Study title

The project was formally suspended for 6 months due to covid-19 lockdown in the research area, and resumed on 1st October 2020. It was granted a no-cost extension until 30 April 2022, and then again another no-cost extension until 31 October 2022. Although the research is now completed, data analysis and impact activities are continuing. The research project set to explore effective strategies to produce and communicate localized and reliable weather information which South Indian traditional/artisanal fishers require to fish safely even under uncertain, variable or prohibitive weather conditions. Traditional fishers’ lives There are more than 180,000 active traditional fishers in Kerala, of whom 55,118 live in the Thiruvananthapuram district. Coastal households are highly dependent on fishing and daily sale of fish, and the bulk of fishing income goes towards covering daily household expenses, acquiring or servicing fishing gear, repaying debts, providing for human development expenditures like education and health, and sustaining wider family and community. Without regular and successful fishing, income becomes uncertain or reduced, leading to increased indebtedness which then amplifies the precariousness of traditional fishers’ livelihood. Available statistics, supported by a house-to-house survey we conducted during the research, suggest that 50% of fishing household remain below poverty line. Our research has established that as the result of economic pressures and ecological factors, traditional fishers are drawn to fishing further away from the shore even under inclement weather conditions or in disregard of advisories. The monsoon season is the time when the largest fish catches are made and fishing household can make savings to see them through the whole year. However, weather and sea conditions during the monsoon season can be extremely hazardous, and as a result many accidents occur: fishers lose boats, fishing gear, income, and even their lives...