Small-scale fisheries management |05 April 2022
Dr Rassool interviewing a study participant during her research
PhD holder hails stakeholder involvement as key to the success of her research
Karine Rassool, 32, who recently earned her PhD in Environmental Economics and Environmental Management from the University of York, funded by the Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA) under the EU Sectoral Support, has acknowledged stakeholder participation as key to the success of her research.
As one of the only specialists in her field, Dr Rassool used a qualitative approach to identify ways that stakeholder engagement could contribute to improved small-scale fisheries management in Seychelles.
Altogether, 231 stakeholders across Mahé, Praslin, and La Digue, were interviewed for her study, the majority of whom were artisanal fishers.
She hopes that the results of her research, which was supported through a grant from the Seychelles Conservation and Climate Adaptation Trust (SeyCCAT), will be considered when formulating future policies related to small-scale fisheries management, especially now that the Mahé Plateau Demersal Trap and Line Fishery Co-Management Plan has been launched.
Acknowledging that stakeholder participation was key to the success of her research, Dr Rassool is grateful to all her study participants as well as her research assistants, namely Jacintha Matombe, Veronica Alphonse-Uzice, Sylvianne Sopha, and Jeva Socrate.
She would also like to gratefully acknowledge the expert advice and support provided locally by Dr Jan Robinson, Dr Jude Bijoux, Dr Marie-Therese Purvis, and Zara Pardiwalla and her supervisors, Dr Bryce Stewart and Dr Jessica Roberts, based at the University of York.
‘Dr Rassool ti a kontan remersye tou bann peser ki’n partisip dan resers ki i ti fer an 2019. I swete ki zot bann konsern ek rekonmandasyon ki in fer sorti dan son tez i ganny pran an konsiderasyon ler bann polisi konsernan lapes artizanal i fer dan lefitir’.
After 10 years of working as an economist with the Seychelles Fishing Authority, Dr Rassool recently joined the Islands Development Company (IDC) as the Aquaculture and Fisheries Development Manager.
Contributed