Publications
This page lists the research outputs of the Dried Fish Matters project. It is updated regularly from the *DFM Reports and publications collection in our Zotero library.
Blog Post
- Madu Galappaththi. 2021. “Towards a ‘Thick Description’ of Gender Relations: A New Framework Based on Dried Fish Value Chains.” GAF (blog). October 26, 2021. https://www.genderaquafish.org/2021/10/26/towards-a-thick-description-of-gender-relations-a-new-framework-based-on-dried-fish-value-chains/.
- Dried fish is considered a ‘hidden’ sub-sector within small-scale fisheries, and is particularly important in Asia and Africa. Women make up a significant portion of the workforce in this sub-sector. A new framework may reveal a thick description of gender relations.
- Yousaf, Shamsheer, and Monica Jha. 2021. “Your Gourmet Dinner Is Eating up the Superfood of the Poor.” Text. Scroll.In (blog). October 27, 2021. https://scroll.in/article/1008534/your-gourmet-dinner-is-eating-up-the-superfood-of-the-poor.
- Fishmeal firms buy vast quantities of India’s marine catch to feed shrimp farms, threatening the livelihoods of smaller fishers and the nutrition of millions. This article features an interview with DFM Co-Investigator Amalendu Jyotishi.
- Ghosh, Raktima. 2021. “Ethos of a Sinking Space: Fishers in Sundarbans Surmount Tiger Attacks, Bureaucracy to Earn Livelihoods.” Down to Earth (blog). July 29, 2021. https://www.downtoearth.org.in/blog/environment/ethos-of-a-sinking-space-fishers-in-sundarbans-surmount-tiger-attacks-bureaucracy-to-earn-livelihoods-78175.
- HTML
- Johnson, Derek S., Shakuntala Thilsted, and Ben Belton. 2020. “Dried Fish in a COVID-19 World.” WorldFish Blog. The Fish Tank (blog). May 19, 2020. http://blog.worldfishcenter.org/2020/05/dried-fish-in-a-covid-19-world/.
- The COVID-19 pandemic illustrates powerfully and directly the degree to which globalization has created a world of interconnection. We are all struggling with the effects of the virus, but how well we are buffered in our struggles against those impacts varies dramatically by social and geographical position. The crisis is pulling back the veil on vulnerabilities in our economic mode ... Read More
Book Section
- Johnson, Derek, Benjamin Campion, Ratana Chuenpagdee, Jessie Varquez, Ansen Ward, and Milena Arias Schreiber. 2023. “The Promise of Dried and Fermented Small Fish Processing to Enhance Food Security and Nutrition.” In Small Fish for Food Security and Nutrition, edited by Maarten Bavinck, Molly Ahern, Holly M. Hapke, Derek S. Johnson, Marian Kjellevold, Jeppe Kolding, Ragnhild Overå, Thijs Schut, and Nicole Franz, 77–96. FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Technical Paper 694. Rome: FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS. https://driedfishmatters.org/dfm/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/FAO-Technical-Paper-694-Small-fish-for-food-security-and-nutrition.pdf.
- Key messages • Fish processing allows for extended storage of fish products that enable their distribution and trade to distant locations. This generates economic benefits but also greater availability, stability and accessibility of highly nutritious small fish to widespread populations living in poverty. • The diversity of products allowed by small fish processing has cultural and economic benefits. • Small-scale actors – individuals, families and firms – are a common feature of small fish processing. • Ongoing efforts to support the resilience of small fish processing is needed in the face of challenges such as increased demand for fish meal as well as sub-standard processing practices, insufficient management and unsustainable exploitation. • Small fish processing faces specific challenges. These include production gluts and the relatively low economic value of small fish. Margins are thin, which may lead to substandard processing practices. Economic constraints often also result in poor working conditions. • Public investment in the development of low-investment technical and institutional innovations to improve small fish product quality, labour conditions and supply chain governance is needed to support small fish processing in order to strengthen food security and nutrition. • Governance interventions in processing need to be broadened beyond the traditional technical focus on product quality and value addition, to encompass a more holistic and context-sensitive food systems perspective.
- Johnson, Derek S., Benjamin Campion, Ratana Chuenpagdee, Milena Schreiber, Jessie Varquez, and Ansen Ward. 2023. “Small Fish Processing.” In Small and Low-Cost Fish for Food Security and Nutrition: A Food Systems Approach. FAO Technical Papers. Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Dataset
- Johnson, Derek S., Benjamin Campion, Ragnhild Overå, Marian Kjellevold, and Lyndon Paul. 2021. “Small Fish Seminar Session 2: Processing.” https://doi.org/10.34990/FK2/HX7L32.
- Presentations, discussion, and Q&A
- Kruijssen, Froukje, Benjamin Belton, Akosua Darkwah, Amalendu Jyotishi, Kyana Dipananda, and Thijs Schut. 2021. “Small Fish Seminar Session 3: Consumption Behaviour.” https://doi.org/10.34990/FK2/YQRK7S.
- Presentations, discussion, and Q&A
- Hapke, Holly, Kwasi Anderson, Sharon Suri, V. Vivekanandan, Moenieba Isaacs, and Joeri Scholtens. 2021. “Small Fish Seminar Session 4: Distribution and Trade.” https://doi.org/10.34990/FK2/PLBGRA.
- Presentations, discussion, and Q&A
- Dried Fish Matters. 2020. “Global Dried Fish Literature Review Database.” University of Manitoba. https://doi.org/10.34990/FK2/UEECDM.
- This database constitutes a full export of the Dried Fish Matters Zotero library, including all metadata added by the research team (tags and notes), but excluding source articles.
Document
- Cranmer, Colleen. 2022. “Dried Fish Matters Infographic.”
- Infographic prepared by University of Ottawa graduate student Colleen Cranmer for the SSHRC Storytellers competition 2022.
Encyclopedia Article
- Jyotishi, Amalendu. 2023. “Fish for Food or Fish for Feed: New Populism and Blue Economy Perspective.” In Encyclopedia of New Populism and Responses in the 21st Century, edited by Joseph Chacko Chennattuserry, Madhumati Deshpande, and Paul Hong. Singapore: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-9859-0.
- Blue economy-induced growth models are becoming populist in Indian context. In this populism the highlights are capital investment in coastal and marine space, export-led growth, and expansion of trade. This study assesses the magnitude and drivers of India’s rapidly growing FMFO industry and explores its implications for India’s rampant domestic nutritional security concerns. This entry critically explores the implications of this rapidly expanding sector at three levels. First, the FMFO industry is driving a form of indiscriminate “biomass fishing,” targeting species that until recently were considered bycatch, constituting a new manifestation of cheap nature commodification. Second, the FMFO industry undermines the viability of small-scale fishers and local fish traders, who are out competed both at sea (by trawlers) and on land (by the FMFO agents), providing a clear manifestation of accumulation by dispossession. Third, the industry converts cheap small fish that would otherwise be affordable to local markets and poorer households into high value shrimp destined for export markets and hence compromising on domestic nutrition security. The blue economy agenda backed by new populism is hence creating three important dispossessions, namely ecological, livelihood, and nutrition security.
Film
- Nur, Sara. 2023. Daspara: From Tradition to Transition. Dried Fish Matters.
- "Daspara: From Tradition to Transition" is an ethnographic film project created by anthropologist-filmmaker Sara Nur, under the directorial supervision of Professor Mahmudul H Sumon. The film was funded by the Dried Fish Matters (DFM) project, a research project that looks at addressing the critical issues surrounding the dried fish industry in South and Southeast Asia. The project is led by an interdisciplinary team, including experts in fisheries, food security, and livelihoods, who seek to fill this research gap. The film explores the transformative dynamics of Kaibarta Das community, located by the Kalni River in Kuliar Char, Kishoreganj, Bangladesh. The documentary portrays the transformative journey experienced by the people of Daspara, whose lives have long been inextricably tied to the river and the fishing and fish drying trade. In the film, viewers witness the complex interplay between tradition and modernity, focusing on how an educated generation is less interested in their parental occupation. One of the most distinguishing features of this film is its commitment to authenticity. The creator, in her capacity as both an anthropologist and filmmaker, deliberately eschews the conventional storytelling voice-over narration path, and instead allows her interlocutors to speak for themselves. It is an evocative and respectful method that authentically captures their stories, struggles, and aspirations. This short documentary is not merely a study of changing livelihoods; it is also a stark reflection of environmental changes in the locality. The documentary underscores the urgent need for effective waste management and highlights the distressing decline of the Kalni River, a lifeline for Daspara. These environmental concerns resonate with the work of eco-anthropologists like Roy Rappaport, who argue for the interdependence of culture and ecology. The documentary offers a nuanced portrayal of the community's daily life, the complexities of their changing livelihoods, and the interplay of tradition and modernity. It employs techniques inspired by theorists like Clifford Geertz, who emphasized the importance of capturing the richness of cultural context, and Jean Rouch, who advocated for reflexive filmmaking that challenges the filmmaker's own role and perspective. The film's title, "Daspara: From Tradition to Transition," encapsulates its central theme, inviting viewers to join a journey of discovery and reflection on the transformative forces reshaping this unique community. Through evocative visuals, authentic voices, and an anthropological lens, the documentary provides a compelling window into the intricate web of human experiences, cultural heritage, and economic change within Daspara, ultimately shedding light on the broader implications of such transitions in the modern world. This serves as a profound testament to the dynamic nature of culture, the transformative power of education, the economic challenges facing traditional industries, and the urgent need for environmental stewardship.
Interview
- Thilsted, Shakuntala. 2021. Nourishing Minds: A Conversation with 2021 World Food Prize Laureate and Global Lead, Nutrition and Public Health, WorldFish, Dr. Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted Interview by Derek S. Johnson.
Journal Article
- Pradhan, Sisir Kanta, Prateep Kumar Nayak, and C. Emdad Haque. 2023. “Mapping Social-Ecological-Oriented Dried Fish Value Chain: Evidence from Coastal Communities of Odisha and West Bengal in India.” Coasts 3 (1): 45–73. https://doi.org/10.3390/coasts3010004.
- Hasan, Jabed, Evanan Yesmin Dristy, Anjumanara, Pronoy Mondal, Md. Sazedul Hoque, Kizar Ahmed Sumon, Mostafa Ali Reza Hossain, and Md Shahjahan. 2023. “Dried Fish More Prone to Microplastics Contamination over Fresh Fish - Higher Potential of Trophic Transfer to Human Body.” Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 250. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.114510.
- Globally, microplastics (MPs) contamination in aquatic organisms is emerging as an alarming phenomenon. In the present study, we investigated MPs in three commercially important fishes (Bombay duck Harpadon nehereus, ribbon fish Trichiurus lepturus and hairfin anchovy Setipinna phasa) in fresh and dried conditions collected from two sites (Chattogram and Kuakata) of the Bay of Bengal. It was evident that fresh T. lepturus ingested highest amount of MPs through the gills (6.41 mps/g) from Chattogram followed by in the gastrointestinal tract, GIT (6.20 mps/g) and in the muscle (1.20 mps/g) from Kuakata. Among the fresh fishes, H. nehereus from Kuakata accumulated highest amount of MPs (0.21 mps/g), while S. phasa from Kuakata contained the least amount of MPs (0.06 mps/g). On the other hand, among the dried fishes, T. lepturus from Kuakata contained highest amount of MPs (46.00 mps/g), while S. phasa from Kuakata retained lowest amount of MPs (2.17 mps/g). Strangely, all the dried fishes showed significantly higher amount of MPs compared to fresh fishes from both the locations. Fiber was the most dominant type of shape of MPs which accounted 66 %, followed by fragment (27.38 %), microbeads (3.59 %), film (1.48 %), foam (1.31 %) and pellet (0.25 %). Size-wise, the major portion (39.66 %) of MPs was present to be in size range less than 0.5 mm followed by 37.67 % in the size range of 0.5–1.0 mm group and rest 22.67 % within 1.0–5.0 mm. Red (41.55 %) colored MPs was the most prominent, followed by brown (22.11 %), blue (16.32 %), pink (11.69 %), purple (5.10 %), and green (2.25 %). Among polymer types, low density polyethylene (LDPE) was the most common (38 %), followed by polystyrene (PS-22 %), polyvinyl chloride (PVC-16 %), polyamide (PA-13 %) and ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA-9 %). The present study confirms high occurrence of MPs in the dried fishes over the fresh fishes from the Bay of Bengal, with high potential of trophic transfer to the human body.
- Sivramkrishna, Sashi, and Amalendu Jyotishi. 2023. “Dammed Waterways and a Colonial Legacy: Statutory Law-Making in the Conservancy of Indian Fisheries, 1867-1897.” Global Environment 16 (3): 559–93. https://doi.org/10.3197/ge.2023.160305.
- Through an exploration of events that unfolded from the earliest calls for conservancy of Indian fisheries under the British colonial government in 1867 to the passing of a statutory law in 1897, we argue that colonial law-making was a non-linear and complex evolutionary, rather than transformational process. The basis and blueprint for a statutory law in India can be traced to similar concerns in the over-exploitation of riverine fish in Britain as well as to the implementation of Indian forest laws at about the same time. Moreover, the process had to deal with personalities and their claims for recognition while the colonial government sought legitimacy to exert control over resources by appointing highly competent and commended individuals. Concerns over food security as well as the possibility of resistance of the local population could have impelled the need for caution in implementing statutory laws, which may have ultimately resulted in a delay of three decades before the Indian Fisheries Act was finally passed in 1897. keywords: Indian Fisheries Act 1897, Francis Day, colonial law-making, conservancy, fish passes
- Galappaththi, M., N. Weeratunge, D. Armitage, and A.M. Collins. 2023. “Gendered Dimensions of Social Wellbeing within Dried Fish Value Chains: Insights from Sri Lanka.” Ocean and Coastal Management 240 (June). https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2023.106658.
