Indigenous construction of fishing boats at Versova village in Maharashtra State

Versova, one of the 23 fishing villages in the district of Greater Bombay, is a major fishing centre. During the last three decades mechanisation of fishing boats received a tremendous boost in the state specially in and around Bombay resulting in higher income and gainful employment to fishermen. Indigenous construction of fishing boats at Versova contributes to the marine fisheries development. Inspite of certain constraints in construction activities, training of artisans in boat construction would ultimately help in the economic growth of the village.

Socioeconomic conditions of traditional fishermen of Vitava village in Thane district

Maharashtra stands third in fish production in India, with an estimated annual landings of 3.32 lakhs tonnes (1986-87). About 45% of the fishermen are directly involved in fishing. Mechanisation has boosted fish production resulting in gainful employment and higher incomes to fishermen. However, traditional fishermen along Thane creek and who entirely depend on fishing for their livelihood are comparatively poor due to their dependence on subsistence fishing and reduction of fish stock due to pollution of the creek. Conservation of the resources, proper monitoring of pollution and financial assistance and guidance will help the fishermen improve their living conditions.

Economic feasibility of composite fish culture in leased-in village tanks of Kanyakumari district: an invesment analysis

Kanyakumari district belonging to the high rainfall zone has resource advantages for composite fish culture in the leased-in village tanks. There are more than 400 fish farmers operating in leased-in tanks following composite fish culture under the FFDA programme. To estimate the economic feasibility and financial viability of the enterprise, the present study was taken up. 38 fish farmers selected from the district provided the necessary information like capital investment, costs and return and constraints. The data collected were analysed and a farm nearest to the average farm situation was taken as the representative farm. Investment criteria like PayBack Period (PBP), Simple Rate of Returns (SRR), Net Present Value (NPV) and Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR) were estimated taking into account a period of 10 years, the period for which the village tanks are leased-out to fish farmers under the FFDA programme. The analysis indicated the profitability of composite fish culture in village tanks in the district and the results are discussed with recommendations.

A preliminary study of two village tanks (reservoirs) in the Polonnaruwa area with biological notes on these reservoirs in Ceylon

The present study was initiated in conjunction with a project to utilize some of these small tanks as fishponds by introducing desirable species like Tilapia mossambica Peters and harvesting them at the end of a single season which may vary from 4-8 months depending on the reservoir. Two reservoirs Timbirigaswewa and Dalukanawewa were chosen for this study. Both of these are in the Polonnaruwa area (Fig. 1). Timbirigaswewa (Fig 4) is as all rain fed tank of about 30 acres while Dalukanawewa (Fig. 2) is stream fed with an acreage of just over 100.

A participatory study of the traditional knowledge of fishing communities in the Gulf of Mannar, India

This is the first in a series of case studies undertaken by the International Collective in Support of Fishworkers (ICSF) to document the traditional knowledge of fishing communities dependent on marine and coastal resources in protected and conserved areas in different parts of the world. The study, done with the support of the Bay of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystem (BOBLME) project, documents the traditional knowledge of fishing communities in the Gulf of Mannar in the state of Tamil Nadu. It focuses on two fishing villages, Chinnapalam and Bharathi Nagar, whose communities have traditionally depended on Krusadai and Appa Islands for their livelihood. Traditional knowledge relating to oceanographic, meteorological, biological, ecological and navigational aspects of fisheries was documented. The study will be useful for researchers, students, scientists, policymakers, fishworker organizations, NGOs and anyone interested in the traditional knowledge of local fishing communities related to marine biodiversity and the customary use of fisheries resources and fishing practices.

Asserting rights, defining responsibilities: perspectives from small-scale fishing communities on coastal and fisheries management in Cambodia

In preparation for the Workshop and Symposium on “Asserting Rights, Defining Responsibilities: Perspectives from Small-scale Fishing Communities on Coastal and Fisheries Management in Asia”, held in Siem Reap Cambodia, from 3 to 8 May 2007, case studies were undertaken in six countries in Asia—Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand. Among other things, the studies aimed to document and explore the understanding that fishing communities have about their rights to fisheries and coastal resources, as well as the obligations and responsibilities associated with these rights, and to document and discuss their initiatives to assert these rights and fulfill their responsibilities. The studies formed the basis for discussions at the Workshop and Symposium. This case study from Cambodia will be found useful by NGOs, regional and national organizations of artisanal fishworkers, and anyone interested in fisheries and fishing communities in Cambodia.

Asserting rights, defining responsibilities: perspectives from small-scale fishing communities on coastal and fisheries management in the Philippines

In preparation for the Workshop and Symposium on “Asserting Rights, Defining Responsibilities: Perspectives from Small-scale Fishing Communities on Coastal and Fisheries Management in Asia”, held in Siem Reap Cambodia, from 3 to 8 May 2007, case studies were undertaken in six countries in Asia—Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand. Among other things, the studies aimed to document and explore the understanding that fishing communities have about their rights to fisheries and coastal resources, as well as the obligations and responsibilities associated with these rights, and to document and discuss their initiatives to assert these rights and fulfill their responsibilities. The studies formed the basis for discussions at the Workshop and Symposium. This case study from the Philippines will be found useful by NGOs, regional and national organizations of artisanal fishworkers, and anyone interested in fisheries and fishing communities in the Philippines.

