Posted May 1997
Interregional WorkshopWhile promoting consultative approaches and evolving participatory management strategies, community-oriented fisheries management programmes such as the Bay of Bengal Programme for Fisheries Management (BOBP), have so far neither had the resources nor the required linkages and expertise to pay adequate attention to population characteristics and their importance for the management of fisheries resources.
This situation is addressed by the project, "Strengthening of Research and Training in Population and Development Dynamics in Rural Fishing Communities" funded by UNFPA and executed by FAO in cooperation with research and educational institutions in Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, the Philippines, Senegal and Tanzania.
As part of the main phase of the above mentioned project, macro- and micro level studies are being carried out on population characteristics of coastal fishing communities and their changes during the last two decades, and on their implications for the level of exploitation of fisheries resources and the state of the coastal environment. Views and perceptions of fisherfolk of these changes are also being examined.
In this context, a workshop was convened in March 1997 to compare the outcomes of the first studies, orient on-going and future studies and start drawing conclusions for the incorporation of population issues in fisheries management strategies.
Madras/Chennai was an ideal venue for the workshop because of, inter alia: the presence of the BOBP (with its experience in artisanal fisheries development and management in South and South-East Asia for more than two decades); that of the International Collective in Support of Fishworkers (ICSF) with its close links to artisanal fishers and their associations; the location in a region with a high fisherfolk population density and a high level of exploitation of fisheries resources; and because of its central geographical location with respect to Project participating countries.
discussing the findings of recent studies of population characteristics of coastal fishing communities and their relationship to the level of fishing effort and to the level of exploitation of fisheries resources; providing advice on designing and introducing special population programmes and activities for fishing communities with the ultimate objective of improving the standard of living of coastal fishing communities and of enhancing their role in sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources; formulating recommendations for the institutionalization of population research on fishing communities for consideration of demographic and population research findings in fisheries planning and management, and for the incorporation of research findings in fisheries education and training.
Among the participants were the Coordinator and staff of BOBP; a representative of the ICSF; representatives of the FAO Population Programme and FAO Fisheries Industries Division; and experts from the Fisheries Department of Tamil Nadu, the Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute (NIDI), the British Overseas Development Agency (ODA), the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, the South Asia Network for Small Fisherfolk Development, the Christian Workers Movement Catholic Centre, the Madras Institute of Development Studies, the Universiti Pertanian Malaysia, the College of Fisheries of the University of the Philippines in the Visayas, the Central Institute for Fisheries Education in Bombay, the Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development and the Bureau of Statistics of Senegal.
The Department of Sociology of the University of Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania, was represented by a paper. Dr. Hotta of Japan, a former FAO staff member with a profound experience in community based fisheries management in Asia also participated in the workshop as resource person.
The second part consisted of presentation and discussion of case studies from Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, the Philippines and Senegal on population characteristics and trends of fishing communities and their relationship to the level of exploitation of fisheries resources.
The third and last part of the workshop was spent in two working groups. The first working group formulated recommendations for the institutionalization of population research on fishing communities while the second working group formulated recommendations for consideration of population issues in fisheries policy planning. The second working group also prepared a proposal for an inter-regional technical assistance project on integration of population concerns into fisheries management.
It was found that in most of the countries, sharp increases in the number of coastal fisherfolk could be seen in the 1970s and 1980s which contributed to increasing levels of exploitation of fisheries resources. Increases in the number of fishers were the result of population growth in fishing communities as well as of the fact that other occupational groups took to fishing.
Towards the end of the 1980s, however, when maximum levels of exploitation were reached in most countries, further increases in the number of coastal fishers were much smaller and even stagnation and declines in the number of full-time and part-time fishers could be observed. A considerable number of fishers switched from fishing as full-time or part-time occupation to fishing as an occasional occupation or left fishing altogether. Among the reasons for this development, traditional entry limitations as well as alternative employment opportunities were identified.
As far as causes for over-exploitation of in-shore fisheries resources are concerned it was concluded that uncontrolled industrial fishing in in-shore areas played a more significant role that population increases in traditional fishing communities.
Regarding attitudes and practices of women and men in coastal fishing communities to family sizes, age of marriage and other population characteristics are concerned it was found that a significant change has taken place from the last to the present generation. Younger women and men prefer to live in nuclear rather than extended families. They also prefer to have less children and to marry at a later age.
These and other findings will have to be confirmed, however, and to be explored further with the help of the micro-level household surveys which will be carried out next in the context of the inter-regional project.
Working groups concluded the proceedings of the workshop and their recommendations are summarized below.
2. Responsible bodies to:
7. FAO and other relevant organizations should endeavour to raise awareness on the relevance of human aspects of the fisheries sector and advocate a greater role for related research.
1. Formulate mutually reinforcing population and socio-economic development policies which give adequate attention to the carrying capacity of fishery resources, regulatory measures, linkages between population trends, labour supply and demand, production and income trends, consumption patterns, marketing etc.
2. Integrate demographic components in integrated coastal area management planning in view of the multiple uses of the coastal areas and the complexity in ethnical, socio-economic and cultural situations in communities.
3. In food security programmes consider geographical disparities in access to fish and fishery products as a result of population distribution, with attention to the isolation of fishing communities.
4. Formulate policies tthat consider the mobility of fishers and their access to fishery resources.
5. Strengthen the capability of fisheries planners to integrate demographic and gender-related components into development and management programmes.
Livelihood security
6. Formulate rural industry and livelihood development programmes to give primary emphasis to creating income-generation opportunities for surplus or displaced fishers.
7. Establish viable alternative employment opportunities to absorb displaced fisherfolk.
Information
8. Strengthen the collection, comparative analysis and dissemination of basic information on demographic and socio-economic characteristics of fishing communities and on fisherfolk's attitudes and perceptions.
9. Establish regular mechanisms to make full use of the data and information collected and the results of socio-economic studies in fisheries development planning.
10. Assess the impact of population-related programmes on fisherwomen, their fertility, earnings, employment, work burdens, nutrition and health.
11. Improve demographic data and information to facilitate the design of adequate policy and strategies.
12. Expand bio-economic modelling by taking into account demographic parameters.
Awareness creation
13. Create and share awareness at all levels about population-related issues and problems in fishing communities: at central level, for decision-makers, policy-makers and fisheries managers; at provincial level, for fisheries managers and extension agents and at community level for fisherfolk and other stakeholders. Integrate population-related issues in extension activities.
14. Increase the awareness of rural women on demographic issues (e.g. fertility, family planning, health, education, environment) through women's organizations and extension agents.
Coordination
15. Strengthen coordination and collaboration among agencies on collection, analysis and sharing of data, as well as formulation and implementation of demographic management strategies and programmes.
16. Develop practical mechanisms to ensure coordination and collaboration
amongst agencies to facilitate integrated management.
18. Management should be flexible enough to initiate timely amendments of management regulations in the light of the changes in resource conditions, and economic and social situations in rural communities.
19. CFM should have the support of the majority of the fisherfolk involved.
20. Management authority must take full cognisance of the costs of administration, negotiations, research and enforcement necessary to undertake the CFM programme.
21. Equitable distribution of benefits.
22. Promote and strengthen fisherfolk organizations to empower them to participate in CFM.
 
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