Enhancing Social Resilience of the Coastal Fishing Communities: A Case Study of Hilsa (Tenualosa Ilisha H.) Fishery in Bangladesh

Social resilience is an essential aspect of sustainability in environmental management, especially in poor resource-dependent communities. To better understand the dynamics of social resilience, we have conducted a primarily qualitative study of communities dependent on hilsa fishing in two coastal villages in southern Bangladesh. This study applies concepts of social-ecological system (SES), social resilience and co-management in outlining our qualitative data and framing its interpretation. Our findings show that while the establishment of hilsa sanctuary areas has enhanced the previously low ecological sustainability of local small-scale fishing, the management of this program has challenged the social resilience of hilsa fishers by creating new inequalities in the distribution of power and privilege, in terms of the ways in which seasonal fishing bans are enforced and compensation for income loss during the ban periods is distributed. Based on our findings, we suggest specific measures for strengthening social resilience at the local level, including building community networks, developing community infrastructures, updating existing rules and regulations, providing alternative means of generating income for fishers during the crisis periods (e.g. natural disasters and fishing ban periods) and more active sharing of responsibility between stakeholders and government for management of the hilsa fishery. These findings are also applicable to understanding the issues beyond rules and regulations that co-management arrangements need to address in order to be successful and to enhancing the function of co-management arrangements in improving social resilience within resource-dependent communities.

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Fishery-Based Ecotourism in Developing Countries Can Enhance the Social-Ecological Resilience of Coastal Fishers—A Case Study of Bangladesh

Water ◽

10.3390/w13030292 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. 292

Author(s):

Mohammad Muslem Uddin ◽

Petra Schneider ◽

Md. Rashedul Islam Asif ◽

Mohammad Saifur Rahman ◽

Arifuzzaman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Developing Countries ◽

Local Level ◽

Environmental Conservation ◽

Ecological Resilience ◽

Individual Interviews ◽

Income Sources ◽

Social Ecological ◽

The Social ◽

Alternative Means ◽

Developed Nations

The importance of recreational fishing, in many coastal areas and less developed nations, is increasing rapidly. Connecting fisheries to tourism can create innovative tourism products and provide new income sources. The present study is the first to explore the concept of coastal fishery-based ecotourism (FbE) to enhance the social–ecological resilience of coastal fishing communities in a specific tourist spot in Bangladesh. A combination of primary (quantitative and qualitative) and secondary (literature databases) data sources were used in this study. It applied a social–ecological system (SES) and social–ecological resilience (SER) concept to collect quantitative and qualitative data (120 in-depth individual interviews, four focus group discussions, and strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats-SWOT analyses) and frame their interpretation. The study found that Bangladesh needs to adopt a firm policy to utilize tourism’s potential in national economic development and societal progress. The findings show the considerable potential of the concept that integrates business, education, and an environmental conservation perspective in Bangladesh, specifically for Saint Martin’s Island: 32% of interviewees expressed that increasing employment opportunities and the Gross Domestic Products (GDP) is the primary potential, whereas 31% said it would attract fishing tourists and 23% believed it would develop the local infrastructure and facilities for fishing and tourism. Similarly, most of the respondents (31%) thought that the lack of awareness and promotional activities is the main limitation preventing this initiative from being well accepted. Moreover, based on the findings, specific measures for strengthening the social–ecological resilience of the coastal fishers via FbE at the local level were suggested, including building communal links, developing community infrastructures, revising prevailing rules and regulations, offering alternative means of generating income for fishers during disaster periods, and more active sharing of responsibility between stakeholders and government for the management of FbE. Finally, with its focus on the prospects and challenges of coastal FbE development on Saint Martin’s Island, this article provides a useful reference point for future discourse on similar social and economic strategies. While this study focuses on Bangladesh’s coastal fishing villages, the results are possibly applicable more broadly in similar contexts and developing countries worldwide.

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A case study from the southern Cape linefishery 1: The difficulty of fishing in a changing world

South African Journal of Science ◽

10.17159/sajs.2017/20160252 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 113 (5/6) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Louise C. Gammage ◽

Astrid Jarre ◽

Charles Mather ◽

◽

...

