This work was carried out in collaboration between all authors. Author SSS planned, designed and implemented the study, performed the statistical analysis and developed the draft manuscript. Authors HEJ, NRA, RXS, AMS and MM were involved in the data collection, tabulation, literature searches and assistance in the analysis managed the analyses of the study. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Goods and services tax (GST), hailed as a historic tax reform, is a step taken by Government of India to improve transparency and accountability in the taxation system of our country. The fisheries sector is also expected to have a varied impact consequent to the introduction of these reforms. The present study assessed the level of awareness and perception of impact of GST and to estimate the additional cost per annum in marine capture fisheries sector of Kerala due to implementation of GST and also to highlight the possible positive effects of inclusion of diesel price under GST. The study was undertaken in the fish landing centers/harbours of Alappuzha and Ernakulam districts of Kerala, south India aimed at measuring the extent of uncertainty generated by introduction of GST. The study revealed that the implementation came as a complete bolt from the blue with majority of the fishers in disagreement with the process of implementation of GST without taking all stakeholders into confidence. Compared to value added tax (VAT), the GST and post-Guwahati Council GST rates are found to be high, affecting the fishing community at multidimensional levels. The results revealed that the marine capture fishing operations across all sectors in Kerala will be incurring an additional cost of `171.25 million per year due to GST introduction. However introducing GST on fuels will lead to a reduction of diesel price by 30-40% and 25-30% at 18 and 28% GST slabs respectively, which would reduce the ever increasing cost of fishing. The study also advocates that the implementation of GST in fuel prices should not add to overexploitation of the already dwindling fisheries resources.
Climate change, a global challenge facing mankind necessitates governments to develop mitigation and adaptation plans. The climate change has multidimensional impacts on environment, fishery, social, economic and development drivers. Climate change hot spots –can be defined as the ‘live labs’ where the manifestation of the climate change impacts is observed “first”. The South west India has been recognised as one among the twenty four hot spot regions identified globally. The present paper assessed the climate change vulnerability of over 800 fisher households in two major fishing villages of Kerala from the south west hotspot regions of India. Exposure (E), Sensitivity (S) and Adaptive Capacity (AC) are the pertinent factors that determine the vulnerability of households which were captured using a structured household questionnaire. One ninety eight indicators were identified in the construction of vulnerability indices of which 37 related to sensitivity, 36 related to exposure and the other 125 indicators dealt with adaptive capacity. The overall vulnerability of the regions was assessed and the analysis revealed that the Poonthura village of Kerala was more vulnerable when compared to Elamkunnapuzha. The coastal population on their vulnerability scores were categorised into low, moderate, high and very high based on score values and geo-spatial analysis was attempted. The results revealed that majority of fisher households in both villages were highly vulnerable to climate change, which is a major cause of concern. The study advocates the need for a bottom up approach with the proactive participation of the fishers in developing location specific adaptation and mitigation plans to ensure the livelihood of the fishers and the sustainable development of the fisheries sector in the climate change regime.
Fisheries and allied sectors provide means of livelihood to millions of people around the world. In India more than 14.5 million individuals depend on fisheries for their livelihood, with Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Kerala being the main three marine fish producing states of the country. The social and economic contribution of fisheries as a sector cannot be ignored or go unnoticed. Similarly the impact of climate change on fisheries and its resultant impact on the livelihood of fisheries dependent communities cannot be ignored. To address these pertinent issues, we first need to understand the impact of climate change on fisheries and the need of alternative livelihood options from the perspective of the direct stakeholders i.e. fishermen. This study is an endeavour to look at the need of Alternative livelihood options (ALOs) because of climate change among the coastal communities in Poonthura and Elamkunnapuzha villages of Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulum respectively. Among the 222 marine fishing villages of Kerala, Poonthura and Elamkunnapuzha are the major fishing villages from the South West hotspot locales of India. The examination investigated different socioeconomic aspects, for example, fishing activity, basic household data, economic as well as historic and cultural dependence on fishing, employment and occupational structure, income distribution and assets, physical capital, financial capital, social capital, and exposure and awareness of the fishermen families to climate change by interviewing 1259 fishermen from Poonthura and Elamkunnapuzha. The study conducted in the most climate change vulnerable marine hotspots of Kerala (Elamkunnapuzha and Poonthura) explains the problems and prospects of the inhabitants in the sector and the importance of Alternative Livelihood Options (ALOs) in climate change adaptation.
The Indian fisheries and aquaculture statistics seems fail largely to capture the youth and children working in the sector. A detailed study in the area related to the rising interest of fishermen, especially the younger generation to move out of fisheries in search of new opportunities in other fields and the reasons for the same has not been carried out. Taking this into consideration, to throw insights into the changing rationale of fisher youth, and their preferences in the context of climate change and depletion in fish catch over the years, a study was conducted in three coastal villages of Ernakulam district with the objectives of assessing the socio-economic profile of the fishermen community, younger generations interest in choosing fisheries as a livelihood option, generational shift in fishing operations and reasons for the disinterest of the younger generation in choosing fisheries as an occupation. Low status job, low profit and income, poor working conditions, high capital investment and operating cost and seasonal nature of occupation was reported as the five major reasons because of which the younger generation is not interested in choosing fisheries as an occupation and a considerable generational shift in social, economic and professional status was observed.
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