IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/endesu/v22y2020i4d10.1007_s10668-019-00354-z.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Exploring fishermen’s local knowledge and perceptions in the face of climate change: the case of coastal Tamil Nadu, India

Author

Listed:
  • Devendraraj Madhanagopal

    (Indian Institute of Technology Bombay)

  • Sarmistha Pattanaik

    (Indian Institute of Technology Bombay)

Abstract

Fishers’ local knowledge and their perceptions of climate change are increasingly recognized by researchers and international institutions. However, in India, limited regional studies are available to understand the fishers’ local knowledge, and a crucial question which largely remained unaddressed has been how fishers perceive the relevance of their local knowledge systems in the face of climate change. Provided this background, this paper aims to explore the fishermen’s local knowledge and their climate perceptions in the face of climate change. This paper has employed the data that were obtained by in-depth interviews and focus-group discussions with the small-scale fishermen of three highly vulnerable fishing villages of Nagapattinam district, Tamil Nadu. The marine fishers across this coast were the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami disaster, several major cyclones, and various weather and climate events for over the last four decades. Key results show (1) fishermen perceive multiple aberrations and anomalies in the weather and climate patterns for over the previous three to four decades, particularly after the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami disaster. (2) The next finding is contrary to the conventional understandings, in which we have found that the fishermen are increasingly felt and experienced that their local knowledge is no longer adequately relevant in the face of climate change. Thus, for promoting the adaptive capacity of fishers, this paper has suggested that fishermen’s perceptions and their expectations should be appropriately recognized and there is a strong need to provide scientific assistance to the fishermen through proper channels to respond to climate change impacts.

