Volume 62, Issue 341, May - August 2026

Ethnographic Documentation of Traditional Barehand Fishing Practices and Occupational Health Hazards among the Tribe in the Pitchavaram Mangrove Regions, Southeast Coast of India

Vasanthan Koothan^1,2, Perumal Murugesan², Ayyaru Gopalakrishnan^2♦, Anisha Shafni John¹, Keerthika Ganesan², Vignesh Baskaran², Leo Luricson², Anirban Kundu²

¹Centre for Aquaculture, Pathology Laboratory, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai- 600119, Tamil Nadu, India
²Centre of Advanced Study in Marine Biology, Faculty of Marine Sciences, Annamalai University, Parangipettai - 608 502, Tamil Nadu, India

^♦Corresponding Author
Ayyaru Gopalakrishnan, Centre for Aquaculture, Pathology Laboratory, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai- 600119, Tamil Nadu, India.

ABSTRACT

This study examines ethnographic evidence of barehand fishing, a traditional fishing practice among the Irulas of the Pitchavaram mangrove community in southeastern India, with a focus on associated occupational health and safety concerns. Qualitative and participatory research methods, including direct observation, interviews, group discussions, and participant observation, were employed to document various aspects of the practice, including seasonal patterns, habitat use, target species, fishing techniques, and occupational hazards. Barehand fishing is primarily conducted during low tides in shallow mangrove habitats such as creeks, pools, and root clusters to harvest small fish, crabs, and molluscs for subsistence purposes. Although both men and women participate in the activity, men are more commonly engaged under physically demanding conditions. The practice relies heavily on fishers’ tactile abilities and indigenous ecological knowledge, with minimal use of protective equipment. Fishers reported several occupational risks, including cuts and puncture wounds, bites, skin infections, physical injuries, falls, and occasional encounters with venomous organisms. The findings highlight the significance of indigenous knowledge in sustaining traditional fishing practices while emphasizing the need to address occupational health and safety concerns among mangrove-dependent fishing communities.

Keywords: Traditional fishing practices, Barehand fishing, Indigenous knowledge, Irula tribe, Sustainable livelihoods

Discovery, 2026, 62, e14d3267

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Published: 07 June 2026