When free-riders become the agents for change-migrant fishers, institutional resilience, and adaptive fisheries management in Malawi

Despite preexisting concerns regarding unsustainable local fishing practices, local stakeholders were unwilling or unable to address these challenges until conflicts with migrant fisherfolk prompted changes. In some cases, the ability of migrants to circumvent BVC regulations has highlighted the BVC's lack of local legitimacy. Additionally, when threatened with losing benefits to “outsiders,” local stakeholders are more willing and able to come together and take corrective action. We therefore argue against policies limiting access to local fisheries as these remove valuable catalysts for adaptive institutional learning in decentralized natural resources management.