Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Category
STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics)
Abstract/Artist Statement
The growing demand for seafood in the global North has led to transition of capture fisheries to aquaculture to meet the demand. While this growth has been considered a success for livelihood development, its negative impacts on small-scale and traditional fisheries offset the benefits.
This is evident in the case of Chilika lagoon on the east coast of India. Chilika lagoon is a natural habitat for Indian prawn (Penaeus indicus) and thus attracted commercialization during the aquaculture boom. Starting in the 1980s, encroachment of aquaculture and proliferation of commercial fishing has led to loss of traditional fishing areas and livelihoods. Prominent drivers are the nationally implemented Coastal Aquaculture (Authority) Act (2005) and the Amendment to the Act (2023). The Amendment (2023) effectively decriminalizes aquaculture, through grant of registration for prawn farms, and by redefining Coastal Regulation Zones (CRZ).
The revival of aquaculture has the potential to destabilize traditional livelihoods, and the relationship of local institutions (Primary Fishermen Cooperative Societies, PFCS) to each other and to management authorities. Utilizing the adaptive capacity (AC) framework within social-ecological systems (SES) research, this study aims to investigate the response of PFCS to changing aquaculture policy. The study investigates variations in AC and AC domains of PFCS over time. Utilizing a qualitative governance approach, the results draw from in-depth semi-structured interviews with key individuals.
Exploration of adaptive capacity in Chilika in this context also contributes to empirical research on AC, specifically in the realm of institutional interactions. The case of Chilika can also present a framework for similar analyses of coastal systems in the future. The outcome of the research can help formal decision-makers formulate more equitable rules and set precedence of context-based implementation of national policies.
Mentor Name
Dr Jenn Thomsen
Nayak oral presentation video
Impacts of the Coastal Aquaculture Authority (Amendment) Act and Adaptive Capacity in the Social-Ecological System of Chilika Lagoon, India
UC 326
The growing demand for seafood in the global North has led to transition of capture fisheries to aquaculture to meet the demand. While this growth has been considered a success for livelihood development, its negative impacts on small-scale and traditional fisheries offset the benefits.
This is evident in the case of Chilika lagoon on the east coast of India. Chilika lagoon is a natural habitat for Indian prawn (Penaeus indicus) and thus attracted commercialization during the aquaculture boom. Starting in the 1980s, encroachment of aquaculture and proliferation of commercial fishing has led to loss of traditional fishing areas and livelihoods. Prominent drivers are the nationally implemented Coastal Aquaculture (Authority) Act (2005) and the Amendment to the Act (2023). The Amendment (2023) effectively decriminalizes aquaculture, through grant of registration for prawn farms, and by redefining Coastal Regulation Zones (CRZ).
The revival of aquaculture has the potential to destabilize traditional livelihoods, and the relationship of local institutions (Primary Fishermen Cooperative Societies, PFCS) to each other and to management authorities. Utilizing the adaptive capacity (AC) framework within social-ecological systems (SES) research, this study aims to investigate the response of PFCS to changing aquaculture policy. The study investigates variations in AC and AC domains of PFCS over time. Utilizing a qualitative governance approach, the results draw from in-depth semi-structured interviews with key individuals.
Exploration of adaptive capacity in Chilika in this context also contributes to empirical research on AC, specifically in the realm of institutional interactions. The case of Chilika can also present a framework for similar analyses of coastal systems in the future. The outcome of the research can help formal decision-makers formulate more equitable rules and set precedence of context-based implementation of national policies.