Family Futures

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onfronting

amily

overty

ing space in the fisheries production system is a matter of

concern with implications on household decision-making,

food security and the social perception of women. This

needs to be adequately addressed in policy measures.

Irrespective of the state of technology, fisher families are

considered as vulnerable groups due to the multiple risks

associated with their occupation (seasonality, market risks,

occupational hazards); location (high exposure to natural

hazard); asset specificity (lack of education, other employ-

able skills, land) and lack of social safety (poverty, absence of

steady income, congestion in fishery space). Therefore, ensur-

ing the sustainability of fisher families has remained a difficult

but not insurmountable challenge.

Recent initiatives in the region are trying to address this

challenge by adopting multi-pronged strategies such as

extension of social safety nets to fishers (India, Bangladesh),

women’s empowerment and marketing support (India, Sri

Lanka), access to alternative sources of finance such as micro-

finance, hedging against market risks (Bangladesh, India, Sri

Lanka) and the introduction of new technologies for better

income (Maldives and in and around the bay).

Livelihood issues

The increasing fisher population and resultant increasing

competition for fish remains the major issue for the sustain-

ability of fisheries livelihoods and the future of fisher families

A fisher couple in their small shop selling fishing implements, Cox’s Bazaar, Bangladesh

Image: S. Jayaraj

The multi-day fishers of Chakaria

Chakaria is a major fishing locality in the Cox’s Bazaar district

of Bangladesh. Fishers here usually work as crew in multi-day

mechanized fishing vessels, which camp for about six months in and

around the Sundarbans deltaic area. The fishers usually receive a

lump sum as advance payment for their engagement from the vessel

owner. The amount depends on their role in the fishing operation,

relation with the vessel owner, expected profits and revenues from

past operations. They hand this money to their families to cover the

cost of food and basic needs while they are away. The fisher’s food

and other needs are taken care of by the vessel owner.

Families back home, mostly women, children and elderly

members, often find this advance insufficient to meet the cost

of food, health and other expenses. In many cases, unforeseen

expenditure leads the families to borrow from local moneylenders

at exorbitant interest rates (30-60 per cent). They also maintain

credit accounts in local stores.

In a good year, fishers return with sufficient compensation to pay off

their debts and keep good standing within the community. However,

this security is extremely fragile. During a bad year, the families are

unable to repay their debts unless they have had a series of good years.

Therefore, they live in perpetual poverty with a high debt burden.

Families often face destitution if the earning member has an

accident or dies. In such cases, the family loses its creditworthiness

and is often driven out of the house by creditors. Since very few

earning opportunities are available for women, they are forced to

live on the mercy of the community and relatives and do odd jobs

such as fish vending, fish drying or farm work. Often, they end up

begging while their children leave school and work as labourers.