Customary marine tenure and mariculture management in outlying communities of Pohnpie State, Federated States of Micronesia
Abstract The Marine Resources Division of Pohnpei State, Federated States of Micronesia is currently engaged in development activities that include the establishement of family scale mariculture projects for community members of several remote villages and outer islands. The goal of this undertaking is to supplement subsistence and income generation ventures for community members through wise use of the marine environment. These aims may be jeopardized unless a management plan is devised that incorporates the customary marine resource practices from each of these culturally diverse communities. The intent of this project is to devise a mariculture management plan that could help marine resource managers reduce or avoid marine resource user conflicts within each community that may result from the introduction of family mariculture projects. A ten week field investigation was conducted on three different study sites to obtain qualitative and quantitative data that would serve as a basis for the development of a mariculture management plan that integrates contemporary marine tenure practices with government management strategies. Research results disclose various user rights and practices that are consistent with implementation parameters for family mariculture projects and the reduction of user conflicts within each community.