- Rizaldo, Quennie Vi, Wae Win Khaing, and Ben Belton. 2023. “Small Fish Consumption in Rural Myanmar.” Maritime Studies 22 (13). https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/s40152-023-00304-6.
- Surathkal, Prasanna, Amalendu Jyotishi, Ramchandra Bhatta, Joeri Scholtens, Derek Johnson, Gargi Mondal, and Priya Gupta. 2023. “Implications of Utilization Shifts of Marine Fish in India: A Macro‑level Empirical Analysis.” Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries 33: 767–83. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/s11160-022-09752-5.
- Biswal, Rajib, and Derek Stephen Johnson. 2023. “A Social Wellbeing Approach to the Gendered Impacts of Fisheries Transition in Gujarat, India.” Maritime Studies 22 (March). https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/s40152-023-00299-0.
- Link
- Pradhan, Sisir Kanta, Prateep Kumar Nayak, and C. Emdad Haque. 2023. “Mapping Social-Ecological-Oriented Dried Fish Value Chain: Evidence from Coastal Communities of Odisha and West Bengal in India.” Coasts 3 (February): 45–73. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3390/coasts3010004.
- Galappaththi, Madu, Derek Armitage, and Andrea M. Collins. 2022. “Women’s Experiences in Influencing and Shaping Small‐scale Fisheries Governance.” Fish and Fisheries 23 (5): 1099–1120. https://doi.org/10.1111/faf.12672.
- This paper synthesizes current empirical evidence on how women experience, shape and influence small-scale fisheries (SSF) governance. Our synthesis addresses an important gap in the literature, and helps highlight the opportunities to improve women's participation in governance and advance gender equality. We identified, characterized and synthesized 54 empirical cases at the intersection of gender and SSF governance, which comprise the relevant body of literature. Our review confirms the need to embed gender in the empirical examination of SSF governance towards expanding the current evidence base on this topic. We found that the institutional contexts within which women participate reflect a broad spectrum of arrangements, including the interactions with rules and regulations; participatory arrangements such as co-management; and informal norms, customary practices and relational spaces. We also synthesized a typology of governance tasks performed by women in SSF. The typology includes leadership roles and active participation in decision-m aking; relational networking and collective action; exercising agency and legitimacy; resource monitoring; knowledge sharing; meeting attendance (with no/less participation in decision-making); and activism and mass mobilization. Furthermore, we drew broader insights based on the patterns that emerged across the literature and highlighted implications for improving women's meaningful participation in SSF governance. For example, exploring the breadth of governance arrangements to include all governance spaces where women are active, adjusting governance arrangements to respond to current and emerging barriers, and recognizing how women's efforts link with societal values may help legitimize their representation in SSF governance. Findings of this review should be of interest to the scholarly community, practitioners and policymakers alike and inform future research agendas, policy dialogues and practice intervention.
- Bandyopadhyay, Aishik, Raktima Ghosh, Jenia Mukherjee, and Souradip Pathak. 2023. “From the Shabars of the Indian Sundarbans: Everyday Empirics through Photography.” Coastal Studies & Society 0 (0): 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1177/26349817221107301.
- HTML
- Fabinyi, Michael, Ben Belton, Wolfram H. Dressler, Magne Knudsen, Dedi S. Adhuri, Ammar Abdul Aziz, Md. Ali Akber, et al. 2022. “Coastal Transitions: Small-Scale Fisheries, Livelihoods, and Maritime Zone Developments in Southeast Asia.” Journal of Rural Studies 91: 184–94. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2022.02.006.
- Across Southeast Asia, coastal livelihoods are becoming more diverse and more commodified, as maritime zone developments intensify. We review literature from the ten maritime states in Southeast Asia to assess how older and emerging forms of maritime zone developments influence the viability of small-scale fishing livelihoods. Applying a political economy lens to small-scale fisheries and maritime zone developments at regional scale, we show how small-scale fisheries persist as a significant coastal livelihood activity across the region, despite declining opportunities due to long-term intensification of fisheries exploitation. The paper further analyses the ways in which newer maritime zone developments, including aquaculture, land reclamation, special industrial zones, and tourism interact with fishing, and are reconfiguring coastal livelihoods in the region. Key trends that small-scale fishers and coastal communities must negotiate include deepening commodification, worsening environmental degradation, loss of access to fishing grounds, and an intensifying ‘squeeze’ on coastal space.
- Subramanian, K., M. Bavinck, J. Scholtens, H. M. Hapke, and A. Jyotishi. 2023. “How Seafood Wholesale Markets Matter for Urban Food Security: Evidence from Chennai, India.” The European Journal of Development Research 35: 579–601. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41287-022-00519-z.
- Urban sites gather poverty in particular locations and often require bulk food system approaches for addressing prevalent food security and nutrition needs. The food systems that service them are, however, characterized by perishability and large irregularities in supply. Seafood is currently recognized as contributing in a major way to food security and nutrition, and it is to assessing the role of wholesale markets in meeting the needs of the urban poor that this paper is directed. It zooms in on the city of Chennai, India, where an estimated 40% of the population is considered poor and marine fish plays a crucial role in diets. Building on one-and-a-half years of field research in the pre-COVID-19 period, the paper analyses the performance of one of the city’s largest fish wholesale markets, Vanagaram, in relation to the four commonly recognized pillars of food security. Results demonstrate how urban food systems function as major suppliers of fish (and other food items) to thousands of low- and middle-income households. Most importantly, this case study demonstrates the crucial role that is played by wholesale markets in merging low-price fish supplies from different geographic regions and thereby ensuring food security of poorer inhabitants.
- Hasan, Jabed, SM Majharul Islam, Md Samsul Alam, Derek S. Johnson, Ben Belton, Mostafa Ali Reza Hossain, and Md Shahjahan. 2022. “Presence of Microplastics in Two Common Dried Marine Fish Species from Bangladesh.” Marine Pollution Bulletin 176: 113430.
- We examined microplastics (MP) in two commercially important dried fish, Bombay duck (Harpadon nehereus) and ribbon fish (Trichiurus lepturus), collected from two sites on the Bay of Bengal (Cox's Bazar and Kuakata). The number of MP found in dried Bombay duck and ribbon fish from Kuakata was significantly higher (41.33 g^-1 and 46.00 g^-1, respectively) than the MP present in samples collected from Cox's Bazar (28.54 g^-1 and 34.17 g^-1, respectively). Fibers were the most common type of MP identified in all samples (41–64%), followed by fragments (22–34%), microbeads (9–16%), films (3–4%), foams (1–4%), and pellets (0–2%). ATR-FTIR analysis revealed three different types of MP polymer - polyethylene (35–45%), polystyrene (20–30%) and polyamide (30–45%) in the dried fish samples. The study confirms the presence of high MP loads in dried fish from the Bay of Bengal, with high potential of trophic transfer of MP to the human body.
- Pradhan, Sisir Kanta, Prateep Kumar Nayak, and Derek Armitage. 2022. “A Social-Ecological Systems Perspective on Dried Fish Value Chains.” Current Research in Environmental Sustainability 4 (January): 100128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crsust.2022.100128.
- Small-scale fisheries (SSF) support over 90% of the 120 million people engaged in fisheries globally. Dried fish is an important sub-sector of SSF, which is characterized by declining social, economic, political conditions of people involved in its production, and the ecosystems they depend on. Dried fish accounts for 12% of the total fish consumption globally but can increase up to 36% in low-income countries. About half of the people involved in dried fish production and marketing are women. The approach taken to analyse dried fish sector has so far followed a narrow subset of commodity chain approaches with a focus on financial value, transmitted in a linear ‘vertical’ fashion across value chain actors. Existing value chain approach fails to factor the non-capital relationships of dried fish that are contingent upon specific histories, ecologies, peoples, places, and the practices. The narrow neoclassical economic perspective of dried fish value chain (DFVC) also impedes appropriate responses to their unique attributes pertaining to social, ecological, institutional interactions across multiple scales. Failure to consider social-ecological system (SES) attributes, its connections and relationships with dried fish value chain not only undermine social wellbeing of upstream actors but also perpetuates social-environmental inequity and injustice. The paper offers a novel SES-oriented DFVC perspective that focuses on social wellbeing of fishers and dried fish workers. The reconceptualisation of structure, conduct and performance of DFVC is done by conducting an interdisciplinary analysis of peer-reviewed literature from SES, value chain and social wellbeing.
- Belton, Ben, Derek S. Johnson, Eric Thrift, Jonah Olsen, Mostafa Hossain, and Shakuntala Thilsted. 2022. “Dried Fish at the Intersection of Food Science, Economy, and Culture: A Global Survey.” Fish and Fisheries 23 (4): 941–62. https://doi.org/10.1111/faf.12664.
- Dried fish – here defined broadly as aquatic animals preserved using simple techniques such as sun-drying, salting, fermentation, and smoking that permit storage as foods at ambient temperature for extended periods without specialized packaging - have received little direct attention in fisheries research. This lack of visibility belies their historical and contemporary importance. Prior to the introduction of refrigeration technologies, dried fish were the main form in which fisheries catches were traded and consumed. Today, dried fish products remain a core component of diets and cuisines across the world, particularly in the Global South, and provide employment for millions of people, particularly women, who are the majority of the fish-drying workforce in many locations. However, the dried fish sector also confronts, and creates, significant challenges; food safety and exploitative labor conditions are key among them. This paper is the first systematic assessment of the global literature on dried fish, comprised of a sample of >1100 references. In contrast to the general fisheries literature which is dominated by studies of ecology and governance and focusses primarily on production, the dried fish literature is dominated by studies from food science, and is focussed mainly on the processing segment of fish value chains. As such, it offers valuable reference point for fisheries research, which is becoming increasingly attentive to food systems. The paper a uncovers a wealth of insights buried in this largely unheralded literature, and identifies key thematic intersections, gaps and research questions that remain to be addressed in the study of dried fish. Belton, Johnson, and Thrift are joint first authors.
- Johnson, Derek S. 2018. “Research on the Social Economy of Dried Fish in South and Southeast Asia.” Journal of the Inland Fisheries Society of India 50 (1): 3–5.
- In collaboration with 47 colleagues from seven countries and 20 institutions, including CIFRI, I am leading the proposed project Dried fish matters: mapping the social economy of dried fish in South and Southeast Asia for enhanced wellbeing and nutrition. There is good reason to think that the proposal is likely to be funded and, regardless, I think it lays out a path breaking and important area for research that it is worthwhile introducing. In this summary of the Dried Fish Matters proposal I provide an overview of the project's focus and then suggest a few questions that highlight why we think CIFRI stands to make a key contribution to the project.
- PSSL, Wickrama, D. N. Koralagama, and A. L. Sandika. 2021. “Assesing Seasonal Price Behaviour of Selected Dried Fish Varieties in Sri Lanka.” Tropical Agricultural Research & Extension 24 (1). https://doi.org/http://doi.org/10.4038/tare.v24i1.5505.
- Dried fish plays an important role in the national economy in multiple ways including minimizing post-harvest losses of fish providing a source of animal protein, enlarging livelihoods, utilizing idling labor into the production process and as a dish, especially for rural poor. Dried fish prices have increased drastically from 2012 to 2019 compared to fish and chicken. Being the key determinant of demand, price is crucial on consumption, dried fish demand and industry performance: increasing prices, decrease the demand, which adversely effects on dried fish industry from 2012 pushing dried fish consumption to third place. Therefore, this study aims to assess the price behavior of selected dried fish varieties and appropriate price forecasting models that could be feed into policy formulation for reasonable prices and price variation during the year. A quantitative approach was adopted gathering national average price data from secondary sources such as Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian and Research Institute, Department of Census and Statistics and other relevant institute. Three dried fish varieties which are highly consumed by the populace were selected representing large pelagic-skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) and double-spotted queenfish (Scomberoides lysan) and small pelagic- gold-striped sardinella (Sardinella gibbosa). Average monthly retail price data from January 2007 to December 2019 were considered to analysis. Seasonal price variation and price indices were calculated for the three varieties in terms of real market prices. Analysis revealed highest dried fish prices in June and July months, corresponding with south-west monsoon. In contrast, lower prices have been reported during the north-east monsoon for large pelagic, months of January and February. Gold-striped sardinella indicated the highest price index in middle month of the both monsoon seasons. Highest seasonal price indexes for large pelagic varieties are indicated during May-September following the south-west monsoon. The Real Market Price (RMP) of all three dried fish varieties demonstrated a fluctuating pattern with a slight increment throughout the year. The same fluctuating patterns are observed in relation to moving average price, seasonality impact removed price and seasonality around moving average price of each three varieties separately. However, prices of three varieties are strongly correlated (r=0.941<, p=0.00) with each other. The cubic price forecasting model is the best fit model of price forecasting for all the analyzed varieties. Besides, the Quadratic model can be used to predict the price of analyzed large pelagic varieties. The ARIMA analysis revealed that ARIMA (2,1,12) is the best fit model for price forecasting of skipjack tuna while ARIMA (0,1,0) for double spotted queen and gold stripped sardinella forecasting. Having a distinct seasonality impact on dried fish prices, the policies need to be focused on price stabilizing mechanisms to assure a certain and stable performances in the dried fish industry in Sri Lanka ensuring affordability to the majority in Sri Lanka.
- Galappaththi, Madu, Andrea M. Collins, Derek Armitage, and Prateep Kumar Nayak. 2021. “Linking Social Wellbeing and Intersectionality to Understand Gender Relations in Dried Fish Value Chains.” Maritime Studies. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40152-021-00232-3.
