Factors affecting fisherfolk's support for coastal resource management: The case of local government-initiated mangrove protection activities

This article examines factors that influence support for local-government initiated mangrove protection activities. Using an ordered probit approach, we show how fisher characteristics and regional variation affect the level of support given to mangrove protection activities. Our results suggest that education levels, knowledge of the dangers of mangrove depletion, and pre-existence of mangrove-related ordinances in their municipalities are the factors that significantly affect the level of support for mangrove protection activities. In addition, we find that surveyed fisher communities from the southern region of the Philippines are less likely to support mangrove protection activities probably due to the higher rate of poverty incidence in these areas. These results have important implications for local government units in charge of mangrove planning and management.