Abstract:
This paper analyses the impact of armed groups and their taxation practices on the municipal fishing sector of the Zamboanga Peninsula in Mindanao, Philippines. Leveraging novel qualitative and quantitative data, we find clear evidence of armed group presence, social implantation, and taxation in the coastal communities of Zamboanga. We analyse these taxation practices in light of the complex relationship between armed groups and the fishing sector and situate them in the historical context. We find evidence that taxation by armed groups has a negative impact on the terms of trade of municipal fishing households and a negative impact on fish stocks, which points to a negative impact on the environment. We find suggestive evidence that this negative impact may be mediated by lower levels of communal fishing governance in coastal communities where armed groups are present.