- The purpose of this perspective paper is to advance a comprehensive framework to integrate gender within the study of dried fish value chains. We do so by linking three complementary areas of scholarship: social wellbeing, intersectionality, and value chains. Social wellbeing literature emphasizes the range of benefits generated through dried fish value chains (e.g., social ties, cultural values, and material goods). An intersectional perspective, however, brings attention to the relational structures (e.g., caste, ethnicity) that intersect with gender to uniquely position women and men within value chains in relation to the benefits they can generate. In developing this framework, a key point of departure from existing literature is the notion of relationality (i.e., the creation of experiences in relation to one another within a given context). The value chain analysis further reveals how such unique positions determine the wellbeing outcomes women can generate through their participation in value chains. We demonstrate the contribution of this novel framework by applying it within dried fish case examples from Bangladesh, Tanzania, and Sri Lanka. In doing so, we systematically unpack how gender intersects with other structures of oppression and perpetuate gender inequity. Our framework thus results in a ‘thick description’ of gender relations operating in dried fish value chains. The insights that emerge can inform relevant policies, decision-making processes, and programs to ensure the creation of equitable wellbeing outcomes by those participating in dried fish value chains.
Newspaper Article
- Doran, Sarah. 2021. “U of M Prof Leads Project Analyzing Dried Fish Social Economy – The Manitoban.” The Manitoban, March 2, 2021. https://www.themanitoban.com/2021/03/u-of-m-prof-leads-project-analyzing-dried-fish-social-economy/41648/.
Presentation
- Jyotishi, Amalendu. 2022. “Fish for Food?+ as Part of "Being Farmer.” Christ University, Bangalore, November 23.
- Poster
- Haque, Emdad, Prateep K. Nayak, Ratana Chuenpagdee, Derek S. Johnson, Mahed Choudhury, and Jonah Olsen. 2021. “The Role of Policies, Governance and Development in Small-Scale Fisheries and Dried Fish Sector: How Are They Working on-the-Ground, Who Is Benefitting and Who Is Losing in South and Southeast Asian Countries?” Conference paper presented at the MARE 2021 People and the Sea Conference, June 29.
- The policies, governance strategies and instruments and development course are diverse, complex as they have multiple facets in terms of their roles in the economy and society. In this paper, first, what are the interfaces between policies, governance and development courses will be explored. In particular, recognizing the autonomous roles of policies, governance and development, how could these entities be articulated in the dried fish sector will be examined. Second, while the small-scale fisheries and dried fish have historical roots in South and Southeast Asian societies, the increasing roles of the state in managing common property resources and neoliberal agenda-based globalization over the last few decades have resulted in the development of numerous national and sub-national policies and governance strategies concerning these fishery sectors. In this paper, some selected critical questions will be explored, both conceptually and empirically: what are drivers of the existing policies and governance mechanisms? Who are the state and non-state actors and how do they interact and play roles? Who are benefitting and who are losing from the existing policies, governance mechanisms, and how could the critical issues be addressed. The paper will be based on stack surveys in selected South and Southeast Asian countries and the existing literature.
- Farook, Sami, Shakuntala Thilsted, Ben Belton, C. Emdad Haque, and Derek S. Johnson. 2021. “Intertemporal Changes in Dried Fish Consumption and Other Animal Source Protein in Bangladesh: Implications for Nutrition Security.” Conference paper presented at the MARE 2021 People and the Sea Conference, July 2.
- Fish are a major part of diet in South and South-East Asia. It counts for 56% of total protein intake in Bangladesh and 13% in India. A good share of fish catch in such developing countries is processed by sun drying, fermentation, smoking and salting. Dried fish accounts for 34% of total fish consumption in Myanmar, a quarter in rural Bangladesh. Drying the fish results in weight reduction, dehydration and concentration of nutrients. Dried fish are mostly made of small and medium sized from capture fisheries, micronutrient content of which are rich and much higher than usually found in cultured fish. Dried fish are usually low in price, easily divisible and can be stored and transported for accessibility by the poorest and most vulnerable communities throughout the year. Dried fish can therefore play a vital role in nutrition security. Though DFM countries in the Global South have made good progress in hunger reduction in recent decades, nutrition security still remains a pressing issue. Despite the importance of dried fish for nutrition security, global literature in this subject is limited. Most papers on dried fish nutrition look at three to five major nutrients (protein, fat, ash, etc.) in only a limited number of products. Dried fish contain several micronutrient (iron, zinc, vitamin A, etc.) important for maternal health and child growth. This paper reports preliminary findings on the contribution of dried fish to nutrition security by analyzing nutrient intake from dried fish over time across different demographic groups. It also considers the problem of contamination of dried fish during processing and packaging. Based on the findings, it suggests plans for intervention towards greater accessibility of nutrient rich dried fish, particularly for the poorest communities.
- Gopal, Nikita, Amalendu Jyotishi, C. Emdad Haque, Ramachandra Bhatta, and Holly Hapke. 2021. “Towards a Social Economy of Dried Small Fish in South Asia.” Conference paper presented at the Session 3: Dried Small Fish: Ecology, Value Chains and Nutrition, IMBeR West Pacific Symposium 2021 “Changing West Pacific Ocean: Science and Sustainability,” Online, November 25.
- Presentation PDF
- Farook, Sami, Benjamin Belton, K Pendakur, Derek S. Johnson, C. Emdad Haque, and Shakuntala Thilsted. 2021. “Dried Fish for Nutrition: Change in Consumption Patterns and Preferences, and Implications towards Nutrition Security.” Conference paper presented at the Session 3: Dried Small Fish: Ecology, Value Chains and Nutrition, IMBeR West Pacific Symposium 2021 “Changing West Pacific Ocean: Science and Sustainability,” Online, November 25.
- Presentation PDF
- Wickrama, Shalika, and Dilanthi N Koralagama. 2021. “Value Stream Analysis and Middlemen Impact on Smoothbelly Sardinella Dried Fish Value Chain on the Northwest Coast of Sri Lanka.” Conference paper presented at the Session 3: Dried Small Fish: Ecology, Value Chains and Nutrition, IMBeR West Pacific Symposium 2021 “Changing West Pacific Ocean: Science and Sustainability,” Online, November 25.
- Presentation PDF
- Nair, Tara, and Bharat Patel. 2021. “Small Fish and Small Fisheries on the Kutch Coast: Insights from a Field Study.” Conference paper presented at the Session 3: Dried Small Fish: Ecology, Value Chains and Nutrition, IMBeR West Pacific Symposium 2021 “Changing West Pacific Ocean: Science and Sustainability,” Online, November 25.
- Presentation PDF
- Sharma, Abhilasha, Ishaan Khot, and Naveen Namboothri. 2021. “Climate Change and Small Pelagic Fish in India: Implications for Fisheries and Nutrition.” Conference paper presented at the Session 3: Dried Small Fish: Ecology, Value Chains and Nutrition, IMBeR West Pacific Symposium 2021 “Changing West Pacific Ocean: Science and Sustainability,” Online, November 25.
- Presentation PDF
- Belton, Benjamin, and Kyoko Kusakabe. 2021. “Towards a Social Economy of Dried Small Fish in Southeast Asia.” Conference paper presented at the Session 3: Dried Small Fish: Ecology, Value Chains and Nutrition, IMBeR West Pacific Symposium 2021 “Changing West Pacific Ocean: Science and Sustainability,” Online, November 25.
- Presentation PDF
- Khaing, Wae Win, Sithu Lin, and Benjamin Belton. 2021. “Dried Fish Consumption in Myanmar.” Conference paper presented at the Session 3: Dried Small Fish: Ecology, Value Chains and Nutrition, IMBeR West Pacific Symposium 2021 “Changing West Pacific Ocean: Science and Sustainability,” Online, November 25.
- Presentation PDF
- Napata, Ruby, AS Sefil, TAG Famatid, EM Peralta, HM Monteclaro, and EES Yap. 2021. “A Value Chain Analysis of the Dried Sardine Industry in the Philippines.” Conference paper presented at the Session 3: Dried Small Fish: Ecology, Value Chains and Nutrition, IMBeR West Pacific Symposium 2021 “Changing West Pacific Ocean: Science and Sustainability,” Online, November 25.
- Presentation PDF
- Almine, Nova, Ratana Chuenpagdee, and Suvaluck Satumanatpan. 2021. “Contributions, Challenges, and Opportunities of the Small-Scale Anchovy Fisheries in Thailand.” Conference paper presented at the Session 3: Dried Small Fish: Ecology, Value Chains and Nutrition, IMBeR West Pacific Symposium 2021 “Changing West Pacific Ocean: Science and Sustainability,” Online, November 25.
- Presentation PDF
- Regalado, Alexanra, and Wilfredo L Campos. 2021. “The Lobo-Lobo Fry Fishery in Western Visayan Sea: Catch Composition and Potential Fisheries Impact.” Conference paper presented at the Session 3: Dried Small Fish: Ecology, Value Chains and Nutrition, IMBeR West Pacific Symposium 2021 “Changing West Pacific Ocean: Science and Sustainability,” Online, November 25.
- Tomiyama, Takeshi, W Deguchi, T Fujita, M Yoneda, N Kono, M Yamamoto, and K Harada. 2021. “Potential Impact of Predation by Larval Spanish Mackerel on Larval Anchovy in the Central Seto Inland Sea, Japan.” Conference paper presented at the Session 3: Dried Small Fish: Ecology, Value Chains and Nutrition, IMBeR West Pacific Symposium 2021 “Changing West Pacific Ocean: Science and Sustainability,” Online, November 25.
- Poster
- Thilsted, Shakuntala. 2021. “Aquatic Foods for Nourishing the West Pacific.” Keynote presentation presented at the Session 3: Dried Small Fish: Ecology, Value Chains and Nutrition, IMBeR West Pacific Symposium 2021 “Changing West Pacific Ocean: Science and Sustainability,” Online, November 25.
- Presentation PDF
- Liu, Shuhao, and Yang Liu. 2021. “Evaluating the Impact of Climate Change on Potential Distribution of Japanese Anchovy (Engraulis Japonicus) Using Species Distribution Model.” Conference paper presented at the Session 3: Dried Small Fish: Ecology, Value Chains and Nutrition, IMBeR West Pacific Symposium 2021 “Changing West Pacific Ocean: Science and Sustainability,” Online, November 25.
- Presentation PDF
- Dried Fish Matters. 2021. “DFM Webinar with Amrita Sen: Political Ecology of the Indian Sundarbans.” Webinar, Online, December 1.
- Amrita Sen, member of the DFM West Bengal team, joined us to introduce her new book "A Political Ecology of Forest Conservation in India: Communities, Wildlife and the State" (Routledge, 2021). Amrita discussed her ongoing research on the political ecological context of the Sundarbans, which has helped orient recent fieldwork within the Dried Fish Matters project. Her talk introduced the diverse economies of the Sundarbans – including forest fishing, honey collection, and prawn farming – and illustrated the inadequacies of attempts to governing the complex socio-political and inter-species realities of this region.
- Nireka Weeratunge. 2021. “The Stories We Tell: Bridging Art and Science in Fisheries and Aquaculture.” Plenary presentation presented at the Joint International Conference: Sixth International Conference for Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (ICFAS 6) / Asian Fisheries Social Science Research Network Forum One (AFSSRN F1), University of Visayas, Philippines, November 26.
- YouTube
- Chuenpagdee, Ratana. 2019. “Dried Fish Value Chain in Thailand: A Rapid Appraisal.” Session keynote presented at the International Conference on Sustainable Fisheries, Sylhet, Bangladesh, August 25.
- Nair, Tara. 2021. “Unlocking Legal and Policy Frameworks for the Implementation of the SSF Guidelines in India.” Workshop presentation presented at the Using Transdisciplinarity for Fisheries Policies and the SSF Guidelines Implementation in India, April 12. http://toobigtoignore.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/TBTI_TD-India-workshop_Report_2021.pdf.
- This talk provided an overview of historical policies by looking at the way policies have been developing and the way these policies are aligned with the development strategies in the country and the individual states. The fisheries sector is part of larger development thinking of the state. Indian Fisheries Act is very limited and colonial. Today, what is being promoted is aquaculture/mariculture and a financialization of fisheries instruments as governments need lots of private money to fund development. We can see the centralization happening as states are no longer defining their agendas — the power is going to those who are providing the funding, and this will only intensify in the future. The same is true for SSF as the capital intended to empower SSF will be more and more coming from the non-governmental sources.
- Jyotishi, Amalendu. 2021. “Fish for Food or Feed: Blue Economy and New Populism.” Keynote Address presented at the International Virtual Conference on New Populism and Responses of the 21st Century, Christ University, September 18.
- Jyotishi, Amalendu. 2021. “Ethics in Field Research.” Presentation to PhD scholars, Amrita University, July 21.
- Presentation based on DFM fieldwork experience during the pandemic
- Jyotishi, Amalendu. 2021. “Fish for Food or Fish for Feed.” Faculty Seminar, School of Development, Azim Premji University, February 3.
- Jyotishi, Amalendu. 2020. “Fish Value Chain.” Lecture to MA Economics students, University of Hyderabad, December 5.
- Ghosh, Raktima, and Jenia Mukherjee. 2021. “Ecogeomorphology of (Un)Fixed Fluidscapes: The Sociowater Narrative of the Indian Sundarbans.” Presented at the First Sociohydrology Conference, Delft, September.
- Wickrama, PSSL, and DN Koralagama. 2020. “Potentials and Challenges in Expanding Inland Fisheries in Sri Lanka; Dambe-Ara, Wellawaya.” Jaffna, December.
