Divya Karnad | Ashoka University (original) (raw)

Papers by Divya Karnad

Geoforum, 2021

The sustainability of global fisheries has emerged as a major concern for the future of marine bi... more The sustainability of global fisheries has emerged as a major concern for the future of marine biodiversity. In the spheres of seafood production and consumption, strict regulation of fisheries and more recently, ethical certifications of seafood products, are favoured as a means to ensure thriving fish stocks and healthy oceans. However, research has shown that such restrictions and market-driven certifications have had mixed results, with socio-ecological impacts detrimental to the long-term sustainability of tropical fisheries in the Global South.
We approach this issue of fisheries sustainability in the Global South from the perspective of common pool resources by considering the practices of seafood producers, retailers and consumers, and their inter-connectedness with marine fishing commons. We build on critical literature on commoning using data on consumption preferences of 531 seafood consumers and seafood availability in 400 seafood restaurants across 4 metros in India, and examine the extent to which seafood consumption patterns and availability can facilitate or unsettle marine fishing commons. We identify patterns of selective seafood consumption and dependence on niche markets that are translated across seafood supply chains and disrupt initiatives by fishers to sustainably manage local fisheries. We then discuss efforts to increase consumer awareness and recommend building community-supported
fisheries through initiatives like InSeason Fish. In conclusion, we argue that discourse in fisheries sustainability should be theoretically recast through a ‘seafood commons’ that integrates practices of diverse resource users.

Marine Policy, 2022

Local ecological knowledge provides novel, detailed and context-specific information about human ... more Local ecological knowledge provides novel, detailed and context-specific information about human and nonhuman use of marine ecosystems, therefore incorporating this knowledge into marine conservation planning is crucial. Participatory mapping offers an opportunity to include local knowledge in spatial planning for natural resource management. However, local knowledge presents certain challenges in the form of data inconsistencies, fuzziness, and inability to disaggregate different types and formats of knowledge. Using the case of fisheries in southern Maharashtra state, India, I demonstrate how local ecological knowledge may be used to improve the understanding of data-poor fisheries. In the context of fisheries that are globally recognised as lacking management, I examine how local ecological and spatial knowledge about species and fishing practices can be used to fill fine-scale management gaps that do not account for context-specific habitat use. I also explore how fishers'spatial knowledge is intertwined with other forms of local knowledge. The participatory mapping exercise demonstrates that although fishing communities do not profess to be interested in threatened marine species conservation, their spatial and customary fishing practices potentially align with conservation goals. Clear synergies between livelihoods and marine conservation emerge when using local ecological knowledge along with participatory mapping. This research demonstrates that successful fisheries management and marine conservation planning is possible using existing social, cultural practices, translated through geographic tools.

Economic and Political Weekly, Jun 22, 2013

ABSTRACT The Union Budget for 2013-14 focused on increasing India’s economic growth rate, making ... more ABSTRACT The Union Budget for 2013-14 focused on increasing India’s economic growth rate, making budgetary allocations accordingly. Although the finance minister claims that this growth will be sustainable and equitable, this article argues that the development route proposed in the budget and the current pattern of economic development clash with the requirements of ecological sustainability and wildlife conservation.

Ambio, 2020

This study evaluates local-scale drivers of shark harvests in India, one of the world’s largest s... more This study evaluates local-scale drivers of shark harvests in India, one of the world’s largest shark fishing nations. Focusing on key harbours in the states of Gujarat and Maharashtra, which together contribute 54% of India’s shark harvest, this study uses a semi-structured survey to examine the practices of shark fishers and traders, their knowledge of shark trade and policy, and perceptions of shark declines. Findings indicate that a domestic market for shark meat is presently the main local driver for harvests rather than the global trade in shark fins. Sharks are mostly non-target catch, landed whole, contributing to the protein needs of coastal communities. Consumer demand is the greatest for small-bodied and juvenile sharks. Perceived steep declines in shark numbers and sizes have had economic impacts on fishers and traders. The unregulated domestic market for shark meat is a key challenge requiring nuanced local approaches that diverge from global shark conservation priorities.

A B S T R A C T When customary legal systems exist alongside state regulations, individuals can c... more A B S T R A C T When customary legal systems exist alongside state regulations, individuals can choose between these different frameworks to support their claims to resources. Research suggests that such framework switching to maximize self-interest weakens and challenges resource management. Multiple legal systems are at work in India's fisheries and this study examines how they work to govern conflict over purse-seine fishing in the Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra State. Through participant observations, interviews and state fishing law reviews, this study finds evidence of strong customary legal systems, operating through local cultural practices, to protect common property rights, equitable access, ethical and ecological concerns. In contrast, state legislation appears weak because it addresses issues of local concern, such as equitable access, at a slow pace and over such a large scale as to be absent. Consequently, multiple legal systems in these fisheries do not create a management challenge that follows a predictable path towards resource degradation. Instead informal, customary rules applied alongside formal state legislation interact in complex ways that create opportunities for effective co-management.

