Dakshin Foundation is an Indian NGO committed to environmental sustainability and social justice. The foundation’s mission is to inform and advocate for conservation and natural resource management while promoting and supporting sustainable livelihoods, social development and environmental justice. 

With support from the TBT Coalition Grants Programme, Dakshin is launching “Where’s the catch? Charting sustainability pathways for just transformations in trawl fisheries in Palk Bay, India”, to highlight the complex issues around trawl fisheries in the biodiverse Palk Bay region of India and inform inclusive policies for sustainable transformations in the sector. 

The Palk Bay region is ecologically important and supports the livelihoods of over 260,500 fishers. However, it is threatened by several natural and human factors, including bottom trawling, which have widespread implications for its wildlife and coastal communities. 

Trawling in India is becoming economically unviable as catches are declining and fishers are having to invest more time, money and effort to keep their businesses afloat. This is causing distress among trawl fishers who want to transition to more secure livelihoods. However, debts, marginalisation, cultural values and other factors are hindering this transition and aggravating their vulnerabilities.

Through the “Where’s the Catch?” project, Dakshin will work with youth in coastal communities to produce a communications kit that comprehensively illustrates the impacts of bottom trawling and documents the vulnerabilities of trawl fishers. 

As a result of their work, communities will be able to launch grassroots campaigns and outreach relating to bottom trawling and initiate conversations around complex trawling issues to inform policy.

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