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  • Objectives
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Summary

This multidisciplinary study documented livelihood opportunities and challenges and searched for answers to the complex issue of resource management in artisanal fishing on the Coromandel coast. Covering the districts of Villupuram, Cuddalore and Pondicherry, this project was based on extensive documentation of artisanal fishing settlements and fisheries.

Objectives

The project had two primary goals, namely, to explore:

  1. Livelihood enhancement and diversification within the fisheries sector, in allied sectors and in other areas.
  2. Fisheries co-management, within existing institutions including traditional panchayats and with support from institutions such as the Fisheries dept.


The objectives following from these goals were:

  • to develop participative village micro plans for sustainable livelihoods in at least 60 fishing hamlets in two coastal districts and at link it to mainstream development programmes,
  • to understand the qualitative and quantitative status of the fisheries and fishing patterns along the coasts of two districts of Villupuram and Cuddalore, the traditional and current management systems, from the fishermen perspective, and review relevance of the existing fishing policy against realities and documented and
  • to develop a common understanding among the fisher folk and other stakeholders regarding issues of sustainable fishing practice, possibilities in setting up a community-based fisheries management system building up towards fishery co-management initiatives made.
Status
  • A total of 62 artisanal fishing settlements were surveyed as part of the project. Among the studies that were taken up were a census of family composition, primary and secondary occupations and craft ownership covering 62 villages.
  • This was followed by surveys of fish landing and craft/gear composition in a selection of 22 villages falling in three clusters that corresponded to the different districts.
  • An assessment of livelihood enhancement and diversification opportunities was made in the same 22 villages.
  • Additionally, regular meetings were held with representatives of traditional fishing Panchayats in 62 settlements culminating in district level discussions between the representatives and officials from the district fisheries administration.
  • Our findings show that there is an over capacitation in artisanal fisheries in the surveyed villages. This is coupled with a disregard for the marine fisheries regulation act and appears to be resulting in resource over-exploitation.
  • The use of banned nets and fine meshed nets was common among both artisanal and mechanised fishers as was the regular incursion of mechanised boats into artisanal fishing areas. Numerous instances of near shore and paired trawling and ring seine operations were observed.
  • Catch composition indicated that a number of species are being harvested at pre-adult stages and there were many records of fingerlings of economically important species being caught.
  • The gear/craft and catch surveys highlighted the urgency for fisheries management-oriented reforms and interventions in the fisheries sector.
  • Co-management discussions in 62 artisanal fishing settlements resulted in a similar set of action points and demands from their representatives.
  • Recommendations included control or outright ban on ring seines, regulation of mesh sizes and the need to prevent incursions of mechanised boats into artisanal areas and marine craft into backwaters.