This task will describe the context of the fisheries co-management system that is being evaluated. The description includes key attributes of the resource system (biological, physical and technical); the resource users (fish harvesting, fish marketing, social, cultural, economic, political and power structures); governance (institutional and organizational arrangements at the community level, external institutional and organizational arrangements); and attributes that are outside the co-management system but impact on it (macroeconomic, social, political and natural). Together these attributes form the context within which resource users, government and other stakeholders coordinate and cooperate to establish and operate the fisheries co-management system so that they govern, manage and use the resources. See here for the list of attributes.  

The description of context will be used to understand linkages and relationships between and among the elements of the fisheries co-management system – context, process and patterns of interaction – and outcomes. Each element of the co-management system has a causal relationship with other parts. Some relationships are stronger,  while others are weaker, depending upon the relationship. Different combinations of these elements can be examined, depending upon the situation. For example, the degree to which the resource users are similar can have an impact upon their willingness to engage in collective action.  

Some of the attributes are also of direct relevance to the evaluation of the co-management system itself. They may overlap with some of the indicators used to assess whether the system is designed and functions according to good practices.