Coastal Inhabitants Research Articles

Sustaining the shell middens: A coastal vulnerability assessment of shell midden sites within the Nansemond River tributary

Shorelines have always been hubs of human activity and development meaning much of our cultural heritage is concentrated in coastal settings. In recent decades, changing environmental conditions and the effects of global warming (i.e., shoreline erosion, sea-level rise, land subsistence) threaten to destroy much of our remaining global coastal heritage. To prevent the further loss of archaeological contexts, this study seeks to develop a coastal vulnerability index through geospatial analysis to assess the vulnerability of 35 precontact shell midden sites along the Nansemond River in Suffolk, Virginia. The Nansemond middens offer a long-term history of how coastal inhabitants interacted with their surrounding landscape, with occupation of the area ranging from the Early Archaic period through European contact. This research considers various environmental and cultural variables used to determine which archaeological sites are most threatened by environmental changes and have the greatest potential to contribute valuable data to understand the past.

Genus Level Classification of the Mangroves in Indian Sundarbans using Sentinel-2 Multispectral Imagery

Abstract Mangroves are the most productive ecosystems that provide stabilization to the coastlines, help in carbon sequestration, reduce storm surges, defend the coastal inhabitants and play a role in sustaining the local economy. Mangroves are halophytic in nature that typically thrive along tropical and subtropical coastlines in the saline intertidal zone. This paper explores the potentiality of Sentinel-2 MSI Imagery in separating different mangrove genus that has been evaluated using different classification algorithms like Maximum Likelihood Classifier (MLC), Mahalanobis Distance (MD), Minimum Distance (MD), Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM), knowledge-based classifier such as Random Forest (RF) and Support Vector Machine (SVM). The estimated accuracy is higher for Random Forest (88.50%) followed by Support Vector Machine (85.30%) and Maximum Likelihood Classifier (85.10%) as compared to Mahalanobis Distance (81.10%), Spectral Angle Mapper (71.20%), and Minimum Distance (75.30%). The result showed that Sentinel-2 Multispectral Imagery can efficiently discriminate 15 different mangrove genera distributed in the entire Indian Sundarbans and can simultaneously replace the barriers in terms of cost and availability of the spaceborne and airborne hyperspectral sensors.

Meso- and micro-plastics contamination of water, sediments and fish species in coastal communities of Ondo State, Nigeria

Small plastic particles are contaminants of increasing concern in the environment due to the dangers they pose to organisms and their potential to enter human food chain. Plastic pollution of Coastal environments is a threat to biodiversity of aquatic resources, and to the health and livelihood of Coastal inhabitants. In this study, microplastics and mesoplastics were jointly determined in the water, sediments and fish species from five coastal communities in Ondo State, Nigeria. The plastic particles ranged from 1430 to 2844 particles/L and 2497–4844 particles/kg in the coastal waters and sediments, respectively. Attenuated total reflectance– Fourier transform infrared (ATR – FTIR) spectroscopic analyses led to the identification of eight (8) plastic polymer types, with low density polyethylene (LDPE) and polypropylene (PP) jointly constituting 64 % of the plastic particles (0.5–25 mm). Microplastics were discovered in the gastro-intestinal tract (GIT) of every single individual of the four (4) species investigated. Clarias gariepinus had the highest concentration (13.3 ± 3.4 microplastics/individual) and showed tendency to accumulate microplastics as the fish size increased. Small plastic fibres were the most abundant shape in the coastal environment and in the fish species, pointing to the impact of artisanal fishing activities in the area. Detection of microplastics in all the fish species implies a risk of exposure to plastic particles by humans, who rely on these fishes for their protein source. Regulation of some single-use plastics (e.g. nylons, polybags and styrofoams) is proposed to curb the incidence of plastic particles in the Nigerian total environment.

