| dc.description.abstract | Climate change is expected to have wide impacts on coastal fisheries production and coastal fishers often bear the
brunt of the natural calamities like cyclones. Nevertheless, there are relatively fewer studies that explored fishers’
vulnerability to climate change, particularly in Bangladesh context. The country is frequently suffered by severe
climatic events therefore considered as one of the most climate vulnerable countries of the world. Based on field
work in four hilsa fishing communities in Patuakhali, Barguna and Barisal districts of Bangladesh, this aimed at
mapping out the anticipated impact of climate change on the country's single most important hilsa fishery and the
associated fishing communities. To collect empirical data, bottom–up research approach was adopted and
participants’ information was collected through 105 individual interviews, 8 focus group discussions, and 20 key
informant interviews. To supplement empirical findings, time series data of cyclones and sea-borne depressions in
the Bay of Bengal were analyzed. The result showed that every three years one severe catastrophic cyclone hits
Bangladesh coast and hilsa fishers certainly the worst victim since they live close to coast and their occupation
entails risky sea fishing. Cyclone wiped out their house and other physical assets and many fishers often had to start
their livelihoods from scratch. Loss of fishing and other productive assets crippled the fishing capacity of the fishers.
Fishers often had to return coast due to unfit weather condition that caused financial loss. In a desperate need to
fishing income, fishers often ignored the cautionary signal of bad weather that resulted in physical injury or even
death. Their target species also vulnerable to climate change impacts. As anadromous species, hilsa migrate
upstream river of Bangladesh and after spawning they back towards sea for growth and maturation. However,
change in climate-related parameters such as temperature, rainfall or siltation in river bed, for instances had
potential negative impact on their migration patterns as well as breeding and growth performances. As a result, hilsa
productivity in coastal waters decreased, many fishers perceived. In search of hilsa fish, fishers had to travel longer
distance with increased fuel costs. All these events negatively affected fishers’ income, livelihoods and well- being.
To cope with the impacts of climate change fishers adopted various strategies both at sea fishing and at household
levels.. Fishers discontinued fishing on hearing of cautionary signal rough weather, they tied their boats together to
prevent from being lost in the sea, In response to extreme events such as cyclone hilsa fishers households take
various proactive strategies ( keeping valuable assets and domestic animals in safer place, going to cyclone shelter
etc.), reactive strategies (savings, taking loans, relief, hard working, taking children out of school etc.). As a long
term strategies fishers built their house on plinth, moving housing inside the coastal embankment, leaving fishery
profession and switching to land based profession or migration to nearby city. Dredging of river, reducing
overfishing, ensuring security in sea fishing, constructing cyclone shelter and physical infrastructures, providing
easy access to credit systems, arranging alternative income activities and increasing institutional supports were the
key proposals of fishers to secure their livelihoods. | en_US |