Economic and Political Weekly, Jun 14, 2013

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2013

et al.

Indian marine fisheries have expanded four-fold in the last 50 years in the form of open-access c... more Indian marine fisheries have expanded four-fold in the last 50 years in the form of open-access commons. Although studies predict that fish stocks are on the decline there is little evidence that these declines are being countered by changes in either fishing regulations or fishing practices. Fishermen rarely comply with regulations, instead operationalizing and directing the fishery on their own. In these circumstances understanding how fishermen perceive and use resources has significant management and policy implications. Our study examined fishermen's perceptions about the state of fish stocks and documents current fishing practice and management strategies in India. We surveyed 342 fishermen in two states, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. We found that 86% of fishermen perceived a decline in catch and 69% perceived a decline in bycatch. Fishermen adapt to these declines by increasing fishing area and time spent, changing their gear, and overlapping in fishing zones. The convoluted interactions between ineffective community and state regulations guiding their actions has prevented fishermen from developing successful models of sustainable fisheries management. We identified non-compliance with regulations and government incentives as an important livelihood opportunity. Non-compliance drives change in fishing practice by giving fishermen the flexibility to respond to perceived fish catch dynamics by modifying their practices. We recommend strengthening local fishing communities by enabling them to enforce fishing regulations locally and by scaling back of existing government incentives, to protect the sustainability of these fisheries.

aT a high price growing energy demands of seafood is set to be a greater contributor to climate c... more aT a high price growing energy demands of seafood is set to be a greater contributor to climate change. Divya Karnad reveals the costs of bringing a fish from the sea to your dining table

India's relationship with sharks is long and complicated. HOme to about 70 species of sharks, the... more India's relationship with sharks is long and complicated. HOme to about 70 species of sharks, the species composition of shark landings varies around the Indian coast, with the west coast reporting large numbers of Spadenose sharks (Scoliodon laticaudus) and Hammerheads (Sphyrna spp.), while Milk Sharks (Rhizoprionodon acutus) and other requiem sharks dominate catches on the east coast.

Biological Conservation, 2009

Sea-finding behavior in sea turtle hatchlings is modified by the visual cues provided by artifici... more Sea-finding behavior in sea turtle hatchlings is modified by the visual cues provided by artificial beach front lighting. The consequent landward movement of hatchlings in response to coastal electric lighting reduces their survival rates. We assessed the potential impact of coastal lighting at Rushikulya, an important mass nesting site of the olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) in the Indian Ocean region. We examined the response of hatchlings to light characteristics in an experimental setup, as well as to the existing lighting regimes along the beach, using arena trials. Previous studies on other species indicate preferential orientation towards low wavelength and high intensity light. Our study confirms these preferences among hatchlings from the Indian Ocean population of olive ridleys. In addition we also found that wavelength and intensity could have an interactive effect upon hatchling orientation. Hatchlings at the study site respond both to visible point sources of light and to sheer glows of light. Though beach plantations of introduced Casuarina equisetifolia are generally considered to have negative impacts on sea turtle nesting beaches, we found that they acted as an effective light barrier when planted about 50 m away from the high tide line. We developed a model of the expected impact of artificial lighting on hatchling orientation during mass hatching events of previous years, and predict as much as 50% misorientation in some years. We also developed a map representing the misorientation of hatchlings due to artificial lighting based on arena trials in different regions of the beach. The results of the study helped identify focal areas for light management on the beach, which could be critical for the survival of this population.

The Nilgiri Marten Martes gwatkinsii is a rare and little known species endemic to the Western Gh... more The Nilgiri Marten Martes gwatkinsii is a rare and little known species endemic to the Western Ghats mountain range of Southern India. Information about its distribution and occurrence is largely lacking. This paper collates information about Nilgiri Marten presence in the Palni Hills in Tamil Nadu state and presents new records of Nilgiri Marten occurrence from Karnataka state as part of a compilation of opportunistic sightings of this species throughout the Western Ghats.

Books by Divya Karnad

The Oxford Handbook of Environmental and Natural Resources Law in India, 2024

India’s marine fisheries laws are challenged by complex and dynamic fishers, fishing practices an... more India’s marine fisheries laws are challenged by complex and dynamic fishers, fishing practices and the marine environment. The country has done well to simultaneously oversee different spaces at the state and national levels, but research on the ground demonstrates that further legal stratification is needed. Laws in India which concern the oceans are oriented towards capitalists furthering the economic growth of the country, while small-scale fishers who are the majority users of the oceans, function as communities interested in their livelihoods and ecological sustainability. These deep disconnects have given rise to communities taking to forming informal legal institutions at the village level, which address their concerns and make sense to them. India’s legal machinery requires a considerable shift to promote the concerns of its fishing citizens, and meet global concerns about climate change, ecological sustainability and providing livelihoods to those living in poverty.