Role of Mangroves as Fishery Resource: A Systematic Review

Mangroves are valuable for their fishery resources, coastline stabilization abilities, water quality and clarity benefits, provision of habitat to economically profitable and ecologically important species, carbon sequestration services, and climate regulation capabilities. For centuries, mangroves have contributed significantly to the socioeconomic lives of coastal dwellers; especially in coastal fishery by providing nursery grounds for finfishes. Fishery resource services provided by mangrove ecosystem play an important role as the habitat, nursery ground, feeding ground, and spawning ground for various marine fish species. Despite their enormous socio-economic value and ecological significance, mangrove ecosystems are under severe threat such as large scale clearing, small scale harvesting and grazing, and industrial threats. The productivity of mangrove ecosystems has been linked to the well-being of valuable fisheries because of the role mangroves play as nursery habitat for a variety of marine and estuarine species. Many species of mangrove-related fish and crab have served the coastal communities as a natural, cheap and balanced nutritional source. Mangroves provide vital ecosystem services to coastal fishing communities through the enhancement of fisheries production. Due to their economic and ecologic significance, it is important to look to the future of these systems in the face of ‘fishery resource’ so that policy makers may act quickly to preserve and protect these ecosystems. Present review provides recent information on role of mangroves as fishery resource by studying the updated published literature and the threats faced by the mangroves. It is suggested that strategies should be prepared and rigorously implemented for the conservation and restoration of mangrove ecosystem.

Local knowledge, utilisation and consumption of seaweed in coastal communities of southwestern Madagascar

This study explored the local knowledge, utilisation and consumption of seaweeds (lomotsy in Malagasy) among coastal communities in southwestern Madagascar. Primary data were collected in eight villages, through a survey questionnaire (with a total of 629 respondents) and daily focus group discussions, conducted between May and December 2022. The findings reveal widespread familiarity with seaweed, used predominantly for farming, cleaning fishing equipment, and shading fish during transport. A smaller proportion of respondents (9%) had experimented with seaweed as a food source, notably incorporating species like Kappaphycus alvarezii and Hydroclathrus clathratus into soups and sauces. Despite the coastal inhabitants’ recognition of seaweed, the potential of the seaweed resource has not been fully developed, with utilisation restricted mainly to limited traditional practices. An interest in incorporating seaweed into a person’s future diet or in seaweed cultivation was expressed by 58% and 45% of the respondents, respectively. This study underscores the importance of enhanced and sustainable use of the seaweed resource in Madagascar’s coastal communities, presenting opportunities for economic development and ecological conservation.

Experiences and aspirations of seaweed farmers in Palawan, Philippines

Many coastal dwellers engage in seaweed farming despite of various challenges because of its simple farming technology, low capital investment, and short cultivation period. This paper explored the attitudes of seaweed farmers (n = 187) from nine coastal communities of Aborlan, Puerto Princesa, Roxas, and Taytay, Palawan towards the difficulties and challenges they experienced. The farmers’ experiences in seaweed farming, mid-term aspirations, and factors affecting their positive attitudes towards seaweed farming were gathered using a Likert-scale questionnaire in KoBoToolbox. Focused group discussion (FGD) sessions were also conducted to obtain more data about their optimistic attitudes. Participants are 55% male and 45% female. Results revealed that farmers had a high level of optimism toward seaweed farming. The majority (75%) ‘will continue to engage in planning the next cropping cycle’, most (89%) ‘are expecting to have a good harvest’, and almost all (96%) ‘are planning to generate raw dried seaweeds from their harvest.’ Many (59%) of the respondents obtained high earnings from seaweed farming, but most (93%) experienced economic losses. As recovery options, 92% aspired to culture other organisms such as sea cucumber and abalone. Further, most of them wanted to seek assistance from government offices (91%), participate in seaweed product development (86.5%), and join a cooperative (87.5%). This study could serve as baseline information in designing relevant training and educational activities to assist seaweed farmers in managing their farms sustainably. Subsequently, this could aid in formulating effective policies to address similar problems of seaweed farmers in other municipalities of Palawan.

