Fisheries co-management requires collaborative action between government institutions and local resource users to ensure sustainable fisheries. To achieve successful outcomes, relational dimensions of governance, particularly those between government and local communities, may play a critical role in shaping co-management performance. This study investigates how fisheries communities’ perceptions of governance—specifically perceived inclusion in decision-making, perceived power-sharing, and trust in government agencies—are associated with their engagement in co-management activities in South Korea. Based on survey data from community leaders, multiple linear regression analysis indicates that perceived power-sharing and trust in government agencies are significant predictors of co-management participation, while perceived inclusion in decision-making shows a positive but statistically insignificant association. These findings highlight the importance of relational governance factors in promoting collective action, suggesting that fostering genuine power-sharing and institutional trust is essential for enhancing community engagement in co-management.
Sojeong Kim (Wed,) studied this question.