This working paper describes the attempt made to conduct an integrated study of the biological, economic and sociological aspects of the fisheries and fisherfolk that use one of the most traditional and popular fishing craft of the east coast of India kattumaram. The benefits of the results from such an approach are also presented in this report.

The paper discusses the significance of using one or more types of fishing gear with such a traditional craft, correlation between income from fishing and income from other sources and consequent diversity in income categories, relative performance by other types of craft, interactive fishing problems, exploitation of resources, underutilized resources, motorization of traditional craft, marketing practices and improvements and opportunities for additional/alternative income generation. Periodic exchanges of information between the study-group and fisherfolk, in the course of this study, opened the doors to communication with fisherfolk on issues concerning resources and management and culminated in the preparation of a series of extension material in this field.

This project was carried out in cooperation with the Department of Fisheries, Andhra Pradesh State, India, and was sponsored by a Bayof Bengal Programme (BOBP) project, ‘Small-Scale Fisherfolk Communities in the Bay of Bengal’ (GCP/RAS/118/MUL).

The post-harvest technological investigations were conducted under the direction and supervision of Mr. David Walker, Adviser, ODA. The socio-economic investigations were conducted by Ms. Christina Lundquist, Socio-economist (APO) of the Bay of Bengal Programme. And Messrs P.R. Prathap Kumar and I. Ramaswamy were responsible for painstakingly collecting most of the data included in this report.