Climate Resilience, Vulnerability, Differential Impacts and Adaptive Capacity in Nigeria

This research investigates and promotes climate resilience in Nigeria’s vulnerable communities, which are disproportionately affected by climate change. How climate change worsens existing problems such as food insecurity, poverty, and conflict in Nigeria serve as the rationale to this study. Hence, defining climate resilience, reviewing relevant literature, and conducting a case study to generate evidence-based recommendations give insight into the objectives of this study. Therefore, reviewed literature shows the diverse impacts of climate change on disadvantaged groups, such as small-scale farmers and urban coastal dwellers. Vulnerability assessments highlight the need for adaptive capacity, integrating local knowledge in solutions. Case studies illustrate vulnerabilities in poor urban coastal areas, rural regions, and the Niger Delta. Differential impacts are examined, such as the gendered effects of climate change on women and the challenges faced by indigenous communities and urban slums. Adaptive capacity is discussed, stressing social capital, collective action, and the interrelation of adaptation, adaptive capacity, and vulnerability. Adaptive capacity assessment in Nigeria indicates difficulties in rural farming households and urban coastal communities, requiring enhanced capacities. Indigenous knowledge plays a vital role in adaptive measures, fostering resilience. Resilience enhancement strategies emphasize social justice, inclusive governance, and community-based adaptation, acknowledging the significance of local empowerment and participation. Technology and innovation provide possibilities but need context-specific methods. These strategies can help build climate resilience in Nigeria’s vulnerable communities, offering a basis for policymakers, practitioners, and stakeholders to tackle the complex challenges of climate change.

Livelihood in Selected Coastal Areas in Ilocos Norte and Its Socio-Economic Dimension

Livelihoods are diverse and made up of multiple activities depending on the available assets to earn a living. Aside from fishing as the only major source of income for coastal dwellers, are there other means of livelihood that a coastal area can offer? This document will help us understand the complexity of coastal livelihoods and an idea on the alternative livelihoods within the coastal area. Result will be used to document and measure the socio-economic benefits and costs of different livelihood, and will also set limits and policies that are really adaptable in protecting our coastal resources. Purposive sampling was done with the assistance of the Department of Agriculture-Municipal Agriculture and Fishery Council (DA-MAFC) who identified the respondents. Descriptive statistics, frequency counts, percentages and means were used to treat data collected. Results show that there exist some variations of livelihood along coastal areas like seaweed gathering, salt-making, stone and shell picking and crafting. There are also alternative source that would complement these traditional coastal means of livelihood like boat-making/boat for hire, making of fishing materials, fire woods gathering and homestay. It is necessary to employ interventions which help to strengthen capacity building in coastal communities. Trainings to improve their craft and packing should also be applied.

Processing water birds for food at the Island of Kökar in the Baltic Sea during the medieval and early modern period (ca. CE 1400–1700)

AbstractFew studies have been made of the specific importance of waterfowl as food in the Baltic Sea during the late medieval and early modern period. This study shows the seasonal importance of water birds to island and coastal inhabitants living in the middle of the Baltic Sea during the late medieval and early modern periods (ca. CE 1400–1700) and practical implementations for interpretation of cut and chop marks. The paper is based on a bird bone assemblage retrieved from a remote ecclesial site on the island group of Kökar, which is part of the Åland Islands, as well as historical documents and local specialist knowledge. The site was established by Franciscan friars somewhere in the mid‐15th century. Documents indicate that the friars had landownership, income from taxing nearby fisheries, and the right to seal tithe. These assets were taken over by the crown in the mid‐16th century due to the Reformation and a parish church was established on the same site after the friary was dissolved. The bone assemblages from the site include birds, mammals, and fish. The material shows a relatively small number of chicken bones in relation to waterfowl, allowing one to look closer into the structural food economy around water birds for the area. The bones also show several cut and chop marks, which have been analyzed to explore the possible processing of these birds. The results show that fowling was concentrated to a couple of species most likely during spring when these species were abundant. The placement of the cut and chop marks indicates that a large number of birds were likely processed at the same time.

