $2.50 – $3.00 No tiene $2.75 $1.75

Róbalo $1.70 $2.25 $3.50 $2.00 $1.75

Roncón -Queen

$1.95 $2.00 $1.50 No tiene No tiene No tiene

Pequeño -

Tamalito

$0.60 $1.00 $1.00 No tiene No tiene $0.50

After analyzing the data, we concluded that the best method would be to sell directly to restaurants, thereby eliminating the middlemen and maximize profits. Shortening the supply chain allocates more profit to the Pesca Limpia cooperatives while granting them more power over their organization. Taking control over all fish sales provides the organization with the opportunity to meet and negotiate prices with restaurant owners.

This research sought to establish a niche for Pesca Limpia products. The majority of fish bought and sold at restaurants and markets throughout El Salvador were ocean-caught using netting, trolling and trawling techniques. What sets Pesca Limpia apart from the competition is their use of artisanal fishing methods and that their fish comes from the nutrient-rich Jiquilisco Bay, which enhances the flavor.

After a long day of market research at La Tiendona in San Salvador, the team met with Holly Jones at El Esperante. Holly’s knowledge of restaurant supply chains in El Salvador highlighted information we had previously uncovered as well as provided new information about the supply chain of Salvadorian fisheries. She offered us their seafood invoices and put us in contact with her distributer. The information we received from Holly and her distributor allowed us to make more informed decisions when negotiating with other restaurants.

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The team met with Yanira López, the owner of Mariscos y Coctéles Mauricia, to find out the price and quantity of fish she buys weekly. Unfortunately, Mariscos y Coctéles Mauricia only sells one species of fish Pesca Limpia sells. During the meeting with Mrs. Lopez, she explained that she needed to create a demand for the species of fish Pesca Limpia has to offer. Her interest and excitement about the possibility of helping grow a local cooperative was clear. She offered to market Pesca Limpia in her restaurant. She proposed creating a video that could play periodically throughout the day along with brochures that could be placed on the tables with information about Pesca Limpia. She agreed that at first she would buy a little fish to make sure that she could sell it. Having more familiarity with Pargo (Red Snapper), to start, Mrs. Lopez sought 30 pounds of Pargo at $2.50 per pound. This agreement hinged on the notion that in the future she would buy more varieties and in larger quantities. The team worked closely with Pesca Limpia to create a video and brochures, which were then shared with Asociación Mangle, EcoViva, and the leaders of the cooperatives. In combination with the video and brochures, the team helped to create a Facebook page to further promote Pesca Limpia. The brochures and video included the Pesca Limpia Facebook URL, so that clients could find more information about the brand. A trial run took place on Friday, January 30th in hope to fulfill the new agreement made between Mariscos y Cocteles Mauricia and Pesca Limpia. A woman from the Pesca Limpia commercialization team went to San Salvador by bus to begin what will hopefully be a sustainable relationship.

Objective 2: Situating Pesca Limpia within the Regulatory Framework

Methods

In order to understand the regulatory framework that Pesca Limpia is subject to, we reviewed the environmental laws governing El Salvador, including: Ley de medio ambiente, Ley de áreas naturales protegidas, Ley de pez y aquicultura, and Ley de conservación de vida silvestre. In addition to the actual laws, we read the corresponding regulations, which delineate how the

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broad principles outlined in the laws will be implemented. We then shared this information with students and faculty from the Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología (ICMARES). The purpose of the exchange was to gain an understanding on the perspectives offered by each of our specialties so that we could create a more holistic view of the current situation in the Jiquilisco Bay.

It is important for scientists and policy-makers to share their expertise in order to better understand the processes involved in conserving biodiversity. This knowledge is the basis for making recommendations and establishing sustainable fishing practices. For biologists, it is important to understand how their scientific studies are applicable for policymakers. Environmental policy needs to be based on sound science in order to fulfill its goal of preserving biodiversity.

