A participatory approach to fisheries management and ecological-social resilience analysis among coastal communities in Batticaloa, Sri Lanka

Abstract

In Batticaloa, the tsunami of 26th December 2004 violently struck the coastal communities and ecosystems which had already been negatively affected by 20 years of civil war. This study analysed the socio-ecological resilience of coastal communities and ecosystem, and it incorporated a livelihood approach towards understanding the strategies of fisherfolk confronted by fluctuating fisheries resources before and after the tsunami. This study also used the ParFish approach (participatory fish stock assessment) to understand more about the fisheries in some selected villages in Batticaloa District. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and questionnaire surveys of households engaged in fishing. ParFish data was collected through interviews of fisherfolk. The conceptual framework for socio-ecological resilience and the adaptive cycle combined with livelihood framework were combined as tools for resilience and livelihood analysis. ParFish software was used to analyse fish stock assessment data. This study reveals that the civil war impacted the fishery and fishers’ livelihoods by restricting access to coastal resources: war deprived the livelihoods of fishing communities and ultimately rendered them more vulnerable to an external shock like the tsunami. The social resilience of coastal communities was subsequently further eroded by the tsunami due to the loss of lives, livelihoods assets and subsequent displacement. The conflict or peace situation appears to affect fish catches more noticeably in Batticaloa than the rest of Sri Lanka. After the tsunami, inappropriate relocation of fishing communities had negative effects on their livelihoods, oversupply of fishing vessels and gears, and new entrants increased the pressure on inshore resources. After the tsunami, provision of poor quality of fishing crafts limited fishing effort in both distance and time. Social resilience of coastal communities was affected negatively by the buffer zone policy through changing property rights and inequality in access to resources. ParFish approach emphasizes the need for further analysis using long-term catch and effort data and conducting trials. The paper concludes with recommendations for the Government to invest in human capital through skills development and social capital by strengthening social networks and trust, to identify new livelihood activities based on the availability of resources in new locations and market potentials.