- Overexploitation of marine resources claims extensive attention on inland !isheries. Monaragala is one of the districts with copious inland water bodies with a greater potential for employment opportunities, !isheries products, and food security of rural households. Dambe-ara is 80 ha in extent and located in Wallawaya Divisional Secretariat Division (DSD) with a substantial potential to aquaculture !isheries production. However, its contribution and potential are inadequately researched. This paper attempts to unravel potentials and challenges to expand Dambe-ara inland !isheries while exploring its contribution to the region. Qualitative data collection methods were employed. Five key-informant discussions and ten indepth interviews were administered through a time randomization sampling technique. Respondents, who were operating at the landing site from 9.00 am to 11.00 am were interviewed. Secondary data were obtained through National Aquaculture Development Authority, National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency, Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development and other relevant articles. Results revealed that the harvest comprises with 40% Entroplus suratensis Catla catla Channa striata (Green chromide), 28% (Catla), 24% (Mural) and 4% (Silver carp) and Hypophthalmichthys molitrix Cyprinus carpio (Common carp), 01% (Mirigal), 02% Cirrhinus mrigala Macrobrachium rosenbergii (Fresh water prawns), and 01% (Rohu). Fishing in Dambe-ara is Labeo rohita seasonal where the peak harvest extends from February to July with an average annual yield of 62.5-150 kg/ha. Harvest !luctuates from 9-15 kg/ha during the season and 6.25-12.5 kg/ha in rest of the year. Dried !ish processing had been practiced before 2016 but declined due to lack of motivation and incentives. A permanent feeding water source is lacking, whereas, the inactive !isheries association hinder the progression. Despite the higher productivity of the tank, the present situation is woefully affected with poor attention paid by the government. The tank management can obtain 50% contribution from the government out of annual total cost for !ish breeding, training, !inancing and equipment as craft and gill net, yet its operation is dormant. In conclusion, proper attention and patronage from the government, especially through robust institutions is suggested to increase the production that would enhance livelihoods of more than 250 households and animal protein requirement of over 54, 911 people in Wellawaya DSD while contributing to uplift the GDP of the country.
- Sobiga, S, and DN Koralagama. 2020. “Market Margin Analysis of Dried Fish Varieties Along the Value Chain: A Case Study in Jaffna.” Presented at the International Symposium on Agricultural and Environment, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ruhuna.
- Koralagama, Dilanthi, and S. P. Bandara. 2018. “Socio-Economic Issues of Women Dried Fish Processors in Southern Sri Lanka.” Chiang Mai, Thailand, October. https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/45cb94_3505c589af504d16921ea246deb51036.pdf.
- Dried fish processing is a post-harvest technique attached to small-scale fisheries yet important income generating activity in fishing communities. It reduces post-harvest losses while adding value to excess and low quality fish. Although, it is an economic venture mostly at household level extending upto international sphere, less research and discussions are held to explore the socioeconomic issues. Focusing this lacuna in the dried fish processing industry at cottage level this paper examines the socio-economic issues encountered by women processors in Southern Sri Lanka. A mixed method approach was adapted with a questionnaire survey (n=120) and in-depth interviews as quantitative and qualitative data collection respectively. By being the only source of income generation, majority of women (64 percent) are fulltime processors employing inherent knowledge and life long experience from childhood. Despite, the average monthly income is 300 USD, the processing is subjected to seasonality. Less fish availability and high prices curb dried fish processing during the off-season. Moreover, high labour cost, uncertain weather (climate), less fish for processing, and poor storage facilities were highlighted as main hindrance. Higher labour cost prompted to utilize family labour extensively thus motivated to absorb idling family labour (76%) into the production. However, women in dried fish processing are socially less recognized with numerous restrictions over accessibility including fish resources (input), beach (place), market (dominancy), and finance (decision making). This evokes for an egalitarian resource allocation that lessen socio-economic vulnerability and social exclusion of dried fish processors especially from a gendered perspective.
- Johnson, Derek S., Ben Belton, Arjilli Dasu, Kyoko Kusakabe, Priyadarshi Patnaik, Wae Win Khaing, Dilanthi Koralagama, and Nireka Weeratunge. 2018. “Dried Fish Matters for the Sustainability of Small-Scale Fisheries.” Chiang Mai, Thailand, October. https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/45cb94_3505c589af504d16921ea246deb51036.pdf.
- In the same way that small-scale fisheries are typically the second class citizens of fisheries governance, dried fish refers to an unglamorous suite of products that are typically neglected in fisheries policy. Yet, this humble array of food items, from sun-dried small pelagics to fermented fish paste, are central to the livelihoods of millions of women and men in Asia and culturally, economically, and nutritionally crucial parts of the diets of millions of consumers in the region and around the world. This Science Café session launches a new project on the social economy of dried fish in six countries in South and Southeast Asia. The session introduces the holistic approach to value chains that the project is developing. We position small-scale fishers in larger circuits of processing, exchange, and consumption of dried fish, thereby enhancing understanding of broader drivers of change. We also highlight the project’s transdisciplinary design. We reflect on the benefits and challenges of multi-scale and comparative research across a wide geographical space that engages social and natural science researchers with policy makers and civil society participants. Following our project pitch, participants conducting research in five of the six project countries will facilitate discussions around aspects of the project of interest to session participants. Key messages: (1) Within small-scale fisheries, dried fish is a marginalized area of focus, despite its importance; (2) The pro-poor dried fish sector needs greater policy attention; (3) Dried fish value chains are a valuable and little visited vantage point on small-scale fisheries
- Wickrama, PSSL, DN Koralagama, and AL Sandika. 2021. “Consumers’ Perception and Buying Behavior of Dried Fish: A Case Study in Kurunegala and Gampaha Districts.” Presented at the Annual Session of Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science, Colombo, December.
- Yuganthan, A., I. U. Wickramaratne, D. N. Koralagama, and HMTNB Herath. 2019. “Social Relationships of Dried Fish Producers in Trincomalee District, Sri Lanka.” Presented at the International Research Conference of UWU-2019, Uva Wellassa University, Sri Lanka. http://www.erepo.lib.uwu.ac.lk/handle/123456789/60.
- Being a traditional source of animal protein in local diet, dried fish accounts for 4% in Sri Lankan average monthly household expenditure. Although, 70% of local dried fish products come from North & East Provinces, a production oriented dried fish studies are lacking. This study aims to investigate producer based intra & inter relationships & social & cultural influences on dried fish production. A mixed method approach was adapted to glean data from Kinniya & Muthur in Trincomalee District in Eastern Sri Lanka. A questionnaire survey (n=60) & in-depth interviews (n=10) were conducted to gather quantitative & qualitative data respectively. The snowball sampling method was employed. Gathered data were analyzed descriptively. Findings unravel multiple intra & inter relationships of dried fish producers particularly on knowledge sharing, fresh fish supply, supporters & buyers. Awareness on dried fish processing descends from parents (53%). Fresh fish sources are; boat owners (35%), fishermen (31%) & fish traders (25%). Intra relationships are prominent among supporters such as family & siblings (44%), friends (21%) & relatives (16%). Almost all producers (100%) sell through wholesaler demonstrating an external relationship with outsiders. Albeit, there are multi-faceted intra & inter relationships, an institutional arrangement is lacking. Muslims culture in both sites allows only men to engage in dried fish processing minimizing women involvement. Social & cultural analysis indicated that intra & inter relationships are converged toward family, siblings & relatives representing inner most tier of the community. Religion & cultural taboos further restrict expansion of the industry. Establishment of dried fish producers, association would be worthwhile by giving equal opportunities for both men & women p
- Wickrama, PSSL, D. N. Koralagama, and P. V. S. Harshana. 2021. “The Impact of Household Income on Dried Fish Consumption in Sri Lanka.” Poster presentation presented at the International Symposium of Agriculture and Environment, University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka.
- Dried fish plays an important role in human nutrition in Sri Lanka by supplying more than 60 percent of the total animal protein intake for the populace. Despite of the high consumption of fish and chicken, dried fish remains at the third place against the increasing prices. Dried fish prices have increased drastically from 2012 in compared to fish and chicken prices where the later remains relatively constant during the period. The consumption and expenditure patterns of chicken, fish and dried fish (the main animal protein sources except egg and dairy) differ in relation to the mean income of respective expenditure deciles; a categorization of socioeconomic status by dividing the population into 10 income groups from lowest income (1) to the highest income group (10) based on the expenditure pattern. This study explores the relationship between the level of dried fish consumption and expenditure over mean income of each expenditure deciles. A quantitative approach was followed drawing secondary data from Department of Census & Statistics and Ministry of Fisheries & Aquatic Resource Development. Monthly average household consumption quantity (g) and expenditure (Rs.) of commonly used dried fish varieties [skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) and dried sprat (Stolephorus sp.)], fresh marine fish varieties [skipjack tuna and yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares)], and chicken were considered for the analysis during 2006-2016. Pearson correlation coefficient and income elasticity analyses were adopted using SPSS 21. Higher percentage share (36%<) of dried fish expenditure is captured by 1-4 income range of expenditure deciles that counts on 1-3 for consumption (43%<). In contrast, chicken is highly consumed (39%<) at higher income households (4-10). Results reveals that the analyzed dried fish varieties, which are highly consumed in Sri Lanka bears lower income elasticity of demand, which is (Sprats- 0.55 and Skipjack tuna- 0.56) less than 01 while chicken shows 1.06. A strong positive correlation between percentage share of chicken consumption (0.777)/ expenditure (0.802) while negative correlation with percentage share of dried sprats (-0.743)/ dried skipjack tuna (-0.798) consumption are observed against mean income in each expenditure deciles. In conclusion, the dried fish act as the main animal protein source for lower income while chicken serves for the higher income households. Income elasticity of demand indicates all observed varieties as normal goods except chicken, which are luxury goods. Therefore, decisions and policies on pricing and marketing of dried fish need to be addressed in favor of the lower income population in the country whose nutritional security highly depends on dried fish consumption, as an animal protein and micro nutrient sources
- Thrift, Eric. 2021. “Video Editing and Post-Production.” Presented at the TBTI Global Video Co-Production TD Workshop, October 8. https://tdlearn.toobigtoignore.net/course/view.php?id=7.
- This presentation discussed video editing and post-production techniques, drawing on the "Dried Fish Stories" video created by the Dried Fish Matters Visualization Group.
- Johnson, Derek S. 2021. “Vulnerability and Viability in Dried Fish Social Economies.” Invited talk presented at the V2V thematic webinar, Online, September 24.
- In recent rounds of funding, the SSHRC Partnership Grants program has supported two projects that have particularly close conceptual and institutional ties: V2V and Dried Fish Matters (www.driedfishmatters.org). This interconnection provides significant opportunities for cross-fertilization. In this presentation, Prof. Derek Johnson explores the productive dynamic between the two projects. He reflects on the two projects’ foundations through a comparison of their starting points: social-ecological systems (V2V) and social economy (Dried Fish Matters). He unpacks the social economy idea and addresses how it articulates with V2V’s guiding vulnerability and viability conceptualization. He grounds his comparison in relation to the research of Dried Fish Matters on social economies of dried fish in six countries in Asia.
- Belton, Ben. 2020. “Research Methodologies: Stacked Value Chains and Other Methods.” Presented at the Stakeholder workshop on Dried/Processed fish matters in Cambodia, Phnom Penh, March 3.
- Presentation on research methods appropriate to the study of dried fish value chains, with an overview of DFM research on processed fish in Cambodia and a comparison of conventional and "stacked" value chain approaches.
- Belton, Ben. 2019. “Casting the Net Wider: Integrative Approaches to Value Chain Research in Fisheries.” Conference paper presented at the MARE People & the Sea X Conference: learning from the past, imagining the future, University of Amsterdam, June 27.
- Presentation on the importance of dried fish and the combination of "stacked value chain" and "social economy" approaches in the Dried Fish Matters project
- Johnson, Derek S., and Eric Thrift. 2020. “Using Zotero to Structure a Global Literature Review on Dried Fish.” Presented at the TBTI Transdisciplinarity course, Online, October 8.
- Literature reviews are an essential tool for research. They provide the starting point for research projects, including helping to identify driving research questions. In this presentation we argue for a process-based approach to literature reviews consistent with a transdisciplinary orientation to knowledge creation and dissemination. Our presentation provides an overview of the literature review process, including attention to methodological nuts and bolts, using the Zotero reference management software tool. We ground the presentation in how our SSHRC Partnership Grant project entitled Dried Fish Matters (http://www.driedfishmatters.org) is using Zotero to help chart the waters of the dried fish literature.
- Johnson, Derek S., Ben Belton, Kyoko Kusakabe, Gayathri Lokuge, and Fabiana Li. 2019. “On Making Dried Fish Matter.” Colloquium presented at the WorldFish Fish For Thought series, Oslo, Norway, December 6.
- Presentation by Derek Johnson at WorldFish HQ. The presentation gives overview of the project's social economy conceptualization and the efforts to operationalize that idea in the context of a large, multi-country, multi-partner research initiative. Moreover, professor Johnson shares his reflections from building the Dried Fish Matters team and presents some of the rich empirical insights the project is generating.
- Lokuge, Gayathri. 2021. “Gendered Experiences and Social Networks in Fish Processing in Cambodia.” Conference paper presented at the MARE 2021 People and the Sea Conference, Online, July 1.
