Year of Award

2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Type

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Degree Name

Forest and Conservation Science

Department or School/College

W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation

Committee Chair

Jennifer Thomsen

Commitee Members

Keith Bosak, Sarah Halvorson, Hilary Faxon, Fernando Sanchez

Keywords

adaptive capacity, adpative capacity framework, Chilika lagoon, local scale community institutions, small-scale fisheries, social-ecological systems

Abstract

Small-scale fisheries (SSF) communities worldwide face increasing pressures driven by environmental disturbances and market transformations. These pressures disrupt the tightly coupled relationships between resource users, institutions, and aquatic ecosystems. From an SSF perspective, this problem is critical because fishers’ capacity to interpret change and collectively respond through local institutions directly shapes both livelihood security and the sustainability of fisheries systems. Understanding how these communities respond requires examining their adaptive capacity (AC) to changes. Chilika Lagoon represents a historically transformed coastal social–ecological system where fisheries-dependent communities have experienced hydrological alterations, declining fisheries productivity, aquaculture expansion, and changing governance arrangements.

This dissertation examines adaptive capacity among Primary Fisher Cooperative Societies (PFCSs) in the Chilika Lagoon social–ecological system in Odisha, India, focusing on how community institutions respond to changing conditions. Although previous research has documented ecological restoration and livelihood challenges in Chilika, limited attention has been given to how local institutions shape collective responses to social–ecological change. This study addresses this gap by examining the role of AC in shaping fisher cooperatives’ responses. Drawing on AC framework conceptualized by Cinner (2018): (1) Which AC domains influence cooperative responses to system change; (2) How AC varies across contexts, including cooperative age, livelihood characteristics, and location relative to fishing grounds; and (3) How AC influences collective and formal actions undertaken by cooperatives. To answer these questions, a qualitative research design was employed, based on semi-structured interviews with 39 members of Primary PFCSs across Chilika Lagoon, supplemented by 8 key informant interviews with community leaders.

Findings demonstrate that AC among PFCSs emerges through interactions among multiple domains rather than individual capacities alone. Results further show that AC is context-dependent and shaped by uneven access to ecological resources, institutions, and social networks. Differences in adaptation pathways were also evident among PFCSs engaged in collective and/or formal action. This dissertation contributes to scholarship on AC in SSF by demonstrating that adaptation is a relational and historically embedded process rather than a fixed set of measurable attributes. The findings challenge additive approaches to AC and emphasize interactions among domains and contextual conditions. By examining Chilika Lagoon as a coupled social–ecological system, this research advances understanding of how community institutions navigate environmental uncertainty and institutional change. It highlights the importance of strengthening fisher cooperatives as governance partners through inclusive participation, institutional learning, leadership development, and equitable access to decision-making processes.

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