Marine science for the masses: Community-based fisheries monitoring in the Lakshadweep Islands

Fishing is one of the major factors modifying marine ecosystems worldwide. While marine science can play a major role in informing sustainable fisheries management, conventional methods of doing science are generally exclusive... [ view full abstract ]

Fishing is one of the major factors modifying marine ecosystems worldwide. While marine science can play a major role in informing sustainable fisheries management, conventional methods of doing science are generally exclusive and restricted to academia, reaching out occasionally only to policy makers. Fishing communities, the primary drivers of marine resource utilization, are usually left out as well. Consequently, such science often fails to translate to on-ground change.

To bridge this disconnect, we initiated a community-based fisheries monitoring programme in the Lakshadweep Islands, India. The pole and line tuna fishery practised here is inherently sustainable and supports many livelihoods, but faces management challenges due to resource crises, market dynamics and a data-poor environment. By involving fishers in voluntary, regular and long-term monitoring of pole and line fishery dynamics, our work aims to fill data gaps to address local fishery issues. Since 2014, 18% of active fishing boats have participated in this on-going programme. Through protocols co-created with the community, the programme generates high-value data on crucial fishery aspects such as trends in catch, baitfish utilization, fuel consumption, FAD use and limitations to fishing. Interactions with participants reveal that detailed records help them manage fishing operations better. Our work facilitates data generation on large spatio-temporal scales and enables fishers to see fishery patterns over time, empowering them to take actions based on science. It makes marine science matter by attempting to link fishers, scientists and managers through science and is an important first step towards building a framework for fisheries co-management.