Paper short abstract:

This paper discusses how the collapse of the maritime infrastructure gave rise to new informal economic practices in Poti, Georgia and elucidates how reforms aimed at negotiating the sea triggered resistance from affected communities, challenging the state's efforts to regulate maritime affairs.

Paper long abstract:

In the aftermath of the Soviet Union's dissolution, the vibrant maritime infrastructure in Poti, a pivotal port city in Georgia, collapsed, prompting the emergence of informal economic practices among locals to sustain their connections to the sea and its resources. From the 1990s onwards, fishing and the collection of 'remnants of the Empire' evolved into indispensable survival strategies for those who found themselves unemployed during the tumultuous transition from a socialist economy. These practices established through hard work throughout the years were dramatically altered by the reforms introduced after the "Rose Revolution" in 2003. Focusing on the revolutionary government's reforms aimed at negotiating the sea between private fishing companies and local fishers, the study examines how these state-driven initiatives subjected the sea to capitalist logic, resulting in the disenfranchisement of local communities from their traditional maritime resource rights. Addressing questions such as "Who holds the right to the sea?" and "How can the state tame the sea?" the research scrutinises the consequences of sea-grabbing for communities reliant on maritime resources. The analysis reveals that governmental intervention spurred the emergence of new informal economic practices among local communities as a strategic response to reclaim their rights to the sea. Contrary to the anticipated outcome of fostering successful entrepreneurship, these reforms triggered protests and resistance from affected communities, challenging the state's efforts to regulate and dominate maritime activities.