Customary Marine Tenure in Palau: Social Function and Implications for Fishery Policy

摘要: This research examines the form, social function, and policy implications of customary marine tenure (CMT) in Ngarchelong, a rural fishery-dependent state Republic Palau. Using ethnography, we find that CMT Ngarchelong persists legal pluralism, expanding normative space for asserting contesting fishing privileges. Flexible administration provides benefits to resident community, including material support from nonresidents strengthening bonds networks. A fishery permit system under consideration would redefine access as privilege granted by government, thereby potentially impacting supported community’s CMT. With applications beyond Palau, discuss an alternative management approach could better harmonize with local context, preserving functions contemporary