Panamanian small-scale fishermen; society, culture, and change

Much of the research focused on fishermen"s attitudes and beliefs about cooperative organizations, since fishing cooperatives were to be used for development. Correlates of cooperative membership were also investigated to determine the effects of existing organizations. Relationships between kinship and the occupation of fishing and attitudes and values associated with the occupation were examined as a way to obtain information on how and why men are recruited to the occupation and why they do or do not remain. Economic gratification orientations and attitudes toward loans were examined. The Panamanian small-scale fisherman was found to have a relatively favorable attitude towards his occupation. Kinship was found to be a factor in both recruitment to the occupation and crew structure, and economic studies of the small-scale fishery should take this factor into consideration. There was a great variability in knowledge of the benefits and functions of cooperative organizations. It is suggested that the amount of variability concerning benefits and function of cooperative organizations could lead to problems in development and operation due to varying expectations on the part of participants. It is also recommended that educational programs should be developed to correct this problem. Formal education, as mediated by mass media exposure and knowledge about cooperatives, was positively related to cooperative/precooperative membership. The report presents additional information on the Panamanian small-scale fisherman, and it suggests elements which could have an impact on the ongoing development of the fishery.