Plastic alternatives and substitutes in the packaging sector – A UK consumer perspective

Alternative and substitute materials to conventional plastic packaging offer a range of potential opportunities to help reduce the environmental impacts of single-use plastic. Policymakers and industry stakeholders are currently debating measures to address the plastic pollution crisis globally, but successful implementation of new policies or packaging technologies will require understanding of consumer perspectives and consumer acceptability. The present study aimed to examine consumer perceptions around plastic alternatives and substitutes by employing a life cycle approach. The Kano model of consumer satisfaction was used to investigate how UK consumers (n = 1177) responded to a variety of environmentally relevant attributes and end-of-life scenarios for different types of packaging (conventional plastic, biodegradable plastic, and glass). These responses were further grouped based on sociodemographic characteristics of the consumers including age, gender and level of education, as well as psycho-environmental variables such as nature connectedness. We show that consumers valued recyclability or compostability of packaging as preferable end-of-life attributes, and that overall consumers considered the release of plastic packaging into the natural environment an unacceptable end-of-life scenario. Concerningly, this was not the case for packaging made of biodegradable plastic or glass, highlighting the potential for alternatives and substitutes to increase the proportion of mismanaged waste. All four consumer groups had distinct profiles of responses to packaging sustainability attributes and end-of-life scenarios: ‘Educated environmentalists’, consisting mostly of female consumers, considered all of the attributes of interest to be important, whereas ‘Older, less educated coastal dwellers’ showed similar responses but rated four out of seven sustainability attributes of biodegradable plastic packaging as irrelevant. ‘Non-environmentalists’ perceived all attributes as irrelevant, as did ‘Nature-connected egocentrists’, with the exception of glass being made of recycled material. Overall, our findings indicate that consumers are not sufficiently informed about the environmental impacts and opportunities around packaging, highlighting the need for appropriate consumer education to support policy and industry in implementing the UN Plastics Treaty.

Assessment of Essential and Potentially Toxic Elements in Water and Sediment and the Tissues of Sciaena deliciosa (Tschudi, 1846) from the Coast of Callao Bay, Peru.

The lorna drum Sciaena deliciosa is a coastal demersal species and one of the underlying artisanal fisheries in some areas of Peru, and is also a source of protein for Peruvian coastal dwellers. The investigation addresses concern about the environmental impact on this fish species and the potential risks to human health through the consumption of contaminated seafood. This research endeavors to assess the concentration of potentially toxic and essential elements in the muscle and liver tissues of S. deliciosa, in addition to the presence thereof in water and sediment capture areas on the coast of Callao, Peru. The study revealed that, in water samples, Ag, Ni, and Zn exceed Peruvian standards, but were below international standards, and Ba, P, Se, and Sn exceed international standards. In the sediments, As, Cd, Pb, Fe, and Zn were above international standards. In the fish, S. delicious muscle demonstrated As, Hg, and Pb exceeding at least one international standard. In the liver, As, Hg, Pb, and Cu exceed international standards. The study approach increased accuracy in risk assessments, offering crucial insights into the interplay between heavy metal pollution, water quality, and animal health, informing risk management strategies. Future studies can explore the long-term effects of heavy metal exposure on different organisms and consider their cumulative impact on health.

Implicit Markers of Old Belief in the Onomastics of Karelian Pomorye

This article draws on field materials collected by the Toponymic Expedition of Ural University, conducted in 2023–2024 in the Pomorye area of the Belomorsky District, Republic of Karelia. It examines collective nicknames such as oblivantsy (‘residents of the village of Sukhoye’) and lesovikibezmedniki (‘residents of villages and settlements in the south-eastern part of the Belomorsky region, including Endoguba, Vorenzha, Sumostrov, Pertozero, and Pulozero’). The study also explores phraseological units containing toponymic adjectives (e.g., face as / looking like hot Vyg copper, ‘about a flushed man’), and terms used for territorial groups with locative semantics that are similar to nicknames (e.g., poozery — pomory — lesoviki). Additionally, it includes various onomastic and appellative units, such as the names of sketes derived from lake names and the expression polumbrous hilozër, which features the quasi-katoikonym hilozër. The author interprets these linguistic elements as implicit markers of the Old Believers, who significantly influenced the historical and cultural landscape of the region. For example, the nickname oblivantsy is linked to the practice of dousing baptism practiced by the residents of Sukhoye, which the Old Believers viewed negatively. The phrase face like hot Vyg copper alludes to the tradition of crafting copper-cast icons among the Vyg Monastery inhabitants. The triad pomory — poozery — lesoviki is not only taxonomic (referring to the place of residence of the respective groups of people), but also reflects an evaluative opposition: the coastal inhabitants are economically and religiously contrasted with the Old Believers who retreated to the forests and lakes. Beyond reconstructing the semantics of these names, the author reveals the nominators’ perspectives embedded within them.

