Intervention

Fishing inputs such as modern fishing boats, GPS and outboard engines were provided as inputs to tribal fishers based on the outcome of an expert consultation meeting.

Impact

The impact on the economic efficiency of fishing operations carried out by the village council during the period from November 2013 to May 2015 was assessed by interviewing a total of 30 fishers. These represented the 15 villages of Car Nicobar who were regularly undertaking fishing activities with the provided inputs. A structured schedule was developed to capture information on the distance travelled from the coast for fishing, time spent fishing, and catch composition and arrive at catch and revenue estimates. The study shows that the targeted interventions coupled with awareness and sensitization programmes could make fishing activities profitable, attractive and can motivate the unemployed youths to opt for fishing as a profession.

Project description

A regional workshop and expert meet was organized in 2012 as a ‘Consultation on revitalizing Andaman and Nicobar Tribal fishers through Fish Harvest and Post-Harvest Technologies (CRAFT)’. This identified the course of interventions for the Nicobar tribal community’s marine fishery. Scoping surveys and field visits were conducted in Car Nicobar Island to assess existing fishing activities and sensitize the tribal fishing community to the need for the interventions. These interactions sought to understand tribal fishers’ basic requirements and expectations in undertaking fishing activities.

Resources

• Impact evaluation of marine fisheries interventions among tribal fisher commune of Car Nocobar Island, India