Specific applications/examples: Use of solar energy in fishing: Community initiatives

Abstract

The fisheries sector is an important provider of livelihoods as well as nutrition for numerous communities, in particularly in Developing Countries. The sector is vulnerable to climate change in terms of the resource base as well as costs of operation. In southern India, the last two decades have seen the emergence of a specialized fishing fleet of small-scale fishermen that operate over large swathes of the central-western Indian Ocean. This fleet undertakes extended voyages of 30–45 days and targets specific varieties of deep sea fish. In order to improve their sustainability as well as to cut down their costs, these fishers under the banner of Association of Deep Sea Going Artisanal Fishermen are in the process of adapting solar energy for their lighting, communications and other on-board needs. This paper documents the initial iterations of the adoption process. These initiatives hold significant promise for the future in terms of energy and cost savings, and for the promotion of sustainable fishing operations, constituting grassroots-level adaptations to the adverse effects of climate change.