Climate change and adaptation to social-ecological change: the case of indigenous people and culture-based fisheries in Sri Lanka

摘要: Rural coastal fishery systems in tropical island nations are undergoing rapid change. Using a case study from eastern Sri Lanka, this paper examines the ways which indigenous Coastal-Vedda fishers experience and respond to such We conducted semi-structured interviews (n = 74), focus group discussions (n = 17, 98 participants), key informant (n = 38) over 2-year period (2016–2019). The changes that most disturbance Lankan ethnic war, climate frequency severity of natural disasters, increased human-elephant conflicts, increasingly unpredictable weather patterns, transformation due social modernisation. used resilience-based conceptual framework focusing on place, human agency, collective action collaboration, institutions, local knowledge systems, learning examine fishers’ responses changes. identified three community-level adaptive strategies by Coastal-Vedda: institutions with multi-level institutional structure facilitates use culture-based fisheries (CBF), diversification livelihoods. also recognized four place-specific attributes shaped community adaptations: cultural identity worldviews, co-management CBF, flexibility choosing options, learning. These provide new insights for scientists, policymakers, communities region, enabling them more effectively work together support adaptation.