- Historically, fish processing and trade in Cambodia have been an important part of not only the nation's economy, but also its rich history, culture, and heritage. Several studies, focusing on the inland water sector in Cambodia, have highlighted the importance of post-harvest or processing activities as an important supplementary livelihood option, especially for poorer households, women and children; the important role played by dried or processed fish products in food security and nutrition; and the impacts of ecological changes on fish stocks and therefore the processed fish sector. However, there remains a scarcity of research that provides a nuanced sociological analysis of those who are engaged in fish processing, including their experiences and aspirations, especially from a gendered/intersectional lens. This paper, as part of the Dried Fish Matters project, draws on primary data collected over five months in markets, landing sites, and floating villages around the Tonle Sap lake and coastal Cambodia. The paper aims to discuss the different groups of people who are involved in different types of fish processing, their gendered socialization processes and how they continue to shape young girls' and boys' engagement with fisheries and fish processing, and the roles of (gendered/intersectional) kinship and social networks in processed fish value chains in Cambodia.
- Johnson, Derek S., Ben Belton, Michael Fabinyi, Juanita Franky, Julian Idrobo, Jonah Olsen, Johny Stephen, and Mark Hudson. 2019. “Fisheries Economies as Social Economies: Exhibit 1: A Social Economy Approach to Dried Fish Value Chains in Asia.” Conference panel presented at the MARE People & the Sea X Conference: learning from the past, imagining the future, University of Amsterdam, June 27.
- Panel exploring the utility of a "social economy" approach to dried fish value chains
- Thrift, Eric, Ben Belton, and Derek S. Johnson. 2020. “Dried Fish in Global Perspective: Themes and Knowledge Gaps from a Multidisciplinary Literature Review.” Webinar, December 10.
- In an earlier webinar, Derek Johnson presented the quantitative results of the DFM global literature review on dried fish. In this meeting we shared our qualitative assessment of that literature. Drawing on a systematic review of over 1300 publications directly focusing on dried fish, we presented an overview of key themes and knowledge gaps in contemporary research, with reference to selected examples illustrating studies from different continents, disciplines, and theoretical perspectives. Findings were presented thematically according to the following topics: (1) Ecology; (2) History and change; (3) Culture and social relations; (4) Nutrition, food security, and health; (5) Technical knowledge; (6) Economy, value chains, and labour; and (7) Policy and governance. The presentation was followed by a short discussion session.
- Johnson, Derek S., Jonah Olsen, Eric Thrift, and Ben Belton. 2019. “Comparing Economies of Dried Fish in Asia: What the Literature on Six Countries Tells Us.” Conference paper presented at the MARE People & the Sea X Conference: learning from the past, imagining the future, University of Amsterdam, June 26.
- Presentation of preliminary quantitative findings from a global literature review on dried fish.
- Srinivasan, Jeena. 2021. “Gender and Gender Insensitivity in the Dried Fish Value Chains: A Study of Women Processors’ Access to and Participation in the Fresh-Fish Input and Dried-Fish Output Markets in Andhra Pradesh, India.” Conference paper presented at the MARE 2021 People and the Sea Conference, Online, July 1.
- Andhra Pradesh has one of the most important marine fisheries in India. The sector contributes to over six per cent of the gross state domestic product and employs nearly one and a half million people directly and indirectly. This paper focuses on the market access and participation of women dried fish processors compared to the male processors in the state. The study looks into the structure, organization and functioning of the fresh-fish input and dried-fish output markets and attempts to bring out some gender-specific concerns and insensitivity observed in the market system. Qualitative and quantitative data collected through in-depth interviews of about 54 processors, both males and females, using a semi-structured interview schedule from across the different fishing harbours and landing centres in AP as part of the Dried Fish Matters study have been used in this paper. The study observes that the structure, organization, and functioning of fresh-fish input and dried-fish output markets have undergone several changes. The women processors who lack sufficient capital, education, and modern technical skills find it difficult to adapt to the changing systems. As a result, they seem to be losing out to their male counterparts and the other new entrants who sometimes participate in the market remotely using their smartphones. We also note that apart from the various socio-economic inequities existing in the system that adversely affect women’s access and participation, the lapses in collecting a local tax or a market entry fee, known as the Hasil/Asil, results in exploitation and human rights violations. By drawing attention to the existing gender insensitive and discriminatory practices, our study calls for more gender-inclusive and gender-sensitive market reforms and the adoption of other measures to facilitate the participation of women in the dried fish value chains and ensure their livelihoods and welfare.
- Pradhan, Sisir. 2021. “Reimagining Value in Dried Fish Value Chain by Using a Social-Ecological System Lens.” Conference paper presented at the MARE 2021 People and the Sea Conference, Online, June 29.
- The objective of the paper is to reconceptualize dried fish value chain by incorporating non-linear and dynamic connections of people, ecosystem and value chain using a SES lens. Here, SES lens offers an empirical basis to move away from revenue optimization and conduct an inclusive analysis of the ‘value’ in dried fish value chain. In the absence of this, there are significant implications for wellbeing of fishers and producers, which tend to perpetuate inequity and injustice. This social-ecological systems perspective can in broadening understanding of “value” in dried fish value chain by reconfiguring value chain as dynamic, non-linear, co-evolutionary, and ultimately, constitutive of linked social and ecological processes that are ‘co-productive’.
- Nair, Tara. 2021. “The Paradox of Progress: The Dried Fish Social Economy of Gujarat.” Conference paper presented at the MARE 2021 People and the Sea Conference, Online, July 1.
- Fisheries and aquaculture in India is an important sector supporting over 14 million fishers. There is no systematic count of those who are part of the fisheries value chain that extends from capture to consumption. Gujarat, the largest producer of marine fish (seven lakh metric tonnes in 2016-17), supports close to six lakh fishermen. The available estimates show that about half this amount gets converted to dried products. Gujarat accounts for 89 per cent of unsalted and 69 per cent of salted or smoked dried fish in the country. Though exact estimates are not available, field research shows that a significant part of the inland fish production – especially of wold fish or jungle fish – also gets dried and transported out of the state. The traditional dried fish sector in the state has, however, been facing several systemic challenges including dwindling catch, marine pollution, competition for ground water from aqua culture, overfishing and climate change. There are challenges on the management side as well, such as inadequate landing facilities or post-harvest infrastructure for storage, transport and distribution, resulting in considerable waste and losses. Further, the state has witnessed strong protests from fishworkers and the organizations that work for their rights against policies that encourage establishment of large industrial establishments like power stations along the coastline. This paper will present a detailed analysis of the dried fish sector in Gujarat in light of the above challenges. Additionally, it will examine the role of state policies in addressing the immediate practical challenges of the sector as well as the long-term, strategic concerns.
- Thrift, Eric. 2021. “Online Tools for Collaboration in a Time of COVID-19.” Conference paper presented at the MARE 2021 People and the Sea Conference, Online, June 30.
- This presentation explores the stimulus to innovation in developing online tools for collaboration within the Dried Fish Matters project, as prompted by the global COVID-19 pandemic. The sudden shift to Zoom and other online tools appears to be disruptive, but may not be particularly transformative if we consider how we use these tools to perform familiar communicative functions. More fundamental changes accompany the evolution of what I call "cyborg communications" -- practices that deploy technologies not simply as channels to carry messages, but as tools for augmenting our human communicative abilities. Zotero and MediaWiki platforms, both in use in our own project, provide diverse options for machine-assisted knowledge creation, including the categorization, analysis, and reporting of data in complex information systems. Beyond the online/offline hybridity we may expect in the post-pandemic world, we can look forward to an increased blurring of boundaries between human and machine, with computer-assisted cyborg researchers and administrators contributing to forms of knowledge generation involving creative interactions with large and unstructured datasets.
- Rahman, Mahfuzar. 2021. “A Relational Approach to Complicating Value in Dried Fish Value Chains.” Conference paper presented at the MARE 2021 People and the Sea Conference, Online, June 29.
- My presentation adopts a relational approach to value informed with social wellbeing, value theory in anthropology and the diverse economies perspective. A relational perspective to value goes beyond the capitalist value perspective and valuation system; it emphasizes examining both the capitalist and non-capitalist economic and social relations and the values, economic and non-economic, produced by them.
- Pigeault, Alexia. 2021. “Assessing Perceptions of Effectiveness of Three Levels of Communication in an International Project on the Social Economy of Dried Fish in Asia.” Conference paper presented at the MARE 2021 People and the Sea Conference, Online, June 30.
- How do we understand the terms "communication", "international collaboration", and "effective communications"? How do these concepts work in an international research project led by Anthropologists? I attempt to answer these questions by contrasting ideas of communications and different influencing factors such as language, culture, interdisciplinarity, personality, and hierarchy, as taken from the perspective of the participants I interviewed, with the goal of understanding the nature of communication and collaboration in international and interdisciplinary research teams studying small-scale fisheries. Prior research has addressed management as coordinating relations between fishing communities, governance institutions, and researchers. However, the researchers who investigate these relations have not typically observed themselves as a variable in management processes. My project considers the relationships between researchers, drawing on a general survey sent to participants in the Dried Fish Matters (DFM) project, in-depth interviews, and participant observation in workings groups and selected research teams. I examined three levels of communication in the DFM project: internal communication within the global project; external communication with outside knowledge users or the general public; and internal communication within partner organizations and the different research teams. This study helps to understand the role of scientists in shaping knowledge through communication with others, examines key elements of communication and collaboration, and brings together some solutions in terms of effective communication and effective communicative management applied to the DFM project.
- Koralagama, Dilanthi. 2021. “Maldive Fish Processing in Sri Lanka: A Case Study in Matara District, Southern Province.” Conference paper presented at the MARE 2021 People and the Sea Conference, Online, July 1.
- Maldive fish is a unique, staple ingredient in Sri Lankan cuisine, originating historically in the neighbouring Maldives. Based on a processing technique, which includes smoking and drying, Maldive fish flakes are used as a condiment in vegetable dishes and in accompaniments (sambols) that enhance the flavour of a rice meal. The local demand is fulfilled by domestic production and imports. As a cottage level industry, local production statistics are scant. In contrast, Maldive fish imported to Sri Lanka was recorded at 2400 MT in 2018. This paper explores the Maldive fish value chain in Sri Lanka with the objective of making it more visible, focusing on its gendered dimensions, based on qualitative fieldwork in the coastal villages of Kottegoda and Gandara in Matara District of the Southern Province. Research methods comprised in-depth interviews conducted with processors (n=25), traders (n=10) and leaders of processor associations (n=2) in October 2020. The paper addresses knowledge gaps in structure, scale and process of production, labour utilisation, value addition and trading of Maldive fish within the country. It discusses species preferences, techniques of processing, types of products, gendered ownership patterns, the gender division of labour in production, wages, marketing mechanisms and networks across the country, and the place of Maldive fish in local cuisine. A noteworthy trend in demand is the development of new value added Maldive fish products, destined for local urban super market chains and overseas markets, targeted at the Sri Lankan diaspora. Constraints identified by the producers include imperfect information between producer, trader and consumer and lack of a central market place. The paper argues for the need for a transparent marketing system, which will enable enhanced local production of Maldive fish with positive impacts on the national economy.
- Galappaththi, Iroshani (Madu). 2021. “Linking Social Wellbeing and Intersectionality to Understand Gender Relations in Dried Fish Value Chains.” Conference paper presented at the MARE 2021 People and the Sea Conference, Online, June 29.
- Gender relations are a critical gap in our current understanding of fish value chains in general. Understanding gender relations, however, requires further development of existing approaches to value chain research. This perspective paper aims to broaden the conceptual and analytical scope of conventional value chain research by developing a framework that links the concepts of social wellbeing, intersectionality, and value chain analysis. This framework reflects the breadth of benefits women derive through their participation in value chains as well as the relational structures (e.g., caste, ethnicity) that perpetuate gender inequities within these chains. Using case-based examples, we illustrate how the new framework produces a "thick description" of gender relations that reflects the contexts within which the value chains are embedded. The application of our new framework leads to insights on the socially and culturally unique ways that dried fish value chains support the social wellbeing of women (e.g., social ties, cultural values), and how gender intersects with other social structures (e.g., widows, refugees, caste groups) and uniquely position women and men with regard to how they can benefit from value chain participation. Such insights are critical to understanding the root causes of gender inequity within dried fish value chains and exploring opportunities to meaningfully address them.
- Chuenpagdee, Ratana, and Sayeed Ferdous. 2021. “Themes and Questions: Results from a Deliberative Exercise on Constructing Social Economies of Dried Fish.” Conference paper presented at the MARE 2021 People and the Sea Conference, Online, June 30.
- We report on the activities and outcomes of an internal, deliberative process seeking to identify key themes and research questions on social economies of dried fish in Asia. Elements of deliberation emerge from ongoing scoping research and the team's transdicsiplinary expertise.
- Jyotishi, Amalendu. 2021. “From Dried Fish Processing to Shrimp Culture: Analyzing Utilization Shift of Marine Fish in India.” Conference paper presented at the MARE 2021 People and the Sea Conference, Online, July 1.
- Dried Fish activities in India plays a significant role not only in the sustenance of several fishing communities, it also meets the economic necessities and caters to their nutritional requirements. The present paper aims to estimate and understand the trends in its production over a period of 15 years between 2004 and 2018. Dried fish processing activities in India are often led by small-scale women processors whose livelihoods are dependent on this activity. In recent years, the demand for feed led by shrimp culture has driven FMFO industry that reduces and utilizes marine products to produce fishmeal and oil, an important requirement for shrimp feed. Direct competition of marine fish utilization by shrimp farms via FMFO industry makes the dried fish sector vulnerable. In this paper we attempt to estimate the dried fish production and wet fish equivalent going to shrimp farms. In the process, we analyze the shift in the utilization of marine products from dried fish towards shrimp feed. Through compilation and estimation of tedious data on dried fish and shrimp production, we identify a negative correlation between dried fish and shrimp feed production over the years. This paper, thus, makes a valued contribution towards a shift in the utilization of marine fish from dried fish in favor of shrimp feed that has serious implications on livelihood of dried fish processors as well as food & nutrition security of the country apart from ecological implications of such shifts on marine and land resources.
