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Small-Scale Sicilian Fisheries 405

ecological effects of the reserve and a consortium of local public and private organiza-
tions created and currently operating with the idea of encouraging new ways to manage
the local fishery. Local scientists and the consortium could work with the regional govern-
ment to create training centers and devise means for disseminating information to local
stakeholders. In the EIMR, public education initiatives have already been started; now
effort must be concentrated on educating the fishers.

Furthermore, managers in both reserves need to recognize the importance of educat-
ing the local community about the value of their resources. Local scientists and mem-
bers of the public interested in the reserve could develop new methods of disseminating
information regarding the reserve to the general public. While steps toward public edu-
cation have already been taken in the EIMR, the director could create and publicize the
availability of educational materials more.

Second, managers must increase involvement of local communities in the decision-
making process. This is more the case in the EIMR where stakeholders feel completely
isolated from reserve management; however, relations between fisher groups in the GCFR
and the effectiveness of the reserve could also be improved through increased involve-
ment in management (Jentoft, McCay, & Wilson, 1998). Resource users frequently do
not understand why certain regulations are needed and, when they are not included in
management development, they become agitated and angry toward reserve managers.
By including stakeholders in the general management of the MPA, they become much
more informed and consequently supportive of the MPA. As representatives of the fish-
ing community, fishers’ cooperatives in both the GCFR and EIMR could take on this
collaborative role, consequently improving their working relationship with managers.

One way of increasing involvement of stakeholders in the reserve is for managers
to develop a common interest in reaching the objectives of the reserve. Stakeholder
input could be used as part of an advisory management council that helps the director
make decisions regarding the reserve or as liaisons within the community to bring local
concerns to the attention of the reserve managers. The reserve director and the local
community can become enthusiastic about the reserve, help others appreciate the envi-
ronment more, and increase compliance with nonfishing regulations. In addition, the
director and social scientists external to the reserve could develop a strategy for stake-
holder input in management strategies and decisions through participatory forums and
further interviews regarding opinions and definitions of success and how the reserve
could be managed more effectively.

A third recommendation is to increase community-based enforcement of existing
GCFR and EIMR regulations, effectively decreasing the number of violations because
resource users will fear being caught. In the case of the Egadi Islands, the existing
management institution and enforcement regime are inadequate to deal with the special
management needs of the area. With the multiplicity of city governments and agencies
that management has at one time or another been delegated to, successful management
has been ignored and virtually no enforcement exists. By focusing enforcement on ille-
gal trawlers, the majority of fishers could view the reserve much more positively, and
trawling, the most detrimental activity occurring in the reserve, could be substantially
decreased. To a lesser extent, the same would be true in the Gulf of Castellammare. In
the GCFR, although enforcement is currently nonexistent, local fishers are still reaping
the benefits of the trawling ban.

In both cases, the regional government controls the level of enforcement. Theoreti-
cally, the capacity exists to provide more on-the-water enforcement officials (including
some that are completely dedicated to patrolling the reserve) in both reserves; however,
again, this must be mandated from above. Enforcement officers will not change their
practices unless ordered to by a superior. An order, most likely a regional decree, will