Adapting for Survival: Managing Small-Scale Fisheries for a Resilient Future

Project: Food, gender, enterprise: leveraging interdisciplinarity for sustainable small-scale fisheries

Lead Researcher: Dr. Bindi Shah, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, Social Policy and Criminology, School of Economic, Social and Political Sciences

Funding: Royal Academy of Engineering Frontiers Programme from Seeds to Needs

Background

Small-scale fisheries in Kerala, India, are experiencing increasing climatic events, declining catches, biodiversity loss, and the lingering effects of COVID-19. The project aimed to leverage interdisciplinary social science and engineering methodologies to create understanding and knowledge of the social and technological solutions that are needed to:

enhance capacities for adaptation;
develop resilience to multiple systemic shocks;
sustainably manage small-scale fisheries resources.

Research Team

University of Southampton: Dr Bindi Shah, PI (Sociology, Social Policy & Criminology), Professor Paul Kemp, Adviser (International Centre for Ecohydraulics Research)
Indian Council of Agricultural Research – Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, Kerala: Dr. Nikita Gopal (Co-I), Dr. V.R. Madhu, Dr. Sandhya K.M, Dr Rejula K
University of Exeter: Dr. Bethan O’Leary (Co-I, Biosciences)
University of Newcastle: Dr. Deepayan Bhowmik (Co-I, Computing Science & Mathematics)
Biomimicry Innovation Lab: Mr. Richard James MacCowan (Founder)

Project Activities

Structured interviews with 65 fisher men and women in Chellanam village, Kerala to understand the socio-economic and cultural changes in small-scale fishing in Kerala.
Participatory action research workshops with fisher men and women to further understand the challenges they are experiencing and to co-create solutions, including development of a mobile phone app.
Quantitative analysis of historical fish stock data for the period 2002-2021 to understand the fishing ecological system.
Piloted the use of a multi-modal IoT sensor on a scientific research vessel, programmed to collect continuous data on ocean environmental parameters. Such parameters are key indicators of ecosystem health and can inform management of fish stocks.
Piloted an android mobile phone app for fishermen that helps fishers save time and fuel through ease of communication about GPS location of fish shoal within their group. Fishers can share photos via the app showing the condition of the sea and of their catch. This data can support the development of policies for more sustainable fishing.

Key Publications

Journal articles

Shah BV, O'Leary BC, Rejula K, Kemp P, Sandhya KM, Madhu VR, Gopal G. (2025). Adaptation strategies of small-scale marine fisheries in response to climate change, resource changes and sudden systemic shocks. WIREs Climate Change, 16 (5). e70019.

Sajna VH, Rejula K, Sethulakshmi CS, Kumar SS, Madhu VR, Sandhya KM, O’Leary BC, Bhowmik D, Kemp P, Shah BV, Gopal N. (2025). Declining Participation of Women in Kerala’s Fisheries Sector: A Case Study from Chellanam Village. Fishery Technology, 62 (3): 401-407.

Policy Briefs

Sustainable Small-Scale Marine Fishing Resources and Communities in Kerala, India Improving resilience among small-scale fisheries

Resources and Communities in Kerala, India – for policy makers
Resources and Communities in Kerala, India – for researchers
Resources and Communities in Kerala, India – for extension workers
Improving resilience among small-scale fisheries