Should we hang up our nets

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Should we hang up our nets? Adaptation and
conflict within fisheries - insights for living
with climate change
Dr Sarah Coulthard AMIDSt, University of Amsterdam
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• Talk Structure
• 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?

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• 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

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• 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?
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• 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
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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?
?
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• A man may leave his wife but never
• his fishing spot
• (local Tamil saying,
• Pulicat lake fishery, India)

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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
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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 Wont this
affect your fathers fishing practice? A you
have to lose a little to gain a little.
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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
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• 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?

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Thank you Email scoulthard_at_fmg.uva.nl