Keyword(s):

Multiple Stressors ◽

Spatial Scales ◽

Ecological System ◽

Small Scale ◽

Social Ecological ◽

Regulatory Frameworks ◽

The Social ◽

The Impact ◽

Economic Considerations

Variability on multiple temporal and spatial scales exposes fishers and fishing communities to multiple stressors. The impact and interplay of these stressors need to be considered to improve our understanding of social-ecological linkages if sustainable livelihoods are to be promoted. To this end, participant-led research was conducted in the small-scale traditional commercial linefishery of the southern Cape (South Africa) between Witsand and Mossel Bay. Knowledge and perceptions regarding stressors responsible for changes in the social-ecological system, which ultimately affect the fishers’ ability to fish successfully, were recorded using semi-formal interviews and focus groups with 50 participants. The results presented not only offer valuable insights into the day-to-day experiences of these fishers, but also expose knowledge gaps that exist in micro-scale interactions influencing the fishery system. An analysis of various stressors is presented, which includes the impacts of and responses to climate variability; challenges presented by fisheries policies and regulatory frameworks; social and economic considerations; inadequate infrastructure; and general political considerations. The development of a more comprehensive understanding of stressors that affect the social-ecological system at various scales provides valuable insights into a fishery system that is currently not well described, and provides the basis for analyses into vulnerability and resilience.

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Characterising Local Knowledge across the Flood Risk Management Cycle: A Case Study of Southern Malawi

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su11061681 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 1681 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Robert Šakić Trogrlić ◽

Grant Wright ◽

Melanie Duncan ◽

Marc van den Homberg ◽

Adebayo Adeloye ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Management ◽

Local Knowledge ◽

Flood Risk ◽

Local Level ◽

Flood Risk Management ◽

Group Discussions ◽

The Social ◽

Underlying Causes ◽

Complex Knowledge

People possess a creative set of strategies based on their local knowledge (LK) that allow them to stay in flood-prone areas. Stakeholders involved with local level flood risk management (FRM) often overlook and underutilise this LK. There is thus an increasing need for its identification, documentation and assessment. Based on qualitative research, this paper critically explores the notion of LK in Malawi. Data was collected through 15 focus group discussions, 36 interviews and field observation, and analysed using thematic analysis. Findings indicate that local communities have a complex knowledge system that cuts across different stages of the FRM cycle and forms a component of community resilience. LK is not homogenous within a community, and is highly dependent on the social and political contexts. Access to LK is not equally available to everyone, conditioned by the access to resources and underlying causes of vulnerability that are outside communities’ influence. There are also limits to LK; it is impacted by exogenous processes (e.g., environmental degradation, climate change) that are changing the nature of flooding at local levels, rendering LK, which is based on historical observations, less relevant. It is dynamic and informally triangulated with scientific knowledge brought about by development partners. This paper offers valuable insights for FRM stakeholders as to how to consider LK in their approaches.

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Farmers’ Perspective on Sociological and Environmental Issues of Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture: A Case Study from Western and Southern Regions of Sierra Leone

Journal of Agricultural Science ◽

10.5539/jas.v9n7p186 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 9 (7) ◽

pp. 186

Author(s):

Osman Nabay ◽

Abdul R. Conteh ◽

Alusaine E. Samura ◽

Emmanuel S. Hinckley ◽

Mohamed S. Kamara

Keyword(s):