- Too Big To Ignore. 2021. “SSF Open House June 2: The ‘Value’ in Dried Fish Value Chains.” Presentation and panel discussion presented at the World Ocean Week 2021 Small-Scale Fisheries Open House, Online, June 2.
- For many of the most vulnerable peoples of the South and Southeast Asia region, dried fish is of vital nutritional, economic, social, and cultural importance. Despite this, the diverse and complex economy that produces and distributes dried fish, and the threats to it, are all but invisible in research and policy. The Dried Fish Matters Partnership aims to address this oversight through the work of a transdisciplinary team that brings together more than 50 researchers and collaborators, 14 universities, and 10 governmental and civil society organizations from around the world. This virtual panel began with am 18-minute pre-recorded presentation of images and commentaries from Dried Fish Matters partners and collaborators, illustrating the diverse forms of value associated with dried fish in South and Southeast Asia. The introductory presentation was followed by a panel discussion involving researchers from four countries. Panelists explored the question: how might we better describe, support, and promote diverse forms of “value” in dried fish value chains?
- Lokuge, Gayathri. 2020. “DFM Cambodia Scoping Research.” Workshop presentation presented at the Stakeholder workshop on Dried/Processed fish matters in Cambodia, Phom Penh, March 3.
- Report on scoping phase research by DFM Cambodia. The research was conducted between October 2019 and March 2020, addressing the following topics: Existing literature and gaps, processed products, value chain actors, production and trade, contribution of dried fish and its production to livelihoods and food security, governance and policy, and links with broader geo‐politics and development.
- Johnson, Derek S., and Fabiana Li. 2019. “Anthropologists Orchestrating Collaboration: Insights from Anthropological Leadership of a Six Country Transdisciplinary Research Partnership on the Social Economy of Dried Fish in South and Southeast Asia.” Presented at the American Anthropological Association, Vancouver, November 23.
- Text PDF
- Dried Fish Matters. 2020. “DFM Webinar: Using Zotero.” July 9. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIPNKvLoV8I.
- Webinar on the Dried Fish Matters Zotero library, hosted by Dr Derek Johnson at the University of Manitoba.
- Dried Fish Matters. 2020. “DFM Cambodia Scoping Research Webinar with Gayathri Lokuge.” August 20. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Z71CMOdraw.
- This webinar, hosted by the Dried Fish Matters project (DFM), was presented by Gayathri Lokuge from the Centre for Poverty Analysis (CEPA) in Sri Lanka. As a post-doctoral researcher affiliated with the DFM Cambodia research team, Gayathri spent half a year conducting field research on dried fish in Cambodia. In this webinar she shared her experiences with other Dried Fish Matters project teams through a brief presentation and Q&A session. The webinar begins with a brief introduction to the tools and approaches used for data collection in Cambodia during the scoping phase, paying particular attention to what worked and what could be improved. Next it discusses the data analysis process, with a special emphasis on analysing qualitative data using NVivo and expand on emerging themes that may be of relevance to the different country teams across DFM. The webinar concludes with a brief presentation on potential next steps for DFM Cambodia, including a discussion on emerging themes of interest to other countries.
Report
- Jyotishi, Amalendu, Ramachandra Bhatta, and Prasanna Surathkal. 2024. “The Dried Fish Processors of Karnataka.” Working Paper 13. Dried Fish Matters. Azim Premji University / Snehakunja / The University of Manitoba. https://driedfishmatters.org/dfm/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/KNT_DF_processors_2.pdf.
- Processing harvested marine fish into dried fish has been an age-old practice and by far the most common method of preserving fish on the Karnataka coast. Performed mostly by women of fisher communities in small-scale operations, dried fish processing and marketing are important traditional livelihood options on the coast. However, in the drive for modernizing the seafood sector, the dried fish segment has long gone out of favor among policymakers as well as academics despite possessing several advantages for both producers and consumers of dried fish. In this regard, this report sets out the goal of providing a detailed description of the dried fish processing segment in the Karnataka coast so as to gain a better appreciation for the role of the dried fish value chain in the regional economy. This report is a product of the only detailed study of dried fish production in Karnataka State. The study collected primary data from dried fish processors in the three coastal districts of the state through structured interviews. A total of 271 processors were interviewed from around the nine major fishing harbors of the state. The respondents were interviewed thrice coinciding with the three major seasons in Karnataka marine fisheries, i.e., the monsoon season, post-monsoon season, and the pre-monsoon season. Through this approach, the study analyzes not only the seasonal patterns in dried fish production in the state, but also the relative size of dried fish production across the geographical markets and the major species used for processing. There were many questions that were repeated in every round of the survey, while some unique questions were included in each round to capture unique aspects of the value chain, for example impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. A key contribution of this study is its detailed socioeconomic and demographic profile of dried fish processors. The study also explains the operation of their dried fish businesses, and their perceptions of some of the major issues facing the dried fish segment of Karnataka’s seafood value chain. The findings demonstrate the predominant role played by women in dried fish value chains, supported by the fact that about 95 percent of the respondents were women. The study suggests seasonal patterns in dried fish processing such that largest procurements of fresh fish for dried fish operations occurred in the post-monsoon period, followed by the monsoon period, with the lowest procurements taking place in the pre-monsoon period. Mangaluru is the largest production market in terms of volume of fresh fish procured for dried fish operations. In terms of fish species, anchovies and mackerel are the two most procured fish in these production markets. The study examined the capital costs, working capital, losses during production and marketing, and the marketing channels for dried fish used by the processors. Results indicate the importance of dried fish not only as a livelihood option for coastal fisher communities, but also as a source of nutrition-dense food for the regional food systems of the state. Based on its findings, the report makes recommendations for policymakers and academicians that can help improve the dried fish processing segment of the state’s seafood value chain. The dried fish processing segment has been neglected for far too long despite holding tremendous potential to create livelihoods, improve nutritional security, and enhance fisheries sustainability.
- Ramappa, Prashanth, Surathkal Prasanna, Jyotishi Amalendu, and Bhatta Ramachandra. 2023. “Mapping the Dried Fish Markets of Karnataka.” Working Paper 12. Dried Fish Matters. Snehakunja Trust / University of Manitoba / Azim Premji Foundation.
- This report provides a detailed description of the dried fish segment of the seafood value chain of Karnataka. The state’s dried fish segment is analyzed from two perspectives: the vertical flow of dried fish products, i.e., from producers/processors to consumers; and, the horizontal flow, i.e., from the coastal markets to hinterland consumption centers. Market analysis shows that the Mangaluru wholesale dried fish market can be described as the pivotal market for dried fish in the state. Though there is inter-regional trade of dried fish taking place in other production centers as well, the scale and scope of Mangaluru make it a pivotal market. Dried fish producers are present in substantial numbers in all the sampled fish landing centers on the coast, though their number appears to have declined strongly over time. The study made only a limited attempt to understand the consumption aspects of dried fish products in the state, but with limited evidence it could be hypothesized that dried fish forms an important part of diet especially among the weaker sections of the society, but maybe it is preferred less by the younger generations/cohort. The report discusses the major challenges facing dried fish production in Karnataka, and offers some suggestions for reviving this critical component of the small-scale fisheries of the state.
- Nair, Tara, and Himani Baxi. 2022. “Institutional Context of Marine Fisheries in Gujarat: A Review.” Working Paper 11. Dried Fish Matters. The University of Manitoba / Gujarat Institute of Development Research.
- This paper is the first among the series of analytical write-ups that we plan to bring out as part of the Gujarat regional component of the Dried Fish Matters research project. In this paper we re-view some of the major policies and institutional arrangements that are critical for understanding the social economy of fisheries, especially marine fisheries, in the state. The paper is divided into two sections. In section one, we present a brief overview of the trajectory of the evolution of fish-eries sector policies at the national level since they broadly define the context of our discussion. In section two, we will elaborate on the Gujarat case. Our focus here will be to interrogate the broader philosophy that guides Gujarat’s approach to fisheries development in recent years.
- Hossain, M A R, Mirza Taslima Sultana, Sayeed Ferdous, Md. Samsul Alam, Rasheda Akhtar, Md. Siddiqur Rahman, Md. Shahjahan, and Mahmudul H Sumon. 2022. “Key Locations: Dry Fish Processing and Trading in Bangladesh.” Working Paper 10. Dried Fish Matters. The University of Manitoba / Bangladesh Agricultural University / Jahangirnagar University.
- The dried fish sector has made a strong position in the economy of Bangladesh as it has its appearance both on international and local markets. The large-scale fish drying and fermentation activities are concentrated in Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Sylhet-Mymensingh-Comilla and Khulna-Barisal-Patuakhali region. Dublar Char in Sundarban, Khulna, and Nazirar Tek and Sonadia in Cox’s Bazar are the major and largest marine fish drying facilities of the country. Freshwater fish are mainly dried in Sylhet-Mymensingh-Comilla region. In the Chalan Beel area at the north central Bangladesh, in Faridpur and Kaptai Lake, smaller quantity of freshwater fishes is dried as well.
- Ghosh, Raktima, Jenia Mukherjee, Amrita Sen, Souradip Pathak, Anuradha Choudry, and Shreyashi Bhattacharya. 2022. “Dried Fish in West Bengal, India: Scoping Report.” Working Paper 09. Dried Fish Matters. The University of Manitoba / Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur.
- The history of dried fish with its significance in the Bengal area starts from the medieval era. Dried fish got to India via the port cities such as Bombay, Visakhapatnam and Chennai by the inter-state and intra-state trades with the rail ways in the mid-19th century. Popularly known as ‘Shutki’, dried fish is emblematic to the cultural oneness of (dis)integrated Bengal wherein Bengalis either relished dried fish with uncompromising endearment or rejected it because of the repugnant odor of a decaying fish. The scoping research focused on two coastal districts of West Bengal; South 24 Parganas and East Medinipur.
- Lin, Si Thu, Ben Belton, and Wae Win Khaing. 2022. “Myanmar Dried Fish Consumption Survey.” Working Paper 08. Dried Fish Matters. The University of Manitoba / Network Activities Group.
- The Myanmar Dried Fish Consumption Survey (MDFCS) was implemented by NAG as part of the Dried Fish Matters (DFM) project. This study was confined to the 8 states and regions in Myanmar where NAG offices are located. Data collection was taken between October 2019 and March 2020. The participants in this study were rural people who are living under the scope of NAG project villages. This study mainly focuses on fish (fresh and processed) consumption in the 7 days before the survey and per capita consumption per day, including the source of the consumed fish, location of purchase, method of consumption, and details of the consumed fish species.
- Tial, D., R. Thang, V. Lian, and W. Khaing. 2020. “A Stacked Value Chain Analysis Study of Smoked Rohu from Kale Township, Sagaing Region, Myanmar.”
- This report involves the participation of DFM researcher Wae Win Khaing, and draws on survey methodologies and questionnaire formats adapted from those of the Dakshin Foundation and the Dried Fish Matters programme and the Koninklijk Instituut voor de Tropen (KIT) Royal Tropical Institute. Rohu is the most captured and cultured fish species in Myanmar, providing livelihoods for hundreds of people in the Sagaing Region alone. In Kale Township of Sagaing region, rohu is processed through a smoking system that employs firewood and sawdust. In the small-scale smoked rohu industry in Kale Township, all actors studied were found to be Chin and Mizo, except in the case of rohu grow-out farmers. This study was designed to provide a better understanding of the smoked rohu industry, to identify opportunities for improving current practices of smoking rohu and to strengthen its value chain, and the socio-economic context of the sector‘s value chain, with the objective of supporting the sustainable intensification of the aquaculture sector, thereby realizing its potential for food security and sustainable livelihoods. The study employed a stacked value chain analysis method using both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The study was divided into three phases – a scoping study, mapping of a single value chain, and a value chain actor interview. The findings presented in this report were built upon interviews with 26 people across the value chain, and were aided by 18 people interviewed during the scoping mission, working in different segments of the smoked rohu value chain.
- Salagrama, Venkatesh, and Arjili Dasu. 2021. “Living on the Edge: Perspectives of the Small-Scale Women Fish Processors of Northern Coastal Andhra Pradesh, India.” Working Paper 07. Dried Fish Matters. India: The University of Manitoba / District Fishermen Youth Welfare Association.
- The District Fishermen Youth Welfare Association (DFYWA) is a community-based non-governmental organisation working with the small-scale fishers and fishworkers of northern Andhra Pradesh since 1992, implementing activities focused on developing sustainable fisheries-based livelihoods for men and women. This working paper is the first in the proposed series, focusing upon the fisherwomen involved in dried fish trade covering the four northern coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh. The working paper also takes a sideways glance at the potential impacts of the industrial fishmeal production on the small-scale processed fish production in the target communities. It is the intention of DFYWA to treat the working paper as a live document, to allow updating it at regular intervals, add more quantitative data as it is collected, and also use this as a baseline to understand and interpret future development directions in the subsector, both from within the communities and outside of them. The study, based mostly on primary data collection, is undertaken by several members and staff of DFYWA.
- Koralagama, Dilanthi, Shalika Wickrama, and Anupama Adikari. 2021. “A Preliminary Analysis of the Social Economy of Dried Fish in Sri Lanka.” Working Paper 06. Dried Fish Matters. Dried Fish Matters / University of Ruhuna.