Climate Change Adaptation Strategy of the Coastal Indigenous Community of Bangladesh

Climate change has increasingly impacted developing and underdeveloped nations, with Bangladesh’s coastal areas experiencing significant effects such as storm surges, salinity, cyclones, and droughts. These regions, heavily reliant on agriculture, face economic challenges exacerbated by climatic events, making adaptation to climate change a critical concern for coastal inhabitants. This study aims to understand the obstacles and adaptive mechanisms employed by the Munda indigenous people in southeastern coastal Bangladesh to protect their livelihoods. Employing both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, including focus group discussions (FGDs) and thematic analyses, we assessed the community’s challenges and adaptation strategies. FGDs revealed that public life is frequently disrupted, salinity poses a major threat to agriculture and drinking water, and the cropping pattern, fish production, livestock, infrastructure, industry, biodiversity, health, and human settlement are adversely affected. Notably, there is a significant lack of adequate healthcare. Quantitative analysis using the χ2 test showed that 33.2% of participants believe climate change affects their happiness, 85.1% stored 72 h of water and food, and 59.3% had hygiene and sanitation supplies. This research underscores the necessity of adaptive measures such as rainwater harvesting, organic fertilizer usage, community disaster preparedness education, effective communication systems, and social security implementation to mitigate climate change’s adverse effects. The findings offer valuable insights for the government, nongovermental organizations (NGOs), policymakers, civil society, and stakeholders in developing suitable climate adaptation strategies to ensure sustainable livelihoods in coastal Bangladesh.

Social constructs of the coastal fante festival performance costumes and sculptural objects in Ghana: An indigenous knowledge system and practice

The focus of this qualitative case study was to explore the intricate relationship between Coastal Fante Festival performance costumes, sculptural objects, and the indigenous knowledge system and practices of the coastal dwellers, who reside in the central coastal regions of Ghana. To explore the social constructs of Coastal Fante Festival performance costumes and sculptural objects comprehensively, this study employed a multidisciplinary approach, combining ethnography, archival research, and artisan collaboration in the geographical context of Winneba and Cape Coast. The unstructured interview and direct observation were the instrumentations used for the data collection. The interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) and visual data analysis tools garnered from sixteen (16) research participants using purposive (expert) and simple random sampling techniques allowed for a holistic understanding of the cultural, historical, and societal dimensions of these costumes and sculptural objects within the Central region coastal community, shedding light on their role as living embodiments of indigenous knowledge and cultural practice. The study revealed that these costumes hold profound cultural significance, symbolizing historical events, social identities, behaviour, codes and spiritual connections within the community. As a result of these social constructs, enculturation and inculturation were achieved, materialising cultural identity, defining mood (attitude), enhancing performer welfare, and addressing issues of history were addressed through performance costumes and sculptural objects. The generation should see these costumes with sculptural objects as a living embodiment of indigenous knowledge and cultural practice, enriching the understanding of Fante culture and its significance in a global context.

