International Journal of Agriculture Extension and Social Development

author(s)
Kalavathi NR, Kumar Naik AS, Mahesh V, Anjanayappa HN, Vinod K and Asokan PK

abstract
Fishing is an important source of income for fishing communities that rely on estuaries for their livelihood. The goal of this study was to gather information on the economic and livelihood conditions of fishermen to identify significant concerns that could be considered in sustaining their livelihoods and ensuring their participation in fish biodiversity conservation. Data was gathered by interviewing 50 people who were chosen at random from 2020 to 2021. According to the survey, 32% of the respondents are between 41-45 years. The family size of the fishing community usually consisted of 2-9 members and 86% of them were nuclear families. About 20% of them were illiterate, and 82% of the respondents live in their own homes. Sixty-six per cent of houses were tiled, while 34% were concrete houses and all the families were found to have electricity facilities. The majority of them (42%) had their well water as a drinking source. Fifty-eight per cent of houses have sanitation facilities with a septic tank. Around 72% of the households use both wood and gas as a source of cooking. The majority of the respondents have their crafts and gears. Thirty six percent of the respondents have experience ranging from 21 to 30 years. Depending on the season, an average of 3-10kg of fish is caught per day. The average gross revenue per trip is Rs. 200-1000/-, with an operating cost of Rs. 60-150/-. The monthly average income of fishermen was around Rs. 10,000-25,000/-. BPL cards are held by 86% of households. They spent a majority of their money on food. Fishermen preferred to borrow money from self-help groups. The present study has shown that the fishermen require additional institutional, organizational, and technical assistance to improve their socio-economic and livelihood situation.