- The social economy of dried fish in Sri Lanka, an island located at the crossroads of maritime trade between Europe,East Africa, South and Southeast Asia, has a long history. Dried fish has not only been an important commodity traded within the island and among neighbouring countries, but it has also played a significant nutritional and cultural role in the Sri Lankan diet. Although a greater proportion of the total fish production is iced, traded, and consumed as fresh fish, it is estimated that 14 percent of the catch is preserved using simple techniques such as sun drying, salting, smoking, and fermentation, collectively referred to as “dried fish.” In Sri Lankan cuisine, dried fish is consumed as a main dish, as well as a condiment to enhance the flavour of vegetable dishes and rice.
- Lokuge, Gayathri. 2021. “Dried Fish in Cambodia: Literature Review.” Working Paper 05. Dried Fish Matters. The University of Manitoba / CIRD.
- The literature reviewed in this report clearly identifies the role of processed fish in Cambodia as an important livelihood option, especially for the poorer segments of the population and women; as an important contributor to food security and nutrition; and as a cultural preference. This body of work is fragmented, however, as it does not focus specifically on the processed fish sector. Research that is directly about fish processing in Cambodia is marked by a focus on technical analysis, including the chemical composition of processed fish and the methods followed in processing fish paste and fermented fish. Some studies that analyze the fisheries sector more generally have included discussions of the processed fish sector, addressing a variety of themes – socio-economic conditions; culture; ecology and environment; nutrition; food security and food safety; and policy and governance.
- Gopal, Nikita, and Holly M Hapke. 2020. “Report of the Scoping Study on Dried Fish Value Chain in Kerala, India.” Working Paper 04. Dried Fish Matters. Cochin: Dried Fish Matters.
- Dried fish has long been an important source of protein in Kerala, especially for fishing communities during lean season. It has also had a niche market among fish eaters residing away from the sea coast. Dried fish has been traditionally produced by fishing communities, when the excess catch is dried by the women of the households and stored for use later or marketed during times when fresh catches were unavailable for sale. This report communicates the findings of scoping field research carried out from 27th January to 1st February 2020 in Ernakulam district of Kerala and in Aroor, Alappuzha district (Aroor borders Ernakulam district). Due to COVID-19 pandemic related restrictions from about mid- March in the state, the follow up information was mostly gathered by communicating with stakeholders over several phone calls. The sites visited included a range of dried fish production units and sellers with respect to scale, technology and innovation are concerned. They included traditional dried fish producers and production yards (small scale, home based and large scale), traditional producers willing to look for better drying technologies, innovative dried fish producers and dried fish traders selling in traditional and modern conditions. There are a number of organizational variations, which also are “gendered” in terms of how women and men are involved therein. Interactions were carried out with several traders across the markets to get an idea of the different modes of operation different traders employ. A couple of enterprises using modern driers for drying fish as well as several sites where fish is dried using traditional sun-based methods.
- Amarasinghe, Oscar. 2020. “National Policies & Regulations on Dried Fish in Sri Lanka.” Working Paper 03. Dried Fish Matters. Colombo: Dried Fish Matters / University of Ruhuna.
- This document compiles relevant passages from policy statements, regulations, agreements, and conventions that concern fish processing and the status of women in Sri Lanka, arranged by type of instrument and the various articles under each instrument.
- Amarasinghe, Oscar. 2020. “Key Zone Identification: A Study to Identify the Key Dry Fish Producing Zones in Sri Lanka.” Working Paper 02. Dried Fish Matters. Colombo: Dried Fish Matters / University of Ruhuna.
- Identification of Key Zones was done with the assistance of Assistant Directors (ADs) of Fisheries, who are the representatives of the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development for each of the fifteen Fisheries districts of Sri Lanka. This report compiles responses from a structured questionnaire, which included questions on the following: Major fish production areas; Major dried fish producing sites; Volume of Production of dry fish by type; Number of households involved in dried fish production; Distribution of employment in dried fish production (disaggregated by gender and work category); Fish marketing channels and the type and number of traders serving each location; Location and number of wholesale centers; Type and number of state and non-state institutions (civil society organisations, community organisations, women’s organisations) engaged in the sector; Key issues faced by the dried fish producers of the district; Changes over the last 10 years, in respect of volumes of production, locations, technology, marketing, etc.
- Amarasinghe, Oscar. 2020. “Development Interventions Related to Dried Fish in Sri Lanka.” Working Paper 01. Dried Fish Matters. Colombo: Dried Fish Matters / University of Ruhuna.
- This Working Paper briefly summarizes development interventions by the National Aquatic Resource Research & Development Agency (NARA) and the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development (MFARD) in Sri Lanka.
- Lokuge, Gayathri. 2020. “DFM Cambodia Stakeholder Workshop Report.” Workshop summary report. Phnom Penh: Dried Fish Matters.
- A Stakeholder Workshop was held in March 2020 to share and validate the initial findings of a scoping study conducted by DFM Cambodia from October 2019 to March 2020. Coordinated by Cambodian Institute for Research and Rural Development (CIRD) in collaboration with Centre for Poverty Analysis of Sri Lanka (CEPA), the DFM Cambodia research project aimed to understand the dried/processed fish economy, with attention to historical, social, cultural, economic and policy variability, in the initial scoping phase of the study. The project has a particular aim on tracing the value chain forward and backward starting with fish processing, moving on to trading within the country and outside the country-exports and imports. Feedback, comments, and inputs from participants of the workshop have been collected and analyzed in order to identify gaps.
- Jyotishi, Amalendu, Ramachandra Bhatta, Priya Gupta, Narayana K A, and Gargi Mondal. 2020. “A Short Progress Report on Karnataka Project.” Dried Fish Matters.
- Trisha Gupta, Paloma Chandrachud, Muralidharan M., Naveen Namboothri, and Derek S. Johnson. 2020. “The Dried Fish Industry of Malvan: Supply Chain, Economy and Relationship with the Fishmeal Industry.” Dakshin Foundation / The University of Manitoba. https://www.dakshin.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Malvan-Dried-Fish-Report-Final.pdf.
Software
- Thrift, Eric. (2022) 2022. DFM Pywikibot Scripts. DriedFishMatters.
- Collection of pywikibot scripts, mainly for data synchronization between wiki and other sources
- Thrift, Eric. (2022) 2022. Zotero-Wordcloud. DriedFishMatters. https://github.com/DriedFishMatters/zotero-wordcloud.
- Script to generate a wordcloud out of a Zotero collection.
- Thrift, Eric. 2021. Zotero Tags Graphing Tool. Dried Fish Matters.
- This is an adapted version of the Zotero Meta-Analysis Toolkit developed by the Dried Fish Matters project. The tool operates on a Zotero database, using the pyzotero API, to obtain basic quantitative measures about the distribution of references according to user-applied thematic tags and supply results in the form of an html table or bar graph. This program is intended to be run on a web server as a cgi script. If invoked without any URL arguments, a user form will be returned inviting input parameter selection. See the live version of this script on the DFM website at https://driedfishmatters.org/cgi-bin/zoterotags.py.
- Thrift, Eric. 2022. Zotero-Meta-Analysis-Toolkit (version 1.0). Dried Fish Matters.
- Command-line tools to support meta-analysis using a library managed in Zotero
- Thrift, Eric. 2020. Zotero-My-Publications. DriedFishMatters.
- This python script downloads bibliographic details from the Zotero "My Publications" collection, using the Zotero API, and outputs formatted HTML.
Thesis
- Lin, Si Thu. 2023. “Understanding the Social Wellbeing of Migrant Women in the Dried Fish Value Chain: A Study in Samut Sakhon Province, Thailand.” Thailand: Asian Institute of Technology.
- Dried fish has been one of the essential components of south and southeast Asian countries' food supplies and, provide livelihoods for many people, including migrant women. Despite the industry's significance, migrant women entrepreneurs face unique challenges due to their migrant and female status. These challenges impact their social well-being both positively and negatively. Studies focus on fish drying and processing methods, but it is rarely acknowledged that migrant women dried fish entrepreneurs confront additional obstacles due to their status as migrants and women. This study explores these experiences and their effects by conducting in-person interviews with women engaged in small-scale dried fish processing and trading in Samut Sakhon province. The study finds that motivations for entering the dried fish business include personal circumstances, market demand, cultural familiarity, self-employment desire, and income potential. Business networks play a crucial role in success, aiding in resource access, support, and opportunities. Common challenges include legal constraints, logistical issues, financial struggles, and environmental impacts on product handling. Women entrepreneurs utilize different approaches to source products, manage finances, and adapt to market conditions. Problem-solving, negotiation skills, emotional coping, and support from informal networks also play crucial roles in navigating the complexities of the industry. The study evaluates various aspects, such as financial well-being, income contribution, relationships, risk perception, satisfaction, and gender dynamics. Financial well-being varies, with some achieving stability and assets, while others struggle. Participation in dried fish value chain positively affects relational well-being by fostering connections with customers, friends, and family. Subjective well-being is influenced by self-sufficiency, financial stability, and personal contentment. Gender relations have evolved, enhancing autonomy and communication, though challenges persist in managing work-life balance and traditional gender roles. Despite these challenges, the dried fish industry remains an attractive option for women seeking independence and economic opportunities. Key Words: Dried Fish, Migrant entrepreneurship, Gender, Value Chain
- Synt, Nang Lun Kham. 2023. “GENDER ANALYSIS OF DRIED FISH CONSUMPTION AMONG MYANMAR MIGRANTS IN MAHACHAI SUBDISTRICT, SAMUT SAKHON PROVINCE, THAILAND.” Thailand: Asian Institute of Technology.
- Aung, Myo Zaw. 2023. “Gender Analysis of Micro and Small-Scale Dried Fish Business in Ayeyarwady Region, Myanmar.” Thailand: Asian Institute of Technology.
- This paper explores the role of the fisheries sector in Myanmar's economy and nutrition, with a particular focus on the Ayeyarwady region, which is the most populous state in the country and a significant producer of dried fish products. Using qualitative research methods, the study examines the management of micro and small-size shrimp paste production businesses in the region, with a particular emphasis on the gendered constraints that affect these businesses. The study found that women tend to operate smaller businesses than men and face numerous challenges, including limited access to financial and natural capital and social norms. Despite these challenges, women hold significant decision-making power within households regarding shrimp paste businesses, particularly related to food management, household asset purchases, large household expenses, managing credit and savings, and healthcare expenditures. The study identifies the benefits for men and women from the shrimp paste business, finding that micro and small businesses led by men produce more on average and generate higher monthly income while shrimp-paste-making households engage in additional income-generating activities and prioritize their income towards loan repayment, food, and investment. Finally, the article discusses the benefits of a collective market approach for reducing transportation costs and securing better prices for dried fish processors in Labutta town but notes that small-scale fishers do not fully participate in this approach because of individual free time, income requirements, and the need to repay loans to merchants. This study's findings could aid development agencies and government departments in designing projects and formulating policies that support the sustainable growth of these businesses. Keywords: shrimp paste, gender, livelihood capital, Myanmar
- Sokmoly, Uon. 2023. “GENDER ANALYSIS OF THE CHANGES IN PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION PATTERNS OF FERMENTED FISH PASTE (PRAHOK): A CASE STUDY OF WOMEN PRAHOK MAKERS AROUND TONLE SAP LAKE, CAMBODIA.” Thailand: Asian Institute of Technology.
- According to the current situation and challenges of processing prahok among women prahok makers around Tonle Sap Lake, it is important to understand what happened to prahok production and consumption patterns among women prahok makers who used to make prahok at the household level for either home consumption or selling purposes and why they decided to continue or not continue processing prahok due to those matters. Thus, this study was undertaken to document how the changes in prahok production and consumption patterns among different women prahok makers around Tonle Sap Lake are shaped. In response to this issue, two main research questions were used to investigate in this study: (1) What are the changes in prahok production and consumption patterns among different women prahok makers? (2) Why have women prahok makers changed the production and consumption patterns differently? The qualitative method (phenomenology) was applied to answer these questions. There were 20 female and 11 male respondents selected for in-depth interviews. This study was conducted in two different categories of areas: seasonally flooded village (Preaek Sramaoch and Mok Wat villages) and displaced village (Chhnok Tru village). The results of this study indicate that prahok production and consumption patterns among different women prahok makers changed differently and in certain ways by the different influential factors. The key different changes in prahok production patterns among women prahok makers included types of prahok for producing, purposes of producing, sources of fish for processing, production scale, labor use, gender roles, income getting from prahok, amount of producing, and significant roles of prahok production. The key different changes in prahok consumption patterns among them included types of prahok for consumption, where to get prahok, amount of use, and ways of using prahok. Moreover, this study also indicates that different women prahok makers had different reasons for changes in their prahok production and consumption patterns. It can be seen that the reasons for changes among women prahok makers came from the issues of gender norms, livelihood constraints, and the relationship between women’s prahok production and culture, which shaped the engagement of women in prahok production in various ways. As a result of these changes, this study also concluded that women who had abilities for working with other jobs might less engage in prahok production. Conversely, those women who mainly relied on prahok production as their primary career or family income might like to continue processing prahok though there were some changes in prahok production. Remarkably, women who were no longer relying on prahok production as their primary career or family income might like to switch career as prahok makers to do other jobs to adapt to their livelihoods. Meanwhile, women who were no longer in good health and had assistance from their family members or those who could find other better jobs than processing prahok might like to quit prahok production. The results of this study can be useful inputs or theoretical information for further research or project on how to address the issues for these changes among women prahok makers around Tonle Sap Lake, and other topics that are related to women prahok makers. Keywords: Changes, patterns, production, consumption, Prahok, women Prahok makers
- Zu, A Myint. 2023. “ASSESSING THE IMPACTS OF TRIPLE CRISES ON THE MEN AND WOMEN OWNED SMALL-SCALE DRIED FISH PRODUCTIONS: A CASE STUDY IN AYEYARWADY REGION, MYANMAR.” Thailand: Asian Institute of Technology.