A multiproxy approach to understanding the impact of the Storegga tsunami upon Mesolithic hunter-fisher-gatherers across different regions of western Norway

The Storegga tsunami (c. 8150 cal BP) is geologically well attested from various isolation basins across the west Norwegian coast. Ascertaining the impact it had upon the Mesolithic peoples who lived through it, however, remains a difficult proposition; one further complicated by broadly synchronic processes of climate change and sea-level rise. This paper presents a regional scale approach to addressing this matter through a multiproxy study comprising: 1) the performance of a new numerical tsunami run-up simulation for six different focus areas; 2) characterising the impact of the tsunami upon key resource base ecosystems; 3) characterising the potential for complication arising from contemporaneous processes of environmental change caused by the ‘8.2 ka BP event', and sea-level rise associated with the early-mid Holocene ‘Tapes’ transgression, and 4) the reconstruction of temporal traditions in site location relative to the contemporary palaeoshoreline within the six focus areas used for the numerical simulation.Severity of run-up and inundation is found to be acutely variable according to coastal geomorphology and topography, bathymetry, and proximity to the propagation centre. Although the tsunami may have had a severely negative impact upon some coastal inhabitants and ecosystems, it is not possible from current evidence to reliably infer unequivocal impacts relating to the tsunami through the archaeological record, nor is it clear that impact upon key ecosystem components was necessarily lasting, widespread, or even entirely negative for coastal hunter-fisher-gatherers. Variability in projected run-up and settlement histories highlight the appeal of regionally based approaches to reconstructing impact, at least where data resolution may permit. The tsunami does not appear to have prompted a lasting shift away from coastally oriented ways of life.

Climate Change, Vulnerabilities, and Migration: Insights from Ecological Migrants in Bangladesh

This paper explores the close interaction between environmental hazards and non-environmental factors inducing people to leave their areas of origin, augmented by the struggles they face and their urban survival strategies. Focusing on Aila-induced migrants in a slum in Khulna city, the study questions the conventional notion that environmental hazards singularly propel coastal inhabitants' migration. Instead, it asserts that migration results from a convergence of multi-causal factors, notably, the interplay between environmental hazards, socio-political and economic vulnerabilities, and proximity to ecologically fragile regions. Initially driven by subsistence needs, migration has transformed into something greater for many marginalized individuals. These migrants develop strong bonds with specific locations and location-specific networks, which facilitate their transition to urban life and allow them to mitigate the challenges associated with urban living. This study sheds light on the nuanced dynamics of climate-induced migration, emphasizing the necessity for comprehensive policy responses.

Effects of coastal protection structures in controlling erosion and livelihoods

The fiscal and social cost of ameliorating the impact of coastal erosion resulting from climate change is an increasing burden for coastal states, and in developing nations the physical interventions implemented may present a double agony – increasing debt levels and potentially obstructing livelihoods in the rural coasts. Against this background, this study was conducted to explore the impact of hard-engineered coastal protection on coastal vulnerability and community livelihoods in Ghana using a combination of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), geographic information system tools and social survey. Shoreline change analysis by the application of the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) with aerial photographs from 2005 to 2022 reveals an average statistical rate of change of −1 m/year in shoreline erosion of the beaches. A computation of coastal vulnerability indices for fourteen beaches, incorporating coastal protection as an additional parameter shows that from east to west, hard-engineered coastal protection structures slowed the rate of erosion, whereas unprotected beaches have highly eroded, stressing the importance of coastal protection. In consequence, coastal protection has dire livelihood-reduction implications for coastal inhabitants who are predominantly artisanal fishers. A lack of acceptable consultation with the communities exacerbates the effects from these hard-engineering interventions. The beaches of high vulnerability concerns are Dzita, Ada, Sakumono, Glefe, Apam, Anlo, and Busua. To safeguard the livelihoods of vulnerable coastal communities, we support a shift from hard engineering to more integrated and nature-based coastal management approaches on a national scale since most parts of the coast are now susceptible to erosion in contrast to what was previously observed that only the eastern part of the coast was highly vulnerable.

