| Summary | A socially-disctinct ethnic group in the WNP. Despite being a minority group, they account for about 50% of all fishers in the WNP. Traditional sea-nomads, with highly detailed awareness of spatiotemporal variability in many physical and biological aspects of the marine environment. |
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| Project | SESMAD |
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| Subtype | Local Resource User Group |
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| Sector | Fisheries (Stock-specific), Marine protected areas |
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| Interest Heterogeneity | Low (1) |
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| Explanation | Similar patterns of resource use and livelihoods. |
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| Costs Of Exit | Yes |
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| Explanation | No membership fees to be part of this group, but because of high dependence on the resource costs invested in gears/boats are high relative to income. Few alternative livelihoods - high cost to leave. |
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| Proportionality (Of Costs And Benefits) | No |
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| Explanation | Receive more benefits than costs - fishing is central to their culture and society. There are limited no take areas in WNP and the Bajau are high mobile. Bajau also prefer not to be involved as much in meetings/monitoring and official government activities. |
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| Actor Group Coordination | Informal |
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| Explanation | Informal - Bajau have strong cultural identity and traditions |
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| Leadership | Formal leader |
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| Explanation | All Bajau villages have chiefs, who are elected. There are also hamlet chiefs who are also elected. Chiefs are well respected (Interview with Chui-Ling Tam, June 2015). |
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| Leadership Accountability | High (3) |
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| Explanation | Village heads are elected every 3-5 years, standardised procedure. |
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| Leadership Authority | Medium (2) |
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| Explanation | Chiefs are well respected and have authority within the governance structure. Not coded as high, as if the chief is non-Bajau then although still respected they will leave each others communities to their own. |
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| Actor Group Trust | High (3) |
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| Explanation | Strong cultural history. Strong social capital within the group - e.g. catch sharing |
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| Past Collaboration | High (3) |
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| Explanation | Strong cultural history. Strong social capital within the group - e.g. catch sharing |
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| Personal Communication | More than once a year (5) |
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| Explanation | The Bajau have high communication and cohesion as a group. |
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| Remote Communication | Never (1) |
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| Explanation | Bajau live on settlements on the sea, limited infrastructure. Remote communication difficult (and less important than personal communication in this case) |
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