" Marine Areas of Responsible Fishing " : A Path Toward Small-Scale Fisheries Co-Management in Costa Rica? Perspectives from Golfo Dulce

International audienceThis chapter analyzes participatory management processes of small-scale fisheries in two Pacific embayments of Costa Rica, a centralized state of Central America where fisheries management is traditionally " top-down " , data deficient, and poorly adapted to local biological and socioeconomic conditions. We provide an historical overview of coastal activities governance and fisheries national context, and describe different participative approaches to small-scale fishery management. The Marine Area of Responsible Fishing (Área Marina de Pesca Responsable, or AMPR), created in 2008, is a management tool developed by the Costa Rican government to effectively involve fishers organizations in small-scale fisheries management. In this paper, we compare participative management initiatives associated with AMPRs in the Golfo Dulce and Golfo de Nicoya (Palito and Tár-coles), and Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Cahuita and Marino Ballena National Parks. Based on our analysis, we recommend ten measures to improve the small-scale fisheries co-management process. Among these, five recommendations stand out: (1) increase the participation of artisanal fishers in the development of collective choice rules; (2) allocate costs and benefits of management measures among artisanal fishers; (3) improve local leadership ; (4) improve understanding and transparency of the management process; and (5) formalize and implement strategic fisheries management plans