Fostering Stewardship in Managing Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in the Lens of Green Criminology

Illegal fishing imperils Gulf ecosystems, prompting this qualitative study, rooted in green criminology and purposive sampling, to explore stewardship in fisheries and aquatic resource management. Police officers (Bantay Dagat), BFAR representatives, Barangay Officials, and Fisherfolks were interviewed. This study revolved around three main thrusts: (1) common law violations relative to the fishery and aquatic resources law violations; (2) the reasons/motivational factors of engaging in the fishery and aquatic resources law violations; and (3) measures on how the community can foster stewardship in managing fisheries and aquatic resources. The findings proved that the illegal fishing activities in municipal waters and marine protected areas were done for higher income and economic sustenance but posed various threats to the sustainability of aquatic and fishery resources and the environment in Leyte Gulf. The study also found that the community can foster stewardship through participatory enforcement of aquatic and fishery laws and programs and the provisions of equipment and resources needed for more effective patrol and surveillance of marine waters to prevent and combat illegal fishing. Keywords: Green Criminology, Illegal Fishing, Stewardship, Leyte Gulf