Sustainability in Artisanal Fisheries: The Influence of Informal Institutions on Social, Economic, and Environmental Value

Artisanal fishing, understood as a form of rural entrepreneurship, extends beyond purely economic performance; however, the quantitative influence of informal institutions on sustainable value creation remains insufficiently examined. This study analyzes how Indigenous governance, cooperation, and ancestral knowledge shape the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of sustainability in artisanal fisheries. A quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional design was applied using face-to-face surveys administered to 148 fishers in Taganga, Colombia. Data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to assess both measurement and structural relationships. The results indicate that Indigenous governance is strongly associated with sustainable value creation, significantly enhancing economic, social, and environmental outcomes through collective participation, cooperative arrangements, and community-based environmental practices. Ancestral knowledge shows a specific but meaningful relationship with social value by reinforcing cultural identity and community cohesion; this construct was measured through fishers’ perceptions of intergenerational knowledge transmission, traditions, and cultural values shared by elder fishers. Cooperation exhibits a positive association with economic value by strengthening productive resilience, although its effects do not extend to broader social outcomes. Overall, the model explains moderate proportions of economic and social value and a low proportion of environmental value. These findings demonstrate that informal institutions operate as differentiated yet essential mechanisms of sustainability, highlighting the importance of strengthening Indigenous governance, consolidating cooperative practices, and integrating ancestral knowledge into governance strategies for small-scale fisheries.