Socioeconomic status of coral reef resource users of Pamban region, Gulf of Mannar, South India

The present study assumes importance because the coastal fishing community relying on the coral reef resources by and large remains isolated from the mainstream and as such it evokes interest of the academics with multifariou s research interests. The fishers concerned constitute a social and economi cally backward section of the society. They are solely depending on the uns table income from fishing and fishing related activities, using different t ypes of fishing gears, throughout the seasons of a year. In the pursuit of their occupation, they are also doing extensive damage to coral reefs that support a variety of marine fauna and flora such as gorgonians, seacucumber , seaweeds, etc. The fishers residing in Pamban region are living in abject poverty, both the government and the local fishermen associations attempt to improve their living standard and try to remove their bondage from usuri ous moneylenders.