Fishing for the Future: Exploring the Effect of Relational Well-being on (Un) Sustainable Practices among Nile Perch Fishers of Lake Victoria, Tanzania

Abstract

he management of fisheries resources is one of the most challenging endeavours as it deals with human behaviour, which is complex  and hard to predict. This study was interested in understanding how social relations within Lake Victoria fishing communities shape the  lake’s fishery. We applied a mixed methodology approach to explore social relationships within the Nile perch fish value-chain and their  effect on fishers’ fishing behaviour. Using the relational well-being approach, we highlight why enforcing fishing regulations, curbing  illegal fishing, and eliminating activities that violate fisheries management rules are challenging. The findings emphasize how relational  well-being influences social relationships and affects fishing behaviours. We conclude that interventions aimed at safeguarding the Nile perch fisheries need to consider such relationships in an attempt to create an environment that supports sustainable fisheries in the Lake