Leadership in Community-Based Organizations: What Fisheries Comanagement Teaches Us?

Abstract

This study perceives leadership roles from various concepts and theoretical standpoints that are further evaluated in connection with fisheries comanagement programs of Bangladesh. A case study approach combining six project areas of Southern Bangladesh was used so that a broader understanding can be developed about leadership roles in comanagement. In total 15 months of data collection were conducted. It was found that local leaders of comanagement programs play key roles in maintaining local forums such as organizing community groups and representing communities at other scales (e.g., district level meetings). However, some contentious issues such as local corruptions and higher number of non-fisher participants in leadership positions have marred the success of comanagement. It was also found that factors such as education, gender and social positioning have a strong influence (often negative) on local leadership processes limiting the scope of achieving social goals of comanagement programs. Therefore, comanagement programs have become both part of praise and criticism in the issue of leadership roles.