V2V PHOTO OF THE WEEK 2025
V2V Photo of the Week: March 19, 2025
This photo was captured in Kumirmari Village, Sundarbans, West Bengal, India. In this image, a group of women and one man sit together near the riverbank, sorting fish from waste. The fish, mixed with mud and various species, are carefully separated and divided among them to ensure that all households are fed. This scene illustrates the significance of solidarity as a strategy for resilience, particularly when facing complex and multifaceted challenges. It demonstrates that collective action is essential for overcoming such obstacles.
Moreover, this image reflects the prevailing gender ideology in society, where women play a vital role. It also highlights the importance of rivers as a primary source of food for the residents. Sustainable fishing practices provide essential nutrients for villagers who may be unable to afford food from the market. The mud consists of plastics, which are non-biodegradable waste and pose a major threat to the species inhabiting the riverbank. This issue is a significant concern for the ecology of the Sundarbans.
Photo credit and Contributor: Moumita Dey, 2025
V2V Photo of the Week: March 12, 2025
As the golden sun sinks below the horizon, its fading light casts a warm glow over the river that separates Munshiganj from Gabura. Three boats rest across the water of the Sundarbans, each carrying a story of the Sundarbans’ intertwined livelihood, hopes, and dreams. A brightly painted tourism boat is resting after a long day of carrying visitors eager to witness the beauty of the mighty Sundarbans. To its right, a simple boat is resting, which is used to ferry villagers across the river. On the left, a weathered wooden boat used by small-scale fishers is moored after a day’s labor. Together, these boats tell the story of the line in the Sundarbans, where the river is both a path and a provider.
Photo credit and Contributor: Sanzida Alam, 2025
V2V Photo of the Week: March 5, 2025
This photo was taken in Princess Town, a community in the Western Region of Ghana. The delicate dance between survival and exploitation unfolds on many beaches at night. Here, fishers, driven by a misguided pursuit of profit, engage in a practice that threatens the very existence of sea turtles – the harvesting of their eggs. These ancient mariners, vulnerable during their nesting season, lay their eggs on sandy shores. However, instead of being nurtured by the warmth of the sun, these eggs become a target for poachers. The eggs, considered a delicacy or aphrodisiac in some cultures, are often stolen, leaving a devastating impact on turtle populations. This practice is not only cruel but also unsustainable. With fewer hatchlings reaching maturity, the delicate balance of the ecosystem is disrupted. Tourism, which thrives on healthy coral reefs maintained by sea turtles, suffers. The loss of these gentle giants weakens the entire marine environment.
Urgent action is needed. Stricter enforcement of poaching laws, education campaigns in local communities, and alternative livelihoods for fishers are crucial steps. Only then can we ensure that the beaches remain a safe haven for nesting turtles, and the dance between these magnificent creatures and the sea continues for generations to come.
Photo Credit and Contributor: Richmond Korang, 2018
V2V Photo of the Week: February 26, 2025
This image was taken in Kumirmari, one of the remotest island villages in the Gosaba block of the Indian Sundarbans, which is bestowed with unique political-social and ecological features. I tried to capture the essence of life in the Sundarbans, a unique ecosystem where the river and the people are intertwined. This boat, laden with goods and people, goes to a local market or a weekly haat/Bazaar. Here, we see a slightly off-center boat moving diagonally across the frame, creating a dynamic sense of motion. Also, I tried to show water in most of the areas in my frame to emphasize the value of the river. I have tried to capture this image so that the boat symbolizes journey, survival, and transition. It is also both a vessel of livelihood and a symbol of the resilience of the Sundarbans people. This boat carries diverse people with their own stories and dreams. This is not just a boat; it looks like a floating community to me and is a testament to the resilience and adaptability of the Sundarbans people.