Suggested Citation

  • Devendraraj Madhanagopal & Sarmistha Pattanaik, 2020. "Exploring fishermen’s local knowledge and perceptions in the face of climate change: the case of coastal Tamil Nadu, India," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 22(4), pages 3461-3489, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:endesu:v:22:y:2020:i:4:d:10.1007_s10668-019-00354-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s10668-019-00354-z
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10668-019-00354-z
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10668-019-00354-z?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Tol, Richard S.J., 2017. "The structure of the climate debate," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 431-438.
    2. Johnson, Derek Stephen, 2006. "Category, narrative, and value in the governance of small-scale fisheries," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 30(6), pages 747-756, November.
    3. John Kurien, 1998. "Small-scale fisheries in the context of globalisation," Centre for Development Studies, Trivendrum Working Papers 289, Centre for Development Studies, Trivendrum, India.
    4. Patnaik, Unmesh & Narayanan, K., 2009. "Vulnerability and Climate Change: An Analysis of the Eastern Coastal Districts of India," MPRA Paper 22062, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Arun Agrawal, 1995. "Dismantling the Divide Between Indigenous and Scientific Knowledge," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 26(3), pages 413-439, July.
    6. James D. Ford & Laura Cameron & Jennifer Rubis & Michelle Maillet & Douglas Nakashima & Ashlee Cunsolo Willox & Tristan Pearce, 2016. "Including indigenous knowledge and experience in IPCC assessment reports," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 6(4), pages 349-353, April.
    7. Jaime A Manalo IV & Fredierick M. Saludez & Myriam G. Layaoen & Argie M. Pagdanganan & Jayson C. Berto & Christina A. Frediles & Katherine P. Balmeo & Jennifer D. Villaflor, 2016. "Climate-Smart Agriculture: Do Young People Care?," Asian Journal of Agriculture and Development, Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), vol. 13(1), pages 59-76, June.
    8. Divya Chandrasekhar, 2012. "Digging deeper: participation and non-participation in post-disaster community recovery," Community Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(5), pages 614-629, December.
    9. Rajkumar, Anto P. & Premkumar, Titus S. & Tharyan, Prathap, 2008. "Coping with the Asian tsunami: Perspectives from Tamil Nadu, India on the determinants of resilience in the face of adversity," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 67(5), pages 844-853, September.
    10. Kumar, M.S. & Murhekar, M.V. & Hutin, Y. & Subramanian, T. & Ramachandran, V. & Gupte, M.D., 2007. "Prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder in a coastal fishing village in Tamil Nadu, India, after the December 2004 tsunami," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 97(1), pages 99-101.
    11. P. Sheik Mujabar & N. Chandrasekar, 2013. "Coastal erosion hazard and vulnerability assessment for southern coastal Tamil Nadu of India by using remote sensing and GIS," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 69(3), pages 1295-1314, December.
    12. Karen McNamara & Shirleen Prasad, 2014. "Coping with extreme weather: communities in Fiji and Vanuatu share their experiences and knowledge," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 123(2), pages 121-132, March.
    13. Terry Williams & Preston Hardison, 2013. "Culture, law, risk and governance: contexts of traditional knowledge in climate change adaptation," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 120(3), pages 531-544, October.
    14. James E. H. Davidson & David B. Stephenson & Alemtsehai A. Turasie, 2016. "Time series modeling of paleoclimate data," Environmetrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(1), pages 55-65, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Nicole Klenk & Anna Fiume & Katie Meehan & Cerian Gibbes, 2017. "Local knowledge in climate adaptation research: moving knowledge frameworks from extraction to co‐production," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 8(5), September.
    2. Finnegan, Stephen & Sharples, Steve & Johnston, Tom & Fulton, Matt, 2018. "The carbon impact of a UK safari park – Application of the GHG protocol using measured energy data," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 153(C), pages 256-264.
    3. Liu, Chao & Akintayo, Adedotun & Jiang, Zhanhong & Henze, Gregor P. & Sarkar, Soumik, 2018. "Multivariate exploration of non-intrusive load monitoring via spatiotemporal pattern network," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 211(C), pages 1106-1122.
    4. Laura Cameron & Dave Courchene & Sabina Ijaz & Ian Mauro, 2021. "‘A change of heart’: Indigenous perspectives from the Onjisay Aki Summit on climate change," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 164(3), pages 1-21, February.
    5. Jarvis, Diane & Stoeckl, Natalie & Larson, Silva & Grainger, Daniel & Addison, Jane & Larson, Anna, 2021. "The Learning Generated Through Indigenous Natural Resources Management Programs Increases Quality of Life for Indigenous People – Improving Numerous Contributors to Wellbeing," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
    6. Chandni Singh & James Ford & Debora Ley & Amir Bazaz & Aromar Revi, 2020. "Assessing the feasibility of adaptation options: methodological advancements and directions for climate adaptation research and practice," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 162(2), pages 255-277, September.
    7. Rutty, Michelle & Scott, Daniel & Johnson, Peter & Pons, Marc & Steiger, Robert & Vilella, Marc, 2017. "Using ski industry response to climatic variability to assess climate change risk: An analogue study in Eastern Canada," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 196-204.
    8. Claudia Matus & Pascale Bussenius & Pablo Herraz & Valentina Riberi & Manuel Prieto, 2021. "Nature Is for Trees, Culture Is for Humans: A Critical Reading of the IPCC Report," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-9, October.
    9. McKellar, Jennifer M. & Sleep, Sylvia & Bergerson, Joule A. & MacLean, Heather L., 2017. "Expectations and drivers of future greenhouse gas emissions from Canada's oil sands: An expert elicitation," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 162-169.
    10. David García-del-Amo & P. Graham Mortyn & Victoria Reyes-García, 2020. "Including indigenous and local knowledge in climate research: an assessment of the opinion of Spanish climate change researchers," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 160(1), pages 67-88, May.
    11. A. P. Rajkumar & T. S. P. Mohan & P. Tharyan, 2013. "Lessons from the 2004 Asian tsunami: Epidemiological and nosological debates in the diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder in non-Western post-disaster communities," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 59(2), pages 123-129, March.
    12. Piers Blaikie, 2000. "Development, Post-, Anti-, and Populist: A Critical Review," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 32(6), pages 1033-1050, June.
    13. Rohan Best & Paul J. Burke, 2020. "Energy mix persistence and the effect of carbon pricing," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 64(3), pages 555-574, July.
    14. Brown, Marilyn A. & Li, Yufei & Soni, Anmol, 2020. "Are all jobs created equal? Regional employment impacts of a U.S. carbon tax," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 262(C).
    15. Hardy, Derrylea J. & Patterson, Murray G., 2012. "Cross-cultural environmental research in New Zealand: Insights for ecological economics research practice," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 75-85.
    16. Arts, Bas & de Koning, Jessica, 2017. "Community Forest Management: An Assessment and Explanation of its Performance Through QCA," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 315-325.
    17. Cuestas-Caza, Javier & Toledo, Lucía & Rodríguez, Fabricio, 2024. "Transcultural bioeconomy governance in a plurinational state: Sumak Kawsay and bio-based production in two Kichwa territories of Ecuador," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    18. Priya Gupta, 2021. "Conservation is Development in the Forests of Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, India," Journal of South Asian Development, , vol. 16(1), pages 54-74, April.
    19. He, Lulu, 2019. "Identifying local needs for post-disaster recovery in Nepal," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 52-62.
    20. Xudan Lin & Hong Zhu & Duo Yin, 2022. "Enhancing Rural Resilience in a Tea Town of China: Exploring Tea Farmers’ Knowledge Production for Tea Planting, Tea Processing and Tea Tasting," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-18, April.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:endesu:v:22:y:2020:i:4:d:10.1007_s10668-019-00354-z. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.