India has a coastline of nearly 8,118 km. Its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), stretching over 2.02 million sq. km, covers a wide range of coastal ecosystems, including estuaries, lagoons, mangroves, backwaters, salt marshes, rocky coasts, sandy stretches, and coral reefs. Given its long and productive coastline, and the potential for contributing to the economic growth of the nation, the fisheries sector is of significant importance.
Marine Capture Fisheries
India ranked seventh among large marine capture fish-producing nations in the world in 2012, with a catch of over 3.4 million tonnes. The marine fisherfolk population of nearly 4 million depends on the ocean’s resources.
Marine Fishing Regulations
The States have adopted modern marine fishing techniques and have implemented regulations for fishing in territorial waters. These include fishing vessel licensing, closed seasons (monsoon fishing bans), and certain gear restrictions.
Fishing Communities and Their Governance
According to the 2010 Census carried out by the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), mainland India has over 3,200 fishing villages and 1,511 landing centers dotting the coastline. Andhra Pradesh, for instance, has a coastline of 980 km, a continental shelf area of 3,100 sq. km, 453 main fishing villages, and 280 landing centers spread across its coastal districts. The fishing communities in these villages belong to diverse social groups and have distinct social, cultural governance structures, and traditional practices based on the type of coast they inhabit. The social organization of these fishing communities differs from the agrarian community system. The fisherfolk’s community institutions, such as caste Panchayats, play a crucial role in conflict resolution and regulating resource use, ensuring equitable access to resources.
Traditional and De-facto Control of Marine Resources
Though the de jure control of marine resources is vested in government agencies, de facto control continues to reside with various local groups that manage resources through traditional means. Despite being literate, many fisherfolk are unfamiliar with regulations such as the mean sea level (MSL) and Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) boundaries. They often refer to the sea surface using landmarks, depth, and width fathoms, making it difficult to benefit from scientific advisory services.
Integrating Traditional Knowledge with Modern Technology
Many scholarly works have documented and analyzed the traditional knowledge systems of fisherfolk. However, few studies have focused on collecting cognitive knowledge using linguistic and mapping techniques. Traditional knowledge, such as place names and landmarks, indicates the type, nature, and character of these locations. This knowledge can be delineated using global positioning systems (GPS) and remote-sensed digital imagery to accurately demarcate boundaries and depth ranges. These boundaries can then be transferred onto a base map, with polygons coded by image data and placed on Geographic Information System (GIS) maps.
GIS technology can also perform spatial queries on automated resource data, such as determining the location of natural or cultural resources concerning other resources, impacts, and hazards. This is particularly useful for disaster management. Organizing knowledge, such as seasonal calendars and disaster management information, into Management of Information Systems (MIS) can also be beneficial. By juxtaposing local knowledge with scientific knowledge, we can bring the two systems together, identifying strengths in both and recognizing any differences in perceptions or gaps.
Convergence of Traditional and Scientific Knowledge using GIS
Examples of Projects:
Cluster of Habitations Regulated by Kinship Network: 33 villages in East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh, India.
Cognitive Resource Map: Pentakota Marine Fisher Folk Village.
Villages at Coastal Area S_I_Map.
Pulicat Lake Map.
Brief Note on Pulicat.
Disaster Management.
School Children Preparing DP Plan: Bheemanapalli village of East Godavari.
