Knowra Subsistence fishing Subsistence fishing Subsistence fishing is fishing undertaken primarily to provide food for a person or household. It is distinguished by its purpose rather than by a particular gear, species, or setting.
Bushmeat : Wild animals hunted for food, especially in tropical forests. It is a land-based counterpart to fishing for household food.
Fishing gear : Equipment used to capture fish and other aquatic organisms. Hooks, nets, traps, and spears determine which catches are practical for household fishers.
Micronutrient deficiency : A lack of essential vitamins or minerals in the diet. Losing access to nutrient-rich fish can worsen deficiencies in communities with few substitutes.
Commercial fishing : Fishing conducted primarily to sell catches for profit. Its primary aim is market income, unlike subsistence fishing's household food supply.
Small-scale fisheries : Fisheries characterized by relatively small vessels, limited capital, and operations close to shore or communities. Subsistence fishing often occurs within this broader sector, alongside fishing for sale.
Catch per unit effort : The amount caught for a given unit of fishing effort, used as an indicator of fish abundance. Changes in catch rates can reveal whether a customary food source is becoming harder to obtain.
Overfishing : Fishing at a rate that depletes a fish population faster than it can replenish itself. Declining stocks threaten the catches households depend on for food.
Subsistence agriculture : Farming conducted primarily to produce food for the farmer's household. It shares the household-provisioning purpose but obtains food through cultivation.
Traditional ecological knowledge : Knowledge developed through long-term observation and practice in a particular environment. Fishers may use locally accumulated knowledge to locate species and time catches.
Food security : Reliable access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food for an active and healthy life. Subsistence catches contribute directly to food availability and household diets.
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