- The present study aims to investigate the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic crisis, the political crisis, and the energy crisis on the women-led small-scale dried fish production businesses and men-led small-scale dried fish production businesses and their coping strategies to adapt to the effects of the Crises. Qualitative research methodology has used to reveal gendered impacts of crises. The research finding indicates that many small-scale dried fish production businesses were affected by the different interruptions of the crises. The crises created not only business operational obstacles but also financial hardships. However, many small-scale dried fish production businesses have created various adaptation strategies to cope with the impacts of crises. Changing the selling method or channel, selling dried fish by adjusted price, using credit and saving, and traveling at a safe time were the common strategies to adapt to the impacts of different crises. The variant marketing strategies, the habit of avoiding potential risks, and lack of adequate business operating cash flow differentiate in receiving the effects between med-led and women-led business. Similarly, the financial availability, access, and willingness to take credit have led to disparate coping mechanisms by the gender of the businesses' owner. This research contributes to the fisheries and gender literature by evaluating the impacts of crises, coping mechanisms, and the factors that influence the crises' effects and adaptive capacity of the small-scale dried fish production businesses led by men and women. Understanding the influence factors helps to develop the factors mitigate the similar crises' effects in the future. Key words: Crises, impacts, copings, dried fish, gender
- Berenji, Sevil. 2020. “The Role of Values and Beliefs in Small-Scale Fishery and Dried Fish Production: An Exploration of Social Well-Being in Fishing Communities of Sagar Island (Indian Sundarbans).” Master’s thesis, Waterloo: University of Waterloo. https://uwspace.uwaterloo.ca/handle/10012/15983.
- This research highlights the diverse values and beliefs associated with small-scale fisheries and dried fish productions and their role in strengthening social wellbeing of fishing communities. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), small-scale fisheries are “firmly rooted in local communities, traditions and values”. The strength in these local level values and beliefs determines the resilience of the fisheries system. However, several small-scale fisheries around the world are experiencing severe erosion in their long-held values and beliefs due to the adverse impacts from multiple drivers, e.g., globalization, commercialization, privatization, policy changes and climate change. In addition to the resulting vulnerabilities, this has led to systematic marginalization of these fishing communities who find it difficult to respond due to the weakening of their traditional values and beliefs as a source of strength and action. On this backdrop, this research presents an empirical investigation of the role of values and beliefs in small-scale fishery (SSF) and dried fish (DF) production by exploring their connections to the social wellbeing of fishing communities. The purpose of this research is to examine the connections between ‘values and beliefs’ and ‘social wellbeing’ in fishing communities, with specific attention to the multiple drivers of change influencing those values and beliefs. Three specific objectives guide this research: (1) To identify the diverse values and beliefs and their meanings that are hidden in the SSF and DF production community groups; (2) To define the key drivers of values and beliefs and how they have affected the values and beliefs of the SSF and DF production community groups; and (3) To examine how the values and beliefs of the SSF and DF production community groups are connected to their social wellbeing (i.e., material, subjective, and relational wellbeing). The study was conducted in the fishing communities of Sagar Island, which is situated on the south-west edge of the Sundarbans region, India. The study used a largely qualitative and inductive methodology that combined secondary literature review with primary data collected through participant observations, semi-structured interviews (n=45), focus group discussions (n=33 people / 2 FGDs), and household surveys (n=45). Major findings from this research indicate that, first, a growing number of life loss and economic loss experienced by community members dealing with small-scale fishery and dried fish production of Sagar Island have made them realize the need for ecosystem conservation. This realization is stronger among those who are under the direct influence of ecosystem changes. The fishing community also acknowledged that failure in accepting and treating the extended primary group (outsiders) properly would lead to life-threatening conflicts (e.g., social disorder) and would erode the values related to social relationships (e.g., peacefulness, benevolence) eventually. It is this realization, in the backdrop of current economic uncertainties faced by SSF and DF production, have led its members to subordinate the potential religious or caste discriminations and built upon positives such as strong union and solidarity within community members. Second, the diverse challenges that existed in the Island (e.g., the vicious cycle of indebtedness to local moneylenders, depletion of fish stock after the emergence of fishing trawlers etc.) are forcing community members towards more of temporary migration in search of a more reliable livelihood option. This process weakens the traditional notion of local ‘fishing community’ and ‘fisher family’, erode values related to the place (e.g., attachment to place), and could gradually lead to complete human-environment disconnection in further stages. Third, for the majority of fishery households, the relationship between economy-related values (e.g., wealth) and social wellbeing is very strong as the majority of the time, they stay trapped in poverty. Furthermore, relationships among fishing members also influence access to material, and non-material benefits people derive from each other. Ultimately, the results of this thesis indicated that the values and beliefs of a fishing community could provide valuable insights to achieve improved management of fisheries’ resources. It can also help identify the present threat to small scale fisheries and dried fish production, and in turn will bolster the community’s social wellbeing and their positive response to social-ecological changes.
- Thennakoon, TMNP. 2021. “Comparative Study on Physicochemical, Microbiological and Organoleptic Properties of Local and Imported Dried Fish and Maldive Fish in Sri Lanka.” Undergraduate Thesis, Sri Lanka: University of Ruhuna.
- Sathanandan, A. 2021. “Analysis of Selected Dried Fish Markets in Batticaloa and Colombo.” Undergraduate Thesis, Sri Lanka: University of Ruhuna.
- Yuganthan, A. 2021. “Socio Economic Analysis of Dried Fish Producers in Trincomalee District.” Undergraduate Thesis, University of Ruhuna.
- Sobiga, S. 2021. “Socio-Economic Analysis of Dried Fish Producers in Jaffna District.” Undergraduate Thesis, Sri Lanka: University of Ruhuna.
- Bandara, V.G.S.P. 2021. “An Assessment of Marine Dry Fish Industry in Sri Lanka.” Undergraduate Thesis, Sri Lanka: University of Ruhuna.
- Pigeault, Alexia. 2021. “Assessing Perceptions of Effectiveness of Three Levels of Communication in an International Project on the Social Economy of Dried Fish in Asia.” Master’s thesis, Online: Ghent University and University of Manitoba.
- Effective communication in research projects can have direct positive impacts on knowledge co-production and the researchers’ wellbeing. Examining the factors influencing communication requires in-depth observation and understanding of the researchers’ opinions and actions. This study consisted of “researching the researchers”; as part of my thesis research, I observed the interactions of members of an international research project on dried fish in South and South East Asia led by Canadian Anthropologists. The focus was on internal and external communications and revealed that open-mindedness, frequent communication, and transparency are three determinants of effective communication. Moreover, the results show a global agreement on the effectiveness of internal communications, while the results for external communication are more mixed. Studying our own communications by engaging in introspection is something that should be required to produce better outcomes and enhance collaboration in international projects.
Video Recording
- DFM Bangladesh team. 2021. Child Labour in Dried Fish Processing in Bangladesh. Blue Justice: World Fisheries Day 2021. Dried Fish Matters. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVYJX_0xcX4.
- The use of child labour in fish processing is extremely common, in both inland and marine drying sites in Bangladesh. It is customary for children to support their parents by providing assistance in family-run drying operations, but paid work is also very common. Extremely young children may be observed conducting such work. This video presents visual documentation of child labourers at fish drying yards in Bangladesh, including Rohingya refugees and internal migrants displaced by natural disasters.
- DFYWA. 2021. Living on the Edge: Small-Scale Women Fish Processors of Northern Coastal Andhra Pradesh, India. Blue Justice: World Fisheries Day 2021. Dried Fish Matters. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JROamT8pC7I.
- On the Northeastern coast of Andhra Pradesh, women who process and trade in dried fish have experienced increasing hardships. With the concentration of fish trade at major harbours, women must take long journeys to do business at sites that provide no water source for drinking or washing, no toilets, and no place to rest. In the villages, urbanization and development have reduced available beach drying areas, either through direct encroachment or through erosion caused by altered landscapes. Due to the lack of secure land tenure, women are unable to invest in the maintenance or construction of fish drying infrastructure.
- Bandyopadhyay, Aishik, Raktima Ghosh, Amrita Sen, Anuradha Choudry, Shreysashi Bhattacharya, Swarnadeep Bhattacharjee, and Souradip Pathak. 2021. Dried Fish Processing in the Indian Sundarbans. Blue Justice: World Fisheries Day 2021. Dried Fish Matters.
- The combined riparian and coastal topography of West Bengal hosts a great many varieties of fish that builds the dietary habit of her people. Fish is not only consumed in its raw, unprocessed form, but it is equally popular in its salted and unsalted dried version, enriched in nutritive elements. Traditional fish drying process involves many people who participate in different phases of the operation along the coastlines of Bengal in order to eke out their living. Apart from the market-driven value, dried fish, associates a deep sociocultural, ecological and sustenance relations with the local people of Indian Sundarbans, a part of the world’s largest delta carved by the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna river systems in combined India and Bangladesh. This video presents the story of dried fish and those who have long engaged themselves in fish drying practices at Frasergunj village of Indian Sundarbans, West Bengal.
- Thrift, Eric. 2021. Strategies for Qualitative Data Coding with Atlas.Ti Web. Dried Fish Matters. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8WFMhoehL0.
- This video is a recording of the introductory presentation for our workshop on coding strategies and best practices for qualitative data analysis, using Atlas.ti software, within the DFM project.
- Thrift, Eric. 2021. Getting Started with Atlas.Ti Web. Dried Fish Matters. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdacPzUzLTQ.
- Brief screencast overview of the functions available in Atlas.ti web
- Sivramkrishna, Sashi, Shashanka Adiga, and Mahadev R Naiik. 2021. A Life at Sea. Foundation to Aid Industrial Recovery (FAIR).
- This ethnographic-education documentary records a typical morning of small fishermen on the seashore in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka. Contribution by Amalendu Jyotishi. In February 1800, Dr. Francis Buchanan, on his survey of southern India had visited Honnavar, a small coastal town in the present-day district of Uttara Kannada in the state of Karnataka. He had recorded the importance of fishing as a commercial activity but had little to say about the lives and livelihoods of the fishers. While retracing Francis Buchanan’s Journey we visited Honnavar to see and record what Buchanan had not. A Life at Sea captures the mundane lives of fishers aboard their motor boat on one February day and night in 2021 … more than 200 years after Buchanan had passed by these very shores.
- Sivramkrishna, Sashi, Shashanka Adiga, and Mahadev R Naiik. 2021. A Long Morning. Foundation to Aid Industrial Recovery (FAIR).
- This ethnographic-education documentary records a typical morning of small fishermen on the seashore in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka. Contribution by Amalendu Jyotishi. In February 1800, Dr. Francis Buchanan, on his survey of southern India had visited Honnavar, a small coastal town in the present-day district of Uttara Kannada in the state of Karnataka. He had recorded the importance of fishing as a commercial activity but had little to say about the lives and livelihoods of the fishers. While retracing Francis Buchanan’s Journey we visited Honnavar to see and record what Buchanan had not. A Long Morning captures the mundane lives of fishers on one February morning in 2021 … more than 200 years after Buchanan had passed by these very shores.
- Dried Fish Matters Visualization Group. 2021. Visualizing Social Economies: Dried Fish Stories from Asia. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCNlGcBJkfE.
- A montage of photos, video, soundscapes, and narration that seeks to convey the diversity entailed by social economies of dried fish in Asia.
- Dried Fish Matters. 2021. What Is the “Value” in Dried Fish Value Chains?
- Pre-recorded segment for the DFM panel at the SSF Open House on June 2, 2021. Segment contributors: Ratana Chuenpagdee (Thailand), Tara Nair (Gujarat), Roktima Ghosh and Jenia Mukherjee (West Bengal), Nireka Weeratunge (Sri Lanka), Madu Galappaththi (Sri Lanka), Mostafa Hossain (Bangladesh), Gayathri Lokuge (Cambodia), Nikita Gopal (Kerala). Video editor: Eric Thrift.
- Dried Fish Matters. 2020. Small, Low-Cost Fish: From Bait to Plate. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCCUj0BTbBw&feature=emb_logo.
- Why small fish are important -- and why you should plan to attend the Small Fish Seminar on 15-16 February 2021! With Maarten Bavinck, Jeppe Kolding, Joeri Scholtens, Shakuntala Thilsted, Derek Johnson, Benjamin Campion, Holly M. Hapke, Kyana Dipananda, Amalendu Jyotishi, and Molly Ahern. For more details, visit https://driedfishmatters.org/SmallFis.... Imagery: Maarten Bavinck, Benjamin Campion, Kyana Dipananda, Daily Graphic (Ghana), Holly M. Hapke, Zoë Holl, Amalendu Jyotishi, Randi H. Eilertsen, Derek Johnson, Jeppe Kolding, Joeri Scholtens, FF Skagen, Sharon Suri, and Finn Thilsted Composition and interviews: Maarten Bavinck and Sharon Suri Production: Kees Hoogeveen
Web Page
- Jyotishi, Amalendu, Prasanna Surathkal, and Ramchandra Bhatta. 2023. “Tragedy of the Commons: In Karnataka, Small-Scale Fishers Are Losing Their Foothold.” The News Minute. April 13, 2023. https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/tragedy-commons-karnataka-small-scale-fishers-are-losing-their-foothold-175830.