During the exchange, students from MIIS and ICMARES toured the bay with local fishers and analyzed current fishing practices. The ICMARES students and faculty collected samples which included a rare coral and sponge species, both signs that the artificial reef is flourishing and aiding in the recovery of the coral ecosystem. Unfortunately, the weather conditions were not ideal and they were unable to clearly view the coral reefs. Instead, we went to fishing boats that were on the bay and collected data about the amount, size, and types of species that were being caught. There were not many boats present that day, but the ICMARES researchers planned on supplementing their findings with future data collection. A group of students also went into the mangrove forest to establish a baseline of forest density and health. They measured the circumference of the roots and measured the slope of the gradient from the water’s edge to 25 m inland to determine erosion. The exchange was the beginning of what we hope will be a long and mutually beneficial partnership between Pesca Limpia and ICMARES.

Results and Recommendations

The Pesca Limpia cooperatives are currently fishing on illegal reefs. However, their monitoring of the bay is essential to ensuring that blast fishing does not occur within the cooperative boundaries. The fishermen play an important role as stewards of the Jiquilisco Bay, and as such should be able to fish legally, as long as the practices are sustainable.

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One faculty member from ICMARES noted that several of the fish measured had not yet completed their reproductive cycles and that one fish may have been an endangered species. In order to garner institutional supports, it will be necessary for the fishers from Pesca Limpia to work with ICMARES. Pesca Limpia cannot market its product as “sustainable fish” if the fishing practices are not environmentally sound. As such, it is crucial that sustainable fishing practices are established, standardized, and monitored. The students and faculty from ICMARES can determine the species of fish that are not currently threatened and can therefore create a database to clearly identify the species of fish that can be caught and the minimum size that each of the determined species must be.

After such a database is created, the cooperative leaders from Pesca Limpia must clearly establish their baseline fishing criteria and must determine the method that they will use to inform their fishers of the new regulations. They must also decide how to manage and enforce these standards.

One common-pool resource management framework that may be useful as a guideline when creating the Pesca Limpia management regime is that of Elinor Ostrom. Her research shows that resource-users, when well-organized, have the ability to manage their resource in an environmentally sustainable and economically beneficial manner.

Ostrom’s research explores the successes and failures of resource management through close examination of many small-scale case studies. Through this research she has derived several characteristics that describe most of the successful regimes. The first is that the boundaries of the resource are clearly defined and that there is harmony between the governance regime and the resource environment (Ostrom, 2009). Pesca Limpia embodies these characteristics in that each cooperative is clear about the areas in which they fish and are aware of the areas that they are required to monitor. The fishers have divided the Jiquilisco Bay amongst themselves and each cooperative seems satisfied with the resource division.

The heads of the cooperatives are also aware of the action that needs to be taken in order to restore their fishery to an optimal state. They understand that the fish in the area need to have ample time to reproduce and must be of a certain size prior to their capture. However, it would be beneficial to have

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this knowledge supported and enhanced through science. At present, it seems as though they are clear that there should be a minimum size requirement in order for the fish to be caught, but there is not agreement about exactly what size that is. This is why the relationship between ICMARES and Pesca Limpia is so crucial. The cooperatives have baseline understanding and awareness about best practices in regards to fisheries management, yet they lack the data to support their knowledge. Pesca Limpia will not be a sustainable endeavor until it incorporates the science into its practices.

The use of collective-choice agreements and arrangements is another design principle recommended by Ostrom (Ostrom, 2009). Here again, the cooperatives have done an excellent job of working together to create this organization and brand. They have meetings amongst themselves and all of the members of the cooperatives contribute to a fund that exists to assist with a variety of necessities. One suggestion is that they combine their meetings and create a fund for the entire organization. It is important that they have a system that supports the operation, whether it be to buy more ice chests or to help one of their members who might be in need for any number of reasons. Each cooperative member should be able to contribute his or her own perspective about how the money should be spent. Once the science is solidified, it should be presented to all members of the Pesca Limpia organization, so that they can come to a mutual agreement about the regulation of the fishery.