Sierra Leone ◽

Urban Agriculture ◽

Environmental Aspect ◽

Financial Organization ◽

The Social ◽

Alternative Means ◽

Household Assets ◽

Almost All ◽

The City

The paper examined and brought to the fore the typical characteristic of urban and peri-urban farmers in Freetown and Bo communities which serves as major source of supply of agricultural products into the cities’ markets. The social and environmental aspect and perception of producers involved in urban and peri-urban agriculture was examined. Descriptive statistics and pictograms were used to analyze and present the data. Results indicate that 56.34% never went to formal school and mostly dominated by women, showing that farming became the alternative means of livelihood support for those groups. Crops grown are purely influenced by market orientation—demand and cost, as is evident in Gloucester (lettuce, cabbage and spring onions). Potato leaves were commonly grown in almost all communities, reason being that it serves as common/major sauce/vegetable cooked in every household in Sierra Leone. Maize and rice were featured in Ogoo farm—government supervised land set aside purposely for growing crops to supply the city. Findings also revealed that majority of the farmers are resource poor, judging from calculation about their monthly income earning and available household assets and amenities. About 70.4% of the lands the farmers grow their crops on is leased for production. Except for Gloucester community, when costs of production will be summed, minimal benefit seem to be realized from the farming activities. Even though some of these farmers are engaged in organization, many have limited access to micro financial organization that would probably loan them money to upscale production.

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An Empirical Analysis of the Social and Ecological Outcomes of State Subsidies for Small-Scale Fisheries: A Case Study from Chile

Ecology and Society ◽

10.5751/es-04239-160317 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 16 (3) ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Carolin I. Mondaca-Schachermayer ◽

Jaime Aburto ◽

Georgina Cundill ◽

Domingo Lancellotti ◽

Carlos Tapia ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Empirical Analysis ◽

Small Scale ◽

Small Scale Fisheries ◽

The Social ◽

State Subsidies

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The role of conservation physiology in mitigating social-ecological traps in wildlife-provisioning tourism: a case study of feeding stingrays in the Cayman Islands

Conservation Physiology ◽

10.1093/oso/9780198843610.003.0008 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 125-140

Author(s):

Christina A.D. Semeniuk

Keyword(s):

Social System ◽

Careful Consideration ◽

Human Dimensions ◽

Cayman Islands ◽

Physiological Indicators ◽

Social Ecological Systems ◽

Social Ecological ◽

The Social ◽

Effective Selection

In feeding marine wildlife, tourists can impact animals in ways that are not immediately apparent (i.e. morbidity vs. mortality/reproductive failure). Inventorying the health status of wildlife with physiological indicators can provide crucial information on the immediate status of organisms and long-term consequences. However, because tourists are attempting to maximize their own satisfaction, encouraging the willingness to accept management regulations also requires careful consideration of the human dimensions of the system. Without such socio-ecological measures, the wildlife-tourism system may fall into a trap—a lose–lose situation where the pressure imposed by the social system (tourist expectations) has costs for the ecological system (maladaptive behaviours, health), which in turn feed back into the social system (shift in tourist typography, loss of revenue, decreased satisfaction), resulting in the demise of both systems (exhaustion). Effective selection and communication of physiological metrics of wildlife health is key to minimizing problem-causing and problem-enhancing feedbacks in social-ecological systems. This guiding principle is highlighted in the case study presented here on the socio-ecological research and management success of feeding southern stingrays (Hypanus americanus) as a marine tourism attraction at Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands.

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A Social Network-Based Examination on Bid Riggers’ Relationships in the Construction Industry: A Case Study of China

Buildings ◽

10.3390/buildings11080363 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (8) ◽

pp. 363

Author(s):

Liang Xiao ◽

Kunhui Ye ◽

Junhong Zhou ◽

Xiaoting Ye ◽

Ramadhani Said Tekka

Keyword(s):

Social Network ◽

Construction Industry ◽

Small Scale ◽

High Concentration ◽

Market Shares ◽

The Social ◽

Network Method ◽

Solid Foundation

Collusive bidding has been an insidious issue in the construction industry. Bidders initiate collusive networks of various sizes to win market shares. The popularity of collusive bidding networks affects market fairness and erodes the interests of market players. Although considerable research efforts were made to diagnose collusive bidding networks, there remains a gap in knowledge regarding the relationships bid riggers use to engage in the networks. Therefore, this study used the social network method, where two hundred sixteen collusion cases were collected from China to test these relationships. The results show that collusive bidding networks were characterized by sparseness, a small scale, a high concentration, and strong randomness. Three types of collusive bidding networks were also detected: contractual, spontaneous, and shadow. Furthermore, these collusive bidding networks had discrepancies regarding participants’ identities, forms of collusive bids, and the determination of bid winners. It was found that the proposed social network model of deliberating bid riggers’ relationships lays a solid foundation for the detection of collusive bidding in the construction sector.

