| Abstract |
This paper studies the complex socio-environmental realities faced by the coastal peoples of a fraction of the Colombian Caribbean (Cartagena) that has been rapidly transformed by the tourism industry, the creation of protected areas, port policies and hydrocarbon transport. Focusing on the insular system of Barú, a region inhabited by ethnic groups that aspire to obtain state recognition, we will show how regulatory decisions link the coasts and the sea to models of privatization or nationalization that introduce ecosystem management regimes that collide with local practices and traditional ways of life. The aggravating factor is that many of the models analyzed in the northern coast of Colombia are presented as sustainable models, but, in practice, they degrade natural systems, limit social participation, and prevent the reproduction of collective livelihoods and ways of life. Methodologically, this study is based on the analysis of spatial information and fieldwork -with an ethnographic approach- carried out between July-September 2021 with local communities, which allowed identifying the main problems for the social, cultural, and ecological sustainability of coastal and maritime areas. Theoretically, this work is based on an intercultural approach and uses the social-ecological systems framework to determine the main challenges for coastal management, collective rights, and the emerging field of research on rights to the sea. Fishermen, as good connoisseurs of adversity, generally rework their practices and adapt to gradual or abrupt changes in ecosystems, but find it more difficult to maneuver with changes in governance structures, given the asymmetrical relationship with the State or the private sector. Local people seek to reclaim fishing and navigation beyond just a trade activity. Fishing is only a small part of their relationship with the sea; a large part of their identity practices require the sea for to survive. © 2022 IAHR. |
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