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Visible Impacts, Invisible Structures: Marginalization and Resistance in Coastal Fishing Communities - A Case Study of Small-scale Fisherfolk on Malapascua Island, Philippines

Flanagan, Alexander Chase LU and Frost, Serena Julia LU (2025) STVK12 20251
Department of Political Science
Abstract
Marine resource degradation and competition over fish stocks have marginalized small-scale fisherfolk, yet studies rarely examine how tourism and commercial fishing intersect in this process. This case study explores how power asymmetries and marginalization affect the livelihoods of small-scale fisherman on Malapascua Island, Philippines. Malapascua, a small island in Central Visayas, is home to a famous dive site for Thresher Sharks but also faces fishing pressure from commercial fishers. A neo-Marxist and actor-oriented political ecology framework is used to identify political processes shaping the natural resources small-scale fisherfolk depend on. Through this framework, material, institutional and structural power is linked to... (More)
Marine resource degradation and competition over fish stocks have marginalized small-scale fisherfolk, yet studies rarely examine how tourism and commercial fishing intersect in this process. This case study explores how power asymmetries and marginalization affect the livelihoods of small-scale fisherman on Malapascua Island, Philippines. Malapascua, a small island in Central Visayas, is home to a famous dive site for Thresher Sharks but also faces fishing pressure from commercial fishers. A neo-Marxist and actor-oriented political ecology framework is used to identify political processes shaping the natural resources small-scale fisherfolk depend on. Through this framework, material, institutional and structural power is linked to processes of economic, ecological and political-economic marginalization. Small-scale fisherfolk face competition from commercial fishermen with greater capital and political ties, while eco-tourism’s higher economic output leads to its prioritization over fisherfolk needs. Structural power shaping institutions enables prioritization based on economic value. This political-economic marginalization has adverse economic and ecological consequences for small-scale fisherfolk that reinforce their political invisibility. A fish sanctuary managed by local fisherfolk has the potential to aid in regaining agency and power, challenging the cycle of marginalization. (Less)
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author
Flanagan, Alexander Chase LU and Frost, Serena Julia LU
supervisor
organization
course
STVK12 20251
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Malapascua Island, Philippines, Small-Scale Fisherfolk, Marginalization, Power Asymmetries, Political Ecology
language
English
id
9189607
date added to LUP
2025-08-07 16:27:38
date last changed
2025-08-07 16:27:38
@misc{9189607,
  abstract     = {{Marine resource degradation and competition over fish stocks have marginalized small-scale fisherfolk, yet studies rarely examine how tourism and commercial fishing intersect in this process. This case study explores how power asymmetries and marginalization affect the livelihoods of small-scale fisherman on Malapascua Island, Philippines. Malapascua, a small island in Central Visayas, is home to a famous dive site for Thresher Sharks but also faces fishing pressure from commercial fishers. A neo-Marxist and actor-oriented political ecology framework is used to identify political processes shaping the natural resources small-scale fisherfolk depend on. Through this framework, material, institutional and structural power is linked to processes of economic, ecological and political-economic marginalization. Small-scale fisherfolk face competition from commercial fishermen with greater capital and political ties, while eco-tourism’s higher economic output leads to its prioritization over fisherfolk needs. Structural power shaping institutions enables prioritization based on economic value. This political-economic marginalization has adverse economic and ecological consequences for small-scale fisherfolk that reinforce their political invisibility. A fish sanctuary managed by local fisherfolk has the potential to aid in regaining agency and power, challenging the cycle of marginalization.}},
  author       = {{Flanagan, Alexander Chase and Frost, Serena Julia}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Visible Impacts, Invisible Structures: Marginalization and Resistance in Coastal Fishing Communities - A Case Study of Small-scale Fisherfolk on Malapascua Island, Philippines}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}