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BUILDING THE SOCIAL CAPITAL IN RURAL AREAS’ SMES WOMEN COOPERATIVE, GARGALIANI, SOUTH-WEST PELOPONNESOS

International Journal of Economics Business and Entrepreneurship ◽

10.23960/ijebe.v1i1.28 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Leonidas Papakonstantinidis

Keyword(s):

Social Capital ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Local Development ◽

Local Level ◽

Local People ◽

Human Communication ◽

South West ◽

The Social ◽

Development Procedure

The purpose of this paper is to prove that the rationalization of the “Integrated Endogenous Local Development” should be proved to be a valuable policy mean, under the proposed methodological procedure of Sensitizing Local People, through the “animation procedure”, toward developing their own skills, capacities and therefore their place, that are asked by the local SMEs Sensitization may be proved to be the fundamental methodological tool, for building the social capital at local level, by making valuable local people’s “intrinsic inclinations”-a “term” which is stronger than “capacities”- under a new value system, and human communication. ”Sensitization” - as the upper limit of the sensitization procedure- is been approached, step by step, especially: Establishing the “bottom-up approach” in planning the development procedure at local level, Establishing the “animation procedure” among local people, Analysing local people “intrinsic inclinations” in context with a “system value”, Creating a “team psychology” among local people, Encouraging local people in finding and adopting the local “Flag Theme”. The proposed procedure may be useful, especially in small, less developed and isolated rural areas. A case-study “Women Cooperative, Gargaliani, South-West Peloponnesos”, is referred as a typical case of the development procedure, based on local people (women) animation in Greece.

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Revitalising the self-sufficient household economy: the Social Land Programme in Hungary

Implementing Innovative Social Investment ◽

10.1332/policypress/9781447347828.003.0010 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 165-178

Author(s):

Judit Csoba ◽

Flórián Sipos

Keyword(s):

Rural Communities ◽

Role Models ◽

Living Standard ◽

Small Scale ◽

Positive Role ◽

Self Sufficiency ◽

The Social ◽

The Family ◽

Social And Physical Environment

The authors introduce the Social Land Programmes, Hungary. Social Land Programmes aim to strengthen self-sufficiency and reduce reliance on social aid by helping people with no financial means to engage with small-scale agriculture. The case study investigated eight rural communities participating in a Social Land Programme. Innovative features include bottom up organisation designed and carried out locally (in contrast to top-down public employment programmes in Hungary). For local leaders, producing food and improving living standard are its main points. They also see various other benefits that include improving the social and physical environment and passing on positive role models within the family. However, they consider national goals of increased employment and self-sustainability to be over optimistic.

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A case study from the southern Cape linefishery 2: Considering one’s options when the fish leave

South African Journal of Science ◽

10.17159/sajs.2017/20160254 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 113 (5/6) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Louise C. Gammage ◽

Astrid Jarre ◽

Charles Mather ◽

◽

...

Keyword(s):

Secondary Data ◽

Structured Interview ◽

Scenario Planning ◽

Feedback Loops ◽

Small Scale ◽

Social Ecological ◽

Wide Range ◽

Local Feedback ◽

Resilience Framework

Fishers in the small-scale, commercial linefishery in the southern Cape, South Africa, are exposed to variability and change in the marine social-ecological system of which they are a part. Faced with multi-scalar changes within this complex system, fishers employ a wide range of strategies in reaction to change. As part of a broader study of stressors that bring about change in these systems, this contribution examines the fishers’ responses to these changes and is based on a participant-led, semi-structured interview process of skippers/boat owners, crew, processors and spouses/partners, in six communities in the southern Cape region, and has been supplemented with appropriate secondary data. The results are discussed using a resilience framework. The data were initially considered thematically by stressor, but results identified that a place-based analysis was equally important. Three major groupings were identified: (1) fishers who adapt and show clear business-orientation, (2) fishers who cope, and (3) fishers who react and are thus caught in a poverty trap. In addition to place-specific history, local feedback loops and indirect effects need to be better accounted for to understand these responses to change at various scales. The results of this study are expected to contribute to the basis of scenario planning in the region.

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