V2V PHOTO OF THE WEEK 2026
V2V Photo of the Week: April 8, 2026
This photo was taken in the Western Region of Ghana and shows a fishing net filled with a mix of fish and plastic waste. Instead of bringing in a clean catch, the net contains bottles, wrappers, and other debris along with a small number of fish. It reflects a situation where plastics are becoming a regular part of what fishers collect from the sea, sometimes even more than the fish itself.
This is a problem for fishers because it directly affects their earnings. When a large portion of the catch is plastic, they have less fish to sell in the market. They also spend more time separating waste from the catch, which reduces their efficiency and adds extra work. In some cases, plastic can damage nets, leading to additional costs for repair or replacement. The impact goes beyond individual fishers. Many coastal communities depend on fishing for both income and food. Lower fish catches can mean reduced household income and less fish available for local consumption. Over time, this can affect food security and increase financial pressure on families. Plastic pollution also affects fish stocks. Marine species can ingest or get entangled in plastic, which can reduce their population and make fishing even more difficult in the future. This creates a cycle where both the environment and livelihoods are negatively affected.
Overall, the image shows a practical challenge faced by fishing communities—where pollution is directly interfering with daily work and long-term sustainability.
Photo Credit: Samuel Abalansa, 2026
Contributions: Samuel Abalansa and Sanzida Alam, 2026
V2V Photo of the Week: April 1, 2026
This photograph was taken from the left embankment near the Kumirmari Ferry Ghat during the Sundarbans Field School I attended from 16–22 January 2026. As I looked at the boat facing Choto Molla Khali island, I began to think about how these two islands are separated by the river yet bound together by the very same water. In this landscape, the boat emerges not as a passive object but as an active presence, almost a living character, in the everyday lives of the island’s people.
On this remote island, the grand project of Global Positioning collapses; coordinates lose their authority. Instead, it is the boat that offers orientation, mobility, and meaning. In this sense, the boat becomes a macrocosmic extension of the island itself: both are suspended, floating on a fluid terrain that resists fixity. This moment left me with questions I may pursue further, or perhaps it quietly tethered me to this place. The image opens up the possibility of return—to Kumirmari and its neighbouring islands—where the boat continues to inhabit and generate multiple narratives, carrying stories as much as people across the water.
Photo credit and contribution: Shahrukh Khan, 2026
V2V Photo of the Week: March 25, 2026
These photos are from the recently concluded South Asia Marine Social Science Conference (MSSC), which took place at the University of Ruhuna, Matara, Sri Lanka, from 18–21 March 2026. The South Asia Marine Social Science Conference is a collaboration between the research networks V2V Global Partnership and DriedFishMatters in Canada, the University of Ruhuna and the University of Jaffna in Sri Lanka, and the Centre for Maritime Research (MARE) in the Netherlands.
Similar to other parts of the world, South Asia’s coastlines and marine areas are changing rapidly. Industrialization and urbanization are altering the coastal landscape, new ports are being constructed, and economic sectors such as tourism and aquaculture are emerging. These changes are affecting human communities: fishers and other coastal inhabitants are losing control and access over marine and coastal spaces, and the diversion of fish catches from food to fishmeal and poultry feed is affecting food security and nutrition. Conflicts over boundaries and resource use are increasing, reflected in tensions between small and large actors, insiders and outsiders, and across gender and social groups. New laws are being introduced and spatial management plans developed. Coastal populations are migrating for new employment, while migrants from inland areas are moving toward coastal regions. At the same time, marine pollution and erosion are rising, with sea-level rise and climate change looming. Most of these changes have a societal dimension. The MSSC emphasized that the social sciences have much to contribute to understanding the dynamics of coastal and marine change and informing policymaking at international, national, and sub-national levels.
This one-of-a-kind conference gathered over 70 early-career and senior social scientists (anthropologists, geographers, economists, environmental scientists, political scientists, etc.) working in South Asia (Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and the Maldives) for a vibrant debate on emerging challenges. Presentations and discussions were organized around four related themes: 1) Tides of Nature: ecologies, disasters, and climate change; 2) From Above the Waves: governing the coast and marine scape; 3) Threadbare Lives: vulnerability and pathways to viability in coastal space; and 4) Inequality and Justice on the Coast: understandings and action potential.