Eucheumatoid seaweed farming in the southern Philippines

Eucheumatoid seaweed farming (ESF) is an important enterprise that provides livelihood opportunities for tropical coastal communities. In this work, we surveyed the current practices of ESF in Tawi-Tawi and Sulu, southern Philippines, where major commercial ESF activities in the country are currently practiced. Seaweed farmers (N = 143) were interviewed using a structured questionnaire containing relevant information on the current farming practices. Results revealed that ESF is one of the primary livelihood sources for coastal inhabitants in the southern Philippines. Most farmers were male, 21–50 years old, and practiced farming for 6–10 years. Farmers mostly owned a farm with an area of 25–400 m2, mainly filled with the rhodophyte elkhorn sea mosses, either Kappaphycus alvarezii or K. striatus. Vegetative cuttings, the major seedling source, were tied using plastic straw into a 6–10 m rope line with a distance interval of 10–20 cm. Inorganic nutrient enrichment is practiced to increase growth and lessen ice-ice disease occurrence. The modified fixed-off bottom (stakes with floaters) is the most predominant farming method. Farms were visited 2–3 times a week for maintenance. Farming is year-round, with peak seasons between August and November. Harvesting is typically done after 21–30 days. Seaweeds are usually dried using the hanging method, which takes 4–6 days. Dried Kappaphycus fronds command higher prices (90–140 PHP/kg) compared to Eucheuma denticulatum (10–50 PHP/kg). Few farmers received government support; therefore, farmers reported many problems affecting their production. This study provides an update on the current ESF practices in the southern Philippines, which have not been well-documented for almost two decades.

Indigenous knowledge in climate change adaptation: Choice of indigenous adaptation responses to coastal erosion in Ghanaian communities

Coastal erosion as a threat to Ghana’s coastline is being exacerbated by natural and anthropogenic processes. Adaptation to coastal erosion helps in managing the impacts and the levels of destruction to livelihoods, properties and investments along the coastline. Government intervention in adaptation to coastal erosion has always focused on the development of coastal sea defences without the integration of Indigenous knowledge and initiatives of coastal dwellers. This paper contributes to this gap by examining the Indigenous adaptation responses to coastal erosion in selected coastal communities of Ghana, factors influencing the choice of adaptation responses and the extent to which these Indigenous adaptation responses are addressing coastal erosion. Findings from the explorative qualitative study revealed that coastal dwellers are engaged in different forms of planned and reactive adaptation responses to coastal erosion. It was also found out that most of the Indigenous adaptation responses to coastal erosion were unsustainable in addressing coastal erosion and the choice of Indigenous adaptation response to coastal erosion was shaped by socio-economic and ecological factors or perception. Maladaptation responses by coastal dwellers were contributing to the phenomenon of coastal erosion. Coastal dwellers have survived the impacts of coastal erosion in the absence of support from central and local governments and their unsustainable adaptation responses have become a cyclical ritual over a period of time. The paper contributes to the debates on adaptation to climate change and the consideration of Indigenous knowledge into climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies in coastal zone planning and management.

Mangrove resource utilization and impacts in the Pra and Kakum estuaries of Ghana

Mangrove forests provide a wide range of valuable uses or benefits that contribute to the wellbeing of inhabitants in coastal communities. This study evaluated the economic and ecological contribution of mangrove resources to coastal livelihoods in communities that depend on the Kakum and Pra River estuaries and the impact of the uses on the structural development of the mangrove species. Information on the utilization of mangrove resources was obtained from 136 respondents in ten communities, using purposive and snowball sampling techniques. Structural parameters of the mangrove species were estimated and the data analysed using descriptive statistics and regression. The study revealed that coastal inhabitants harvested fuelwood, timber (poles), crabs and periwinkles from both mangrove forests, while tilapia was collected from only the Pra mangrove forest. About 34 % of the respondents depended solely on mangrove resource harvesting as their main occupation. The mean net annual incomes derived from fuelwood and periwinkles were about US $ 1,000 – 1,730 and US $ 660 – 2,000 respectively, whereas that from tilapia was about US $ 2,310, per respondent. The observation suggested that mangroves income contributed substantially (about 65%) to the overall income of the mangrove resource users. All the mangrove species had low structural developments in terms of size and height. Given that widespread harvesting of mangrove trees affects their structural development, this study therefore makes a compelling case to strengthen conservation strategies at the local level to ensure sustainable utilization of these mangrove forests.