Evaluation of the attitude and awareness of the international resolution on responsible fishing: a case study on the multiday fishermen of Matara
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Date
2015
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka
Abstract
E
longitudes. This island has approximately 1700 km long coastline and sovereign power for the 21,500
km territorial sea and an Exclusive Economic zone (EEZ) of 517,000 km (MFAR, 2013). Therefore
fisheries industry significantly contributes to the food security and the foreign exchange earnings of
Sri Lanka. This IUU fishing is a serious threat to the sustainability of fisheries in both national
jurisdictions and high seas. Therefore regional resolutions are implemented by the Indian Ocean Tuna
Commission (IOTC) to reduce these IUU fishing activities. Although there are laws and regulations,
many problems in the fisheries sector are caused due to lack of awareness of fishermen regarding
these implemented national and international laws. Therefore identification of awareness of
fishermen on these laws and regulations are very important before the implementation of awareness
programs. This study was done with the objectives of investigating international resolutions which
highly impact to Sri Lankan fisheries sector, investigate responses of fishermen on international
resolutions, identify and suggest procedures which can improve the awareness and behaviors of
fishermen on international resolutions.
Keywords: Illegal Unreported Unregulated (IUU) fishing, Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC),
International Resolutions
Methodology
Matara fisheries district was selected as the research area. The sample for the case study was selected
from multiday boat owners, crew members, skippers and other service providers of Matara fisheries
district through the Stratified random sampling. The sample size was determined using “Moving
average method”. Data was collected from both primary and secondary sources. Primary data was
collected from selected sample, through the questionnaire and interviews. The questionnaire was
prepared using international resolutions which developed by the IOTC. Both open ended questions
and closed ended questions were included in the questionnaire. Secondary data was collected from
sources of Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and IOTC web site. Collected data was
analyzed using “Likert method” (Likert, 1932) and one way ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) at 95%
significant interval. “Minitab 16” software was used for analyzing all the collected data.
Results and Discussion
The sample size was selected as 105. According to the finalized results of the study, total mean of
awareness and attitude regarding these international resolutions is 3.38 ± 1.58. It means that the level
of awareness and attitude of fishermen of Matara fisheries district on these international resolutions
are medium. The statements used for the questionnaire have derived from the IOTC resolutions
(IOTC, 2013). The current awareness of stakeholders on these international resolutions is helped to
keep the Sri Lankan fishermen under the international resolutions. It helps to enhance the acceptance
for Sri Lankan fish and fish products in the international market. Not only that but also the awareness
on some resolutions are directly influenced on the management of fishery resources.
The community has a high level of knowledge (3.67 ≤ Mean Likert scale ≥ 5.00) on the statements
of importance of registration of fishing vessel, importance of having a flag in the fishing vessel,
importance to mark vessels according to the regulations (Resolution 01/02 relating to control of
fishing activities), importance of establishing a vessel monitoring program (Resolution 06/03), idea
about prohibition of bottom trawling and crossing sea boundaries without proper permission,
requirement of permission from the department for landing harvest at another country or for
exchanging harvest with the foreign vessels at sea (Resolution 12/05 on establishing a program for
transshipment by large scale fishing vessels), prohibition of catching endangered shark species and
sea turtles (Resolution 12/09 on the conservation of Thresher sharks and Resolution 12/04 on the
conservation of marine turtles) and preference of carrying equipment in the vessel which was used
for catching sea birds and sea turtles. The registration of fishing vessel and vessel marking according
to the regulations are already in place in the national regulations (1980). Therefore all of them have
to comply with the registration of fishing vessel and marking them according to the regulations for
having other subsidies and insurance.
The awareness was medium (2.34 ≤ Mean Likert scale ≥ 3.66) on the statements of importance of
maintaining a log book on board (Resolution 01/02), the requirement of providing information about
harvest to the Department of Fisheries, willingness to support the government officers, agree to carry
a department officer as an observer when they request, importance to inform navigation path for the
department or harbor (Resolution 05/03 and Resolution 10/11). According to the attitude of some
stakeholders, it is difficult to carry a department officer as an observer due to the limitation of space
in the vessel and several other difficulties. The idea of some skippers was important to maintain a log
book to have an idea in future regarding places and time of high densities of fish. It was considered
as an additional trouble for their hard occupation by others. According to the responses of
stakeholders, there are some people who unable to keep records on this log book due to inability of
writing.
The overall awareness was very low (1.00 ≤ Mean Likert scale ≥ 2.33) on the statements of
international trade barriers which are occurred to Sri Lankan fisheries sector due to the ignorance of
international resolutions, prohibition of large scale driftnets on the high seas in the IOTC area
(Resolution 12/12), closed area (Resolution 12/13). With the high sea fishing operation license,
printed material including the statements regarding the Resolution 12/12 has received by the boat
owners. Therefore regarding the prohibition of large scale driftnets on the high seas, there was
awareness among some people specially with the boat owners and skippers. But even the response of
these people was not agreed with the idea. According to them, 2.5 km length gill nets are not enough
to recover their fuel cost. The awareness of fishermen was very low regarding the closed area (Co-
North, 40 - 60 East in the Indian Ocean during February month) for fishing
(Resolution 12/13 for the conservation and management of Tropical Tunas stocks in the IOTC area
of competence). Therefore the overall response for a closed area was seriously disagreed. But some
of the stakeholders believe it is necessary to have a closed area for the sustainability of fishery
resources.
Description
Keywords
Animal Sciences, Aquaculture and Fisheries, Aquatic Resources, Export Agriculture