ECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE IN FISHERY MANAGEMENT

1. ECOLOGICAL
KNOWLEDGE IN FISHERY
MANAGEMENT
SHREEKRISHNA MONDAL
MSc IN INDUSTRIAL FISHERIES
3RD SEMESTER, 2021-23 - CUSAT
20-308-0308 - MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING AND
FINANCE MANAGEMENT FOR FISHERIES (ELECTIVE)

2. INTRODUCTION:
“Ecological knowledge” the term associated with the nature, fisheries system and management. TEK is the
knowledge acquired by indigenous and local peoples over many hundreds of years through direct or indirect
contact with the environment.
The information that already exists but has been under-utilised in fishery management typically lies beyond
the standard scientific apparatus, in the realm of what is called traditional ecological knowledge (TEK). In
this context TEK is related to the similar terms ‘local knowledge’ and ‘fisherman's’ knowledge’, must be
incorporated into fishery science and management.
For example, resource users and coastal communities can hold much wisdom about what resource management
arrangements function best within their cultural and belief systems, about workable approaches to improving
compliance among ocean users, and about which fishing techniques are most effective, or most conservationist
 This knowledge includes the relationships between plants, animals, natural phenomena, landscapes and
timing of events that are used for lifeways, including but not limited to hunting, fishing, trapping, agriculture,
and forestry.
 Thus, it is useful not only to understand the nature of local and/or indigenous knowledge about fish stocks,
aquatic ecosystems and the broader environment, but also to examine and learn from TEK arising in the form
of resource management systems.
 Traditional coastal and lagoon fisheries around the world provide a rich set of local adaptations from which
modem management systems can learn. These systems are found not only in isolated parts of the world but
also in industrialized areas.

3. CHARACTERISTICS OFTEK:
 It is generated within communities.
 It is location and culture specific.
 It is the basis for decision making and survival strategies. It is not systematically documented.
 It concerns critical issues of human and animal life: primary production, huma and animal life, natural resource
management.
 It is dynamic and based on innovation, adaptation, and experimentation. It is oral and rural in nature.
VALUE:
People who have lived in a community for generations are often the first to notice any signs of environmental
change. Information about a particular region’s climate and ecology is retained when the people from the region
take on location as part of their cultural identity across generations. This traditional knowledge is passed from
generation to generation through story-telling and mentorship.
TEK & WESTERN SCIENCE:
 TEK shares some similarities with what is termed “Western Science”. Both recognize that knowledge is always
growing and changing and that observations are critical to recognizing patterns and causalities in nature.
 In addition, both TEK and Western Science recognize interdependence in biological systems and the need to
treat ecology as a complex system.
 TEK differs in some ways from Western Science: knowledge is passed on orally, partly through metaphor and
story, and this learned knowledge is embedded into daily living.

4.  TEK also differs from Western Science in that TEK is tied in to morality, spirituality and individual identity,
making it more than just knowledge; it is sacred knowledge.

5.  In certain areas local communities used to collect wild plants essentially to meet their basic needs such as food,
medicine for good health, income for good life, cultural and spiritual reasons for identity and pride.
 Harish et al illustrated in their research that irrespective of human wealth, most of the households in the local
communities have been collecting several types of wild edible plants and using them as food throughout the
year.
RELATION BETWEEN TEK AND HUMAN WELL-BEING:

6. THE ROLE OF TRADIONAL ECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE:
Climate change is a global phenomenon, the impacts are varied among the world’s population. Climate on the
earth surface tends to change from time to time due to natural causes and anthropogenic activities.
The scale of climate change impacts is measured and observed from local to global which affect global
environmental sustainability and mainly disrupt indigenous communities and their forms of livelihoods.
TEK IN CLIMATE CHANGE:
 Forecast the near long-term climate condition which affect the local communities
 Indigenous communities have a potential to live within the area and adapted to environmental changes.
 In many regions of the United States, Climate change is likely to bring rapid environmental changes and
require broad-scale adaptation strategies.
 TEK is important for detecting environmental changes, the development of strategies to adapt to these
changes, and the implementation of sustainable land-management principles.
TEK IN NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT:
 Enable us to conserve the natural resources which is important for the survival of indigenous people.
 TEK in natural resource management include the protection of wildlife habitat and ecological components.
 It has contribution in water harvesting, watershed management, forest resource management, wetland
protection and other natural resource that are important for the persistence of human across the world.

7. TEK IN SEASONAL FORECASTING:
 Traditional people use different techniques found in their surrounding for seasonal forecasting.
 Local people used for prediction is change in behaviors including mating, movements, sounds and reproduction
patterns for animals.
 Plants have a potential in forecasting weather patterns mainly the levels of rainfall by observing flowering
patterns but they are confined to specific geographical locations.

9. CONCLUSION:
 This chapter has sought to emphasise the fundamental
and increasingly recognised need for resilience in
fishery systems, and for robustness in the management
system. In doing so, the presentation has drawn on the
major themes of this book while introducing a set of
management and policy approaches to enhance
resilience and robustness.
 These approaches focus specifically on the management
system, but in most cases also require attention to the
human system. It should be noted that this set of
measures is by no means exhaustive, but rather
illustrative of desired directions. Furthermore, these
measures to move fishery systems towards greater
resilience.

10. REFERENCES:
Hartmut H. Koehler “Application of Ecological Knowledge to Habitat Restoration” Vol. II
Anthony T. Charles “Sustainable Fishery Systems” 328-332
Tamiru Lemi “The Role of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) for Climate ChangeAdaptation”
Harisha, et al “Traditional Ecological Knowledge (Tek)And Its Importance in South India: Perspective from Local
Communities”
https://www.fws.gov/media/traditional-ecological-knowledge-fact-sheet
https://humanbiology.pressbooks.tru.ca/chapter/1-6-traditional-ecological-knowledge/

11. THANK YOU