Photo credit and Contributor: Subham Mondal, 2025
V2V Photo of the Week: February 19, 2025
This photo was taken in Kumirmari in the Sundarbans of India, where the Indigenous community fishes in a sustainable and collectively governed practice rooted in traditional ecological knowledge (TEK). Local communities manage aquatic resources, emphasizing ecological balance and long-term sustainability, using fishing techniques that respect natural cycles. Decisions are made communally, often guided by elders, to ensure the preservation of resources for future generations. This governance model fosters social cohesion and resilience, allowing communities to adapt to environmental changes while maintaining biodiversity. By integrating cultural practices with ecological stewardship, indigenous fishing systems provide a sustainable approach to resource management, emphasizing the interconnectedness of people and nature.
Photo credit and Contributor: Soumi Bandyopadhyay, 2025
V2V Photo of the Week: February 12, 2025
This photo was taken in Kumirmari village, a remote community located in the Sundarbans region of West Bengal in India. Being an island village surrounded by rivers, it serves as the epicenter of several natural disasters. Due to limited employment opportunities and the village's remoteness, fishing is a crucial livelihood for its residents. Among the fishing methods used here, the behundi jal (a small bag net with a mesh size of less than 40 mm) is particularly prevalent. However, this method has significant ecological consequences, as it indiscriminately captures juvenile fish, contributing to biodiversity loss. Despite this, the practice remains an essential source of income for the villagers, particularly women, who play a key role in fishing and post-harvest activities. In the past, fish stocks in the region were abundant. Still, industrial pollution from urban areas and using poor-quality diesel in motorized boats have significantly depleted fish populations. While halting fishing altogether is not a feasible solution, regulating mesh sizes in nets could mitigate the impact on biodiversity. Additionally, collective governance is needed to curb substandard mixed fuels and address pollution issues. These photographs capture these interconnected challenges and the socio-economic realities of the community.
Photo Credit: Liton Paul, 2025
Contributors: Liton Paul & B.K.Das, 2025
V2V Photo of the Week: February 05, 2025
I met this fisher with my other field schoolmates during a community visit on 20 Feb 2025 at the bank of the Puinjali River in Sundarbans during the winter 2025 field school. In Hindi, I told them my name, and they shared with me that we were in the island village of Kumirmari to learn about their life and the Sundarbans. He just nodded slightly. Perhaps he did not understand what am trying to ask or share. I am sure I interrupted him, but he did not show his anger or discomfort and returned to his work. I showed my small GoPro camera and used my body language to seek consent to take a picture of him and a brief video of how he is fishing with a simple rope and a little floating device we can see in the image. He nodded again, and I took this as if he had given me the consent, but I should have asked once again to make sure. But as an external/ uninvited guest to this island, I am so focused on capturing the moment while he attaches a small prawn as a bite at the end of the thread. After these conversations or interruptions, we returned that evening to the field school venue, and we shared what we saw and the images we formed while thinking about situated adaptation and collective governance – the themes of the field school. After two days of this visit, I returned to Kamloops, but this particular visual and incident kept coming.
I asked my colleague about the practice and learned that hook-and-line fishing involves setting a fishing line in the water with baited hooks. It is done by hand or using a rod and reel or longlines. In this case, I have not seen a very long line of thread (we can see it in the visual), and I have not seen many hooks either. He kept a wooden stick (not seen in the picture) with a plastic bottle on the shore, and after throwing that thread with the few baits, he tied the thread to this stick and looked at me. I looked at him, and without any further conversations, we departed.
I understand now that small-scale fishing is not a homogenous entity. All small-scale fishers are not the same. How do I understand the livelihood of the people of Sundarbans when I have images of the traditional practices like the one I saw during our village visits and the big trawlers with India and Bangladesh flags, transporting and scooping the ocean floor and net fishing by community members with Zero net on the way to the Sundarbans sanctuary the next day. These images are very contradictory to me, but they are real. How do we understand and learn about situated adaptation and collective governance in Sundarbans and beyond?
