How commoditization and cross-cultural values influence the sustainability of small-scale fisheries in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India by Sahir Advani B.Sc., The University of Mumbai, 2008 M.Sc., The University of Mumbai, 2010 M.Res., The University of Glasgow, 2011 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE AND POSTDOCTORAL STUDIES (Resource Management and Environmental Studies) THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Vancouver) February 2020 © Sahir Advani, 2020 The following individuals certify that they have read, and recommend to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies for acceptance, the dissertation entitled: How commoditization and cross-cultural values influence the sustainability of small-scale fisheries in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India submitted by Sahir Advani in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Resource Management and Environmental Studies Examining Committee: Dr. Mimi E. Lam, Centre for the Study of the Sciences & the Humanities, University of Bergen, Norway; Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, UBC Co-supervisor Prof. Derek S. Johnson, Department of Anthropology, University of Manitoba Supervisory Committee Member Prof. Daniel Pauly, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, UBC University Examiner Prof. Charles Menzies, Department of Anthropology, UBC University Examiner Additional Supervisory Committee Members: Prof. Tony J. Pitcher, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, UBC Co-supervisor Prof. William W.L. Cheung, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, UBC Supervisory Committee Member ii Abstract Globalization, notably through the international seafood trade and commoditization of marine resources, impacts the sustainability of small-scale fisheries and fisher livelihoods. Foremost amongst these impacts are changes in how fishing communities relate to and value marine resources and ecosystems. This dissertation explores the impacts of global seafood markets on the values of four cultural groups involved in fisheries in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (ANI), India. The main aim of this research is to understand how cultural differences, settlement history, market accessibility, and involvement in fishing affect the values that communities ascribe to marine resources and the social- ecological sustainability of those interactions. The multicultural and historically complex nature of fisheries in the ANI provides a unique opportunity to study the variation in market integration and values ascribed to marine resources across different communities, space, and time. The socio-economic and socio-cultural values of four cultural groups that engage in small-scale fishing in the ANI underpin this research. Fish commoditization was examined through the names that respondents from various cultural groups used for commercially important marine species, with commoditized names being more likely to be used than vernacular names by individuals belonging to groups that settled more recently or that had more experience fishing or selling fish. While market access did not influence the likelihood of using commoditized names, shifts in economic value have adversely impacted the livelihoods and food security of certain cultural groups in the ANI. The value landscapes of the cultural groups in the ANI vary with settlement history, gender, occupation, and age. The fisheries that cultural groups engage in, here termed “cultural fisheries,” are influenced by their values, which in turn influence their fishing practices and sustainability. A Rapfish analysis modified for cultural fisheries found that indigenous subsistence fisheries are more sustainable than commercial fisheries in the ANI. The insights from this value-based research are synthesized as policy implications and recommendations for fisheries scientists, managers, and policymakers, as well as social-ecological advice for local communities. iii Lay Summary Multicultural fishing communities can have a diversity of values that influence the sustainability of their fishing practices. This dissertation explores the factors that influence why certain cultural groups consider some values to be more important than others. It also seeks to understand if global seafood markets influence the values of local communities. For example, do community values shift prioritizing their relationships with marine species and ecosystems to the profits they can obtain from fishing and selling fish? The implications of these insights are synthesized as recommendations to local fishing communities and policymakers on how to better manage their fisheries to reflect the values of local fishery stakeholders. iv Preface This dissertation is the product of extensive ethnographic field research and analyses by the author, Sahir Advani, who completed it with support and advice from his supervisory (and examining) committee and colleagues. I accept all responsibility for the validity and accuracy of the research presented in this dissertation. I determined the aims and study design of the research presented in the dissertation, with critical guidance from my co-supervisors and inputs from my supervisory committee. I conducted all fieldwork and data collection, gratefully assisted by several field assistants and translators. Staff at Dakshin Foundation, Bangalore, India and the Andaman and Nicobar Environment Team (ANET), Wandoor, India provided logistical assistance and guidance for fieldwork. Saw Charlee and Mr. Ravi created the artwork included in the dissertation. I conducted all analyses and authored the dissertation, with critical and significant inputs from my co-supervisors, Dr. Mimi E. Lam (Centre for the Study of the Sciences & the Humanities, University of Bergen, Norway; Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries (IOF), UBC; hereafter MEL) and Professor Tony J. Pitcher (IOF, UBC, hereafter TJP). Chapter 2 is intended to be a sole-author publication by me in a peer-reviewed social science journal. I received critical inputs from MEL and TJP for this chapter. Chapter 3 correlates fish naming practices with commoditization and values to investigate a hypothesis originated by MEL. I am currently drafting a manuscript based on it, with TJP and MEL as co-authors, which will be submitted to a peer-reviewed fisheries journal. All authors contributed towards the methodological design and questionnaire development. I conducted all fieldwork and statistical analyses, with guiding insights and suggestions from MEL and TJP. Committee member Professor Derek S. Johnson (Department of Anthropology, University of Manitoba, hereafter DSJ) advised on the ethnographic fieldwork and Joe Watson from UBC offered statistical advice. Chapter 4 will be modified for publication as an in-depth empirical case study of values and cultural identity in a peer-reviewed journal. I will be the lead author of the manuscript and the co-authors will include MEL, TJP, DSJ, and Professor Lawrence Ward (hereafter LW) from UBC. I developed, with MEL and TJP, the methodological design and questionnaire. DSJ provided valuable advice on the ethnographic approach and considerations of socio-cultural contexts in my field research. I adapted the v value-prioritization methodology developed by MEL, TJP, LW and co-authors to create locally contextualized and cross-cultural value cards for the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. I conducted all the analyses provided in this chapter, with critical guidance and advice from MEL and TJP, as well as LW, notably on the clustering analyses of value prioritizations and sensitivity analysis of grouping value rankings by cultural groups. Chapter 5 will be modified and validated for publication as an original contribution on cultural fisheries as marine social-ecological systems in a peer-reviewed journal. I will be the lead author of this manuscript, with TJP, MEL, and Professor William W.L. Cheung (hereafter WWLC) as co- authors. This chapter utilized the Rapfish methodology pioneered by TJP. I modified the Rapfish sustainability attributes to reflect ANI contexts and assess cultural fisheries. WWLC provided critical inputs to assess the bioeconomic vulnerability and the local discount rates of cultural groups. TJP provided guidance with implementing the Rapfish routine, leverage analysis, and Monte-Carlo uncertainty estimation in R. MEL helped to design and refine the questionnaire that generated the raw data used to assess the cultural fisheries sustainability attributes. Aspects of Chapter 6 will be communicated to relevant stakeholders through publications, policy briefs, and workshops. The main chapter findings will be synthesized in a policy-oriented manuscript for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. Section 6.2 will be submitted as a policy brief to fisheries management agencies in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. Information in Section 6.3 will be conveyed to fishing communities in the islands through workshops conducted in collaboration with Dakshin Foundation and ANET. All fieldwork research presented in this dissertation was conducted after receiving approval from the Behavioural Research Ethics Board at the University of British Columbia under certificate numbers H16-00053-001 and H16-02574. The Nicobar Islands are a designated Tribal Reserve, and entry into the islands is strictly regulated by the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Protection of Aboriginal Tribes Regulation 1956. Tribal Area Permits numbered 325/2017 and 647/2018 were