Local Knowledge Matters

Fisheries resources are in grave peril. More than two-thirds of the world’s fisheries have been overfished or are fully harvested and more than one third are in a state of decline. Managing fisheries continues to be a challenge as well as a disappointment despite the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, which recently marked the twenty-fifth anniversary. Something is amiss along the line. Nonetheless it is no secret that small-scale fishers in some places have demonstrated their capacity to govern fishery resources responsibly and sustainably. Times have definitely changed. Global leaders in fisheries should learn from local knowledge to manage fisheries and oceans.

State-net fishery (“Kattu Del”) in Chilaw lagoon in Sri Lanka merits emulation. Their fishing goes back to four centuries and it continues to provide livelihoods to more than 500 families. The fishery is said to have originated between 1460 -1464, which was first gazetted in 1936. The lunar phase of the moon and a set of values are centre to the fishery. Environmental conservation is a primary concern. 

The fishing rolls out with the cycle of the moon. On full moon days all stake-net traps operate and often fishers experience their best fish catch. As the moon wanes, the number of stake-net traps shrinks until no trap operates on new moon. The traps pick up incrementally with the waxing young moon to full moon. Prawns and fish traveling from lagoon to sea are caught not the ones coming into the lagoon. The values governing the whole fishing process are described as below;

1. Equity ensuring that measures are in place for equal distribution of fish harvest among the fisher groups (8 groups)
2. Environmental sustainability making provision for succeeding generations to continue harvesting fish as a reliable means of livelihood
3. Stewardship ensuring that fisher groups maintain Ownership, Responsibility, Accountability and Rewards towards governing the lagoon ecosystem. This is transferred from generation to generation. 
4. Maintaining peace among the groups is managed according to religious values.
5. Social well-being is sustained by contributions to the church for social well-being of the community
6. Transparency is ensured by decisions that are arrived at collectively and communicated formally and clearly to all concerned.
7. Democracy in practice is followed by ensuring that rules and management actions are drafted and adopted based on the consensus of the majority.
8. A mutually agreed upon system of Inclusion and exclusion has been adopted to reduce fishing pressure to ensure sustainability

Across the world, local communities have shown time-tested approaches to manage natural resources. Unfortunately, we have downplayed such stories merely limiting them to case-studies in papers. It is time, we build upon them instead of one-size-fits-all solutions