Part of this process is also the creation of trusting relationships where each member feels that his or her opinion is valid and desired. Not only should everyone have the opportunity to participate in the creation of the fishing regulations, but also in the creation of the management framework. The next criteria presented by Ostrom is that the rules are enforced by monitors who are a part of the organization and that any violations are punished using graduated sanctions (Ostrom, 2009). These sanctions must be agreed upon by everyone ahead of time. It is also important to have conflict resolution management procedures.

At present, the system of monitoring is moderately effective. The fishers have managed to limit the amount of blast-fishing that occurs in the area. Members from each cooperative volunteer to monitor as part of the group resulting in a commendable amount of effort being put forth by each of the four cooperatives. The only criticism is the lack of monitoring that occurs amongst

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the fishers themselves. This deficiency is due in part to the fact that there is a shortage of scientific data and standardization in their practices. This is a shortfall that must be overcome if Pesca Limpia is to be a successful and sustainable enterprise.

All of the aforementioned criteria must be well-established and practiced in order to succeed with Ostrom’s last framework design characteristic. She recognizes the need for verification and cooperation between the appropriators and higher-level authorities (Ostrom, 2009). Authorities must acknowledge the organization’s right to self-govern and ideally, would support Pesca Limpia financially as well. Multiple layers of collaboration and regulation would most likely result in the restoration of a long-term, sustainable fishery.

A co-management plan that recognizes the work that Pesca Limpia has done and is currently doing would validate the operation and demonstrate government support on environmentally and socially desired resource management frameworks throughout the country. Further collaboration with other larger-scale entities, such as the non-profit organizations EcoViva and Asociación Mangle, would help to solidify ties between Pesca Limpia and the government.

According to the legislative analysis, a co-management plan supported by science is feasible. The designation of Jiquilisco Bay as a RAMSAR site provided for local resource management, and co-management plans of protected areas is not uncommon in the region. The site itself is designated as a Protected Area with Managed Resource Use, which allows for sustainable resource extraction, according to the Ley de medio ambiente. Currently, the RAMSAR site has a co-management plan that includes the Coordinadora del Bajo Lempa and Coordinadora de Puerto Parada. The best solution for the Pesca Limpia cooperatives would be to aid these organizations with the management of the resource under the current plan. The plan itself recognizes that the cooperatives currently have little to no institutional support in their efforts, and aims to rectify that. While the cooperatives are not currently designated as stewards, an amendment to the plan should include them as stakeholders and enforcers of the law. Fishing is therefore permitted with government oversight. Under Ostrom’s theory and the cooperatives’ current practices, it makes sense that the cooperatives profiting from resource extraction in the area also monitor and maintain it.

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Pesca Limpia is an admirable organization and if they follow these framework recommendations in the short-term, there is no reason that this will not be a socially, economically, and environmentally advantageous endeavor in the long-term.

Recommendations Summarized

● Collaborate with ICMARES to establish baseline fishing criteria necessary for Pesca Limpia.

● Work together with all members of the Pesca Limpia organization to create standardized best practices that are mutually agreed upon.

● After best practices have been established, create the necessary monitoring, enforcement, and conflict resolution mechanisms.

● Further collaboration with local non-governmental organizations such as Asociación Mangle and EcoViva.

● Creation of a co-management plan between Pesca Limpia, the NGOs, and the Salvadoran government.

● Continue to market and promote the Pesca Limpia brand by updating social media and maintaining the relationship with Señora Lopez.

● Long-term goal: Contribute to the creation of sustainability awareness throughout the country.

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References

Ostrom, Elinor. “Beyond Markets and States: Polycentric Governance ofComplex Economic Systems.” The American Economic Review. Vol. 100, No. 3 (JUNE 2010), pp. 641-672. Published by: American Economic Association. http://www.jstor.org/stable/27871226

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