Community-based management of fishery resources is an attractive concept. However, establishing the community institutions is expensive: it calls for high investment in time and in terms of assessment, facilitation and technical advice.
Costs can probably be cut by using existing dam committees or community development committees to take up the responsibility to manage the resource. The inputs required would be limited to technical information about the resource base and development of management plans. Development agents promoting other types of resource management can use community-based management of fisheries resources as an additional tool. Their staff can be trained in data gathering techniques; the technical information can be provided by relevant government departments and other non-government agents.
The empowerment approach to CBM with fisheries resources (or any other natural resources) has a few disadvantages. The first disadvantage is the length of time it takes to establish a viable community-based management institution that can effectively make decisions to manage resources. In situations where natural resources have usually been managed by the central government, the “culture” to take on the responsibility to manage resources is non-existent in a community. At Mwenje, ALCOM was at first viewed with suspicion. It took a long time to win the community's trust, develop rapport with it and make significant progress. Many development agents would become impatient with the slow progress in establishing the community structure. Because of these frustrations, it is very tempting to revert to the old and familiar top-down approach.
Community members are also frustrated with the delay in implementing the decisions they make. This can be reduced by shortening the red tape. To give or deny appropriate authority should not take two years; the lengthy process fuels the community's suspicions; they end up paying lip-service to decisions taken at meetings, and do something else after the meetings.
Community management of fishery resources may be easier to address within a broader resource management perspective, which includes grazing areas, woodlots and possibly wildlife. A development agency could probably use the same management structure, and much of the training and awareness work will overlap for the different types of resources.
