Transcript No Slide Title

Should we hang up our nets?
Adaptation and conflict within fisheries - insights for
living with climate change
Dr Sarah Coulthard
AMIDSt, University of Amsterdam
Talk Structure
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Global crisis in fisheries necessitates adaptation in
fishing societies
•
Parallels with climate change and adaptation debates
•
Adaptation of livelihoods (moving out of fisheries) and
strong links with values and culture
•
Culture as a facilitator or barrier to adaptation within
fisheries?
A global fisheries crisis?
•
•
Worm et al (2006) predict we will run out of commercial
fish stocks by 2048
Pressure on fishermen and women to adapt / change
their livelihoods
Parallels with climate change debates
•
Injustice – pressures fall on the small scale fisher,
who is often the least capable of adaptation and
least to blame for over fishing
•
Poorly regulated fishing from developed countries
exacerbate the problem e.g. EU trawler fleets
•
Vulnerability- food security, livelihood security,
increased poverty risk
How to
differentiate?
Parallels with climate change debates
•
Strong cultural, traditional and
religious associations with
fisheries – give insight into
their influence in adaptation
•
A need to evolve from
understanding the behaviour of
fish – to understanding the
behaviour of fishing people!
Effigies outside a fishing
village in India
A focus on the difference
between ‘coping strategies’ and
‘adaptation’
Coping = short term, flexible
Adaptation = longer term and
more permanent
In fisheries – a move from
diversifying livelihoods to
moving out of fisheries
completely
Culturally, a big step leading to
adaptation or conflict?
?
“A man may leave his wife but never
his fishing spot”
(local Tamil saying,
Pulicat lake fishery, India)
Conflict between the promotion of livelihood alternatives
(moving out of fisheries) vs. a strong attachment to a
fishing way of life
Evidence from India…
“When I hear the words
alternative livelihoods I
feel a fire in my stomach.
For whom will you provide
alternatives?
Do you have jobs for all
fishermen here?”
Fishermen meeting with
academics, India
Inter-community/ family conflicts…
e.g. Divisions between fishing youth and elders
Interview with fishing youths
Q: How do you see the future of this area?
A: “We want jobs to come here. There is no
future in fishing.
We want industry and tourism here”
Q: Won’t this affect your fathers fishing
practice?
A: “you have to lose a little to gain a little”.
Gender considerations?
The role of women in adaptation in fishing households
Women are mainly involved in the selling of fish in India, but
the income they contribute to the household may influence
the willingness and ability of their husbands to change
livelihood
Conclusions - parallel challenges between fisheries and
climate change research
• An adaptation fund for fisheries?
• Transferable solutions?
Northern solutions (e.g. quotas) are often inappropriate for
application in the south
• How to recognise the significance of cultures, gender, age,
value sets within ‘community’ adaptation?
• Culture as a facilitator or barrier to adaptation within
fisheries?
• Where is adaptation working / failing in fisheries – can this
inform expectations in climate change?
Thank you
Email: [email protected]