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Abstract:
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"Links between power and adaptive governance are recognized in the fisheries literature,
but little reference has been made to show how power dynamics can influence the emergence of
adaptive governance in Lake Victoria’s fisheries. By examining the legitimate and informal
sources of power, through three case studies in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, we demonstrate that
i) while the official discourse is supportive of power sharing between governments and fishers in
co-management institutions, power, instead has been eroded away from local fishers and local
governments, ii) Newer actors such as the military, police, and coast guard in the co-management
system are not recognized by official policy, but are highly influential and powerful, supported by
an increasingly authoritarian state. The article concludes that for adaptive governance to emerge,
co-management institutions need to be responsive, flexible and supportive of accountability,
transparency, and inclusivity. However, the destruction and weakening of co-management
institutions and the delegitimizing of local authorities makes power sharing impossible, severely
constraining the emergence of adaptive governance in Lake Victoria’s fisheries."
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