Project Overview

SEEDs comprehensive program addressing climate-induced problems of marine fishermen emerged from the critical need to support fishing communities in the Indian portion of the Bay of Bengal who have depended on marine resources for over half a century but face increasing challenges due to climate change and legal complexities. The initiative recognized that fishermen are forced to venture near international borders to find fish due to declining populations caused by environmental degradation, climate vulnerability and overfishing, leading to unintentional border crossings and detention in Bangladesh. The program tackled three core areas: legal complexity and lack of collaborative actions, technological gaps in boat tracking and fishermen identification systems and unsustainable fishing practices that threaten marine ecosystems. Through strategic partnerships and multi-stakeholder collaboration, SEED developed a holistic approach that combined capacity building, technological innovation, legal aid services and advocacy efforts to create sustainable solutions for fishing communities while promoting regional cooperation and environmental conservation in one of the worlds most climate-vulnerable coastal regions