Photo credit and Contributor: Bala Nikku, 2025
V2V Photo of the Week: January 29, 2025
Amid the vast, shimmering waters of the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh, colorful fishing boats like this one are a common sight. These traditional vessels are essential for local fishermen, who depend on the bay’s abundant marine life for their livelihood. Painted in vibrant colors, the boats reflect practicality and cultural pride, standing out in the open sea while symbolizing the resilience of coastal communities.
Alongside these boats, seagulls play a crucial role in the ecosystem and the daily rhythm of fishing life. Often seen circling above or trailing behind, they are more than mere companions. Seagulls are natural indicators of fish-rich areas, guiding fishermen toward potential catches. Their presence also highlights the interconnectedness of the marine ecosystem, where every creature—from seagulls to fish—plays a vital role in maintaining balance.
Each day, fishermen set out at dawn, navigating the unpredictable tides with skill and determination. Their work is vital for the economy and preserving a way of life passed down through generations. However, they face growing challenges such as overfishing, climate change, and rising sea levels, threatening their future. This boat, a symbol of tradition and survival, and its ever-present seagull companions remind us of the delicate balance between nature and humanity.
Let’s support sustainable practices and celebrate the rich maritime heritage of the Bay of Bengal, ensuring that both fishermen and the thriving ecosystem they depend on endure for generations to come.
Photo credit and Contributor: Efaj Salekin Arnob, 2025
V2V Photo of the Week: January 22, 2025
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This photo was captured during the ongoing Winter Field School in the Sundarbans, India. This weeklong initiative has brought together a diverse cohort of students, early-career researchers, practitioners, civil society members, government officials, and local community representatives. In the heart of the world’s largest mangrove ecosystem and the fastest-growing delta, the Sundarbans, this program is a unique platform for collaborative learning and hands-on exploration of pressing social-ecological challenges.
Participants engage in an enriching mix of classroom teaching and immersive fieldwork, diving into themes such as adaptive responses, collective governance, and transitions from vulnerability to viability. The school fosters innovative, transdisciplinary approaches and equips participants with skills and methods to address complex real-world issues. Central to these discussions is the role of governance, shaped by policymakers and the collective efforts of stakeholders at all levels, from grassroots communities to international actors.
This photo captures the spirit of collaboration and knowledge exchange as participants work toward novel strategies and place-based solutions for sustainable and inclusive transformations within the transboundary social-ecological system of the Sundarbans. It is a testament to the power of bringing diverse perspectives together to drive change in one of the planet's most dynamic and fragile ecosystems.
Photo credit and Contributor: V2V Global Partnership, 2025
V2V Photo of the Week: January 15, 2025
The photograph was captured at Mundikodu village of Kolleru Lake area of Andhra Pradesh, India. The photo depicts the fisherman collecting small fish by using traditional bamboo trap standing in the shallow waters of Kolleru wetland. Fishing in Kolleru is not just a means of livelihood but also deeply embedded in the cultural and social fabric of the local communities. Fishermen in Kolleru Lake primarily use traditional methods, such as handmade traps, nets, and small boats. The handmade bamboo or cane traps are locally called “veduru vala” or “bokka peta”. These traps are placed strategically in shallow waters to catch fish and crabs. Techniques are often eco-friendly and designed to catch indigenous fish, crabs, and other shellfish sustainably. The daily catch is used for both personal consumption and selling in nearby markets. Fish varieties such as rohu, catla, murrel, and prawns are common.
Photo credit and Contributor: Shreya Bhattacharya, 2024
V2V Photo of the Week: January 8, 2025
This photo was taken in Dubiyahi village of Supaul district in Bihar, India, where a fisherman has completed fishing and is patiently mending his net. The art of mending nets is a time-honored tradition that combines skill, patience, and knowledge passed down through generations. Fishers' nets are essential for their trade, and keeping them in good repair is crucial for a successful catch. It's not just about patching holes but ensuring the net retains its strength, as each mend tells a story of battles with the river currents and the fishers’ dedication to their craft.
Photo credit and Contributor: Anurag Singh, Dr. Basanta Kumar Das, 2024