Enhancing capacities of fishing communities: ICSF-BOBLME sub-regional dialogue on labour, migration and fisheries management. Report of the proceedings, 11 to 13 December 2013, Chulalongkorn University,Thailand

This report on the “Sub-regional Dialogue on Labour, Migration and Fisheries Management”, held at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand, from 11 to 13 December 2013, highlights the issue of migrant labour on board fishing vessels and the problems migrant workers face in their workaday lives. This report will be useful for students, researchers, activists and anyone else interested in matters related to fisheries and small-scale fishing communities.

Rights first, rights forever: small-scale fisheries and fishing communities from a human-rights perspective. A collection of articles from SAMUDRA report

Small-scale and artisanal fisheries contribute about two-thirds of the global fish production destined for direct human consumption. They also accommodate over 90 per cent of those who make their living from fisheries. Women comprise at least half the workforce in small-scale fisheries. Despite the important contributions made by small-scale fisheries to poverty eradication and food security, small-scale fishers and fishworkers continue to be marginalized at different levels. It is in this context that the Committee on Fisheries (COFI) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has developed the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines).

Socio-cultural influences on sanitation, fish handling and artisanal fish processing within the fishing communities

The fishery sector in Uganda has seen important changes in the last two decades. Among the changes registered, is the expansion of fish markets locally, regionally and internationally. Upon which, remarkable benefits have been realized at local and national levels, for instance, it is estimated that an average of 40m$ is being earned annually as foreign exchange. Besides, presently fish accounts for over 50% of total animal protein in take. However, it is argued that sustaining these gains has become an up hill task due to failure to maintain fish quality as a result of the rudimentary and inappropriate sanitary, fish handling and artisanal fish processing practices that both directly and indirectly affect the quality of fish and fish products. Therefore, against this background, a study of 507 respondents was undertaken among the Lake Victoria Communities specifically in Wakiso, Mayuge and Mukono districts. The study examined the perceptions of fishers on the social cultural practices of sanitation, fish handling and artisanal fish processing and consequently identified factors that influenced these practices.

Sanitation, fish handling and artisanal fish processing within fishing communities: socio-cultural influences

postive transformation of the fisheries sector in Uganda has of recent been scatted by failure to mountain fish quality and safety,akey prerequiste for retaining and gaining fish markets. The social cultural study established the extent to which social cutural practices had affected the levels and the use of sanitation facilities,fish handling facilities and artisanal fish processing techniques and the factors that influenced these practices in the fishing communities of lake victoria. This information is of significance for the purpose of advocacy and mobilization of fishers in order to improve sanitation, fish handling and artisanal fishing processing situation in the fishing communities.

Phytoplankton communities of a floodplain lake of the Brahmaputra River basin, Upper Assam

Phytoplankton (52 species; Bacillariophyceae>Chlorophyceae>Cyanophyceae> Euglenophyceae=Dinophyceae) of Samuajan beel, a tropical floodplain lake, registered identical mean annual richness (30+4 species) in littoral and limnetic regions and depicted 33.3-77.2% and 31.4-81.1% community similarities respectively. Their abundance ranged between 137+54 n/l in littoral (Bacillariophyceae>Chlorophyceae) and 122 ± 45 n/l (Chlorophyceae>Bacillariophyceae) in limnetic communities, comprised about 46% of net plankton and indicated winter peaks. This study depicted moderate species diversity, high evenness and low dominance of phytoplankton; species diversity showed significant direct correlation with richness and evenness and an inverse relationship with dominance. Phytoplankton showed significant positive relationship with transparency and silicate and negative with water temperature, rainfall, chloride and nitrate. Multiple regression revealed that ten abiotic factors accounted for >80-98% of density variations of phytoplankton and the dominant groups. ANOVA depicted trends of significance in abundance of the biotic communities analysed.

Impact of dead and sunken water hyacinth on biotic communities, the aquatic environment and socio-economic activities

The mobile water hyacinth, which was produced in growth zones, especially Murchison Bay, was mainly exported to three sheltered storage bays (Thruston, Hannington and Waiya). Between 1996 and May 1998, the mobile form of water hyacinth occupied about 800 ha in Thruston Bay, 750 ha in Hannington Bay and 140 ha in Waiya Bay). Biological control weevils and other factors, including localised nutrient depletion, weakened the weed that was confined to the bays and it sunk around October 1998. The settling to the bottom of such huge quantities of organic matter its subsequent decomposition and the debris from this mass was likely to have environmental impacts on biotic communities (e.g. fish and invertebrate), physico-chemical conditions (water quality), and on socio-economic activities (e.g. at fish landings, water abstraction, and hydro-power generation points). Sunken water. hyacinth debris could also affect nutrient levels in the water column and lead to reduction in the content of dissolved oxygen. The changes in nutrient dynamics and oxygen levels could affect algal productivity, invertebrate composition and fish communities. Socio-economic impacts of dead sunken weed were expected from debris deposited along the shoreline especially at fish landings, water abstraction and hydropower generation points. Therefore, environmental impact assessment studies were carried out between 1998 and 2002 in selected representative zones of Lake Victoria to identify the effects of the sunken water hyacinth biomass