Demographic change in coastal fishing communities and its implications for the coastal environment

FAO FISHERIES TECHNICAL PAPER 403

	Demographic change in coastal fishing communities and its implications for the coastal environment
	CONTENTS

by
U. Tietze
FAO Fisheries Department
G. Groenewold
Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute (NiDi)
and
A. Marcoux
FAO Sustainable Development Department

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ISBN 92-5-104489-9

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PREPARATION OF THIS DOCUMENT

The document has been written by Messrs Uwe Tietze and Alain Marcoux, respectively of the Fisheries Department and Sustainable Development Department of FAO, Rome, and by Mr George Groenewold of the Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute. Ms Penny Brown edited the text. The document summarizes the findings of an interregional study carried out by the UNFPA-funded, FAO-executed project “Strengthening of research and training on population and development dynamics of rural fishing communities”. It is based on country research reports prepared by the Project teams in the Philippines, Malaysia, Bangladesh, India, Tanzania and Senegal, and on supplementary analysis of survey data.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors hereby acknowledge the important contribution of the authors of the studies carried out at the national level, namely Mr Sidy Gueye of the Directorate of Statistics of Senegal; Prof. S. Maghimbi, Dr S. Mesaki and Dr G. M. Naimani of the Department of Sociology of the University of Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania; Mr Carlos C. Baylon, Dr Cynthia J. Ticao and Prof. Maria Elisa D. Baliao of the University of the Philippines in the Visayas; Mr Kusairi Mohd. Noh, Dr Tai Shzee Yew and Dr Tengku Aizan Tengku Abdul Hamid of Universiti Putra Malaysia; Dr Rezaul Karim, Dr Alauddin Ahmed and Dr Tapash Kumar Biswas of the Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development, Comilla; and Dr Ratna Tewari, Mr P. Acharya and Mr Randhir Singh of the Central Institute of Fisheries Education in Mumbai, India.

The authors also wish to express their gratitude to Mr Jacques du Guerny, then Chief, FAO Population Programme Service, for the advice and encouragement he provided throughout the study.

Cover: fisherfolk in the Philippines.

Distribution:

Directors of Fisheries
NGOs
Fisheries Research and Training Institutes - English speaking
Population Research and Training Institutes - English speaking
Bilateral and Multilateral Development Institutes
FAO Representatives
FAO Regional and Sub-regional Offices
FAO Regional Fisheries Officers
FAO Regional Sustainable Development Department Groups
FAO Fisheries Field Projects

Tietze, U.; Groenewold, G.; Marcoux, A.

Demographic change in coastal fishing communities and its implications for the coastal environment.

FAO Fisheries Technical Paper. No. 403. Rome, FAO. 2000. 151p.

ABSTRACT

Increase in the number of fishers as a result of population growth and migration to coastal fishing communities can be a contributing factor in the overexploitation of local fisheries resources and deterioration of the coastal environment. Better understanding the demographic and social dynamics of coastal fishing communities will help develop policies to achieve a sustainable use and conservation of fisheries resources and the coastal environment. Contributing to that effort was the goal of a UNFPA-FAO project, “Strengthening of research and training on population and development dynamics of rural fishing communities”.

Contrary to the assumed global trend, the number of coastal fishers has started to decline or stagnate in four of the countries studied, while it is still increasing, although more slowly, in the other two. Also contrary to other reports, levels of fertility and infant mortality in fishing communities were found not to be much higher than those in farming communities. However, adult mortality data seem to indicating that living and health conditions in fishing communities could be worse than average, in particular for women.

The investigations into occupational change within and between generations suggest that artisanal fisheries no longer are a “last resort employment” for people in some coastal areas. Artisanal fisheries are one of a number of income-earning opportunities, including some outside the fisheries sector. In a number of countries, government policies aim at a reduction or limitation of fishing effort and at conservation or rehabilitation of fisheries resources. Such policies affect the options of households in coastal areas regarding income opportunities. Such policies may force fisherfolk households out of their traditional main occupation.

Fisherfolk are generally aware of the decline of fisheries resources and the deterioration of the coastal environment. They are also aware that an increase in their numbers has contributed to the present state of affairs, together with the intrusion of industrial fisheries in coastal waters and with industrial pollution. Fisherfolk in the villages studied see an urgent need to introduce effective policies and measures for the management and conservation of fisheries resources and coastal environment and are keen to participate in their implementation.

A transition in attitudes regarding both family formation and future livelihoods is visible among the younger generations. A modernization of marriage and fertility norms is under way. As for fisheries, like farming they are no longer seen as a promising long-term option.

In a policy perspective, needs for proper information on sociodemographic characteristics and trends were identified to enable designing more relevant interventions both in the fisheries domain and in the population one.

Project findings will be used at country level to enrich training in fisheries policy analysis with topics related to population dimensions and relevant information and materials.

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Rome, 2000 © FAO

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1. BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES OF STUDY

2. METHOD OF STUDY

3. TRENDS IN THE NUMBER OF COASTAL FISHERS VIS-À-VIS THE STATUS OF FISHERIES RESOURCES AND THE COASTAL ENVIRONMENT

4. SOCIOECONOMIC AND OCCUPATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF COASTAL FISHING COMMUNITIES

5. SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS AND CHANGE IN COASTAL FISHING COMMUNITIES

6. FISHERFOLK'S PERCEPTION OF CHANGES IN THEIR DEMOGRAPHIC STATUS, COASTAL ENVIRONMENT AND FISHERIES RESOURCES

7. SOCIOECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS, LIVELIHOODS AND FERTILITY

8. ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOUR CONCERNING FAMILY FORMATION AND THE USE OF NATURAL RESOURCES

9. CONCLUSIONS

ANNEX 1 References

ANNEX 2 Questionnaires

ANNEX 3 Sampling guidelines