Photo credit and contribution: Prateep Kumar Nayak, 2026
V2V Photo of the Week: March 18, 2026
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In Kumirmari, this everyday domestic surface holds both the material and the immaterial components of the space. The dal-bori and atta are laid out in the sun to be carefully dried, preserved, and made durable against humidity, uncertainty, and scarcity. The fish motifs engraved on the table silently mark how coastal life shapes perception; how the space is seen, felt, and remembered through waters and the unseen labour. The same picture carries an urban presence - as the Winter Field School gets arranged in the place from 16th to 22nd January, 2026; colour pencils, a lip-guard, rest beside their familiar rhythms of life in the Sundarban.
Photo credit and contribution: Deboleena Sengupta, 2026
V2V Photo of the Week: March 11, 2026
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This photo was taken during the V2V Field School and captures the serene landscape of the Mangala Jodi Wetland. The wetland is protected by the local community, who have transformed their relationship with nature by shifting from bird hunting to becoming dedicated guardians of the ecosystem. In the image, a traditional wooden boat, guided with a bamboo cane, moves gently through the water, reflecting the daily life and practices of the people who live with and care for the wetland. Today, Mangala Jodi stands as a powerful example of community-led conservation. The people who once depended on hunting now protect the birds and biodiversity that thrive in this wetland. Their efforts not only preserve the ecological richness of the area but also create sustainable livelihoods through eco-tourism and stewardship of the land.
Photo credit and contribution: Adrina Herriet Berliana, 2025
V2V Photo of the Week: March 4, 2026
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The pitch-black stripes on the bright brown backdrop shown in this picture are charred remnants of dry hay. Taken in Kumirmari, just after the winter harvest, the picture resembles tiger skin. Every year, after the harvest, a heavy amount of hay is stacked in the fields. In the island villages of Sundarban, hay comes to several usages, from animal fodder to the primary material for thatching the roofs of mud houses. Yet, all of it cannot be exhausted in utility, and the excess is burnt down. The villagers have conflicting opinions about the effect of this practice. Some maintain that the ash fertilises the field for future cultivation, while others think that the smoke contributes to air pollution. Looking at it, I was wondering why the excess is not taken away somewhere where it would be needed, whether it can be used in mulching or gardening elsewhere. A local woman, coming from the field, broke into my reverie. I shared my concerns with her, and she told me that, beyond everything else, it is a practical necessity. The field needs to be prepared for the next cultivation, and transportation of the surplus hay is beyond the farmers’ affordability.
Photo credit and contribution: Souvik Das, 2026
V2V Photo of the Week: February 25, 2026
This photo was taken at the gateway to Gunung Nenek Semukut in Kampung Mukut, Pulau Tioman, Malaysia, and it tells the story of a coastal community's transformation. Once primarily dependent on fishing for their livelihood, the villagers have gradually shifted towards tourism, opening new opportunities for growth and sustainability. The gateway not only welcomes visitors to one of Tioman’s most majestic natural landmarks but also symbolises the resilience of the local community in adapting to changes while continuing to preserve their cultural identity and roots.
Photo credit and contributor: Nik Mohamad Afiq, 2025
V2V Photo of the Week: February 18, 2026
This photograph depicts women engaged in fish sorting and drying in Dadanpatrabar, a coastal village in Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, India. Women fishworkers play a vital role in small-scale fisheries, especially in post- harvest activities likefish sorting, cleaning and drying. However, despite their crucial contributions, the livelihood of women fishworkersengaged in fish drying is threatened due to compounding factors of depleting fish stock, coastal grabbing, and climatechange-induced variabilities. For example, overfishing caused by destructive gear like trawl nets has resulted in declining catch per effort for small-scale family-based fishing enterprises. This, in turn, has reduced the availability of fish for fish drying, which is an important livelihood of women fishworkers. Secondly, escalation of coastal infrastructure development in the form of tourism, maritime trade, defence etc. for a viable blue economy, continues to threaten the access to traditional fish drying spaces used by women fishworkers. Thirdly, climate variabilities characterised by inclement weather is resulting in not only loss of fishing days, but days of fish drying as well. Amidst such concerns, the women fishworkers continue to secure the food and nutritional needs of the community at large, while defending their customary rights over coastal and marine spaces.
Photo credit and contributor: Amitrajit Chakraborty, 2026
V2V Photo of the Week: February 11, 2026
This photo was taken in the wetland area of Mangalajodi, Chilika Lagoon, on the east coast of Indiaand it tells the story of fishermen weighing their fresh catch using a simple, handmade scale. After returning from fishing, they gather collectively to measure the harvest before selling it directly to buyers. The improvised weighing tool reflects both resourcefulness and resilience, showing that material limitations do not prevent these communities from sustaining their livelihoods.
Beyond the act of selling fish, this scene illustrates the value of cooperation and shared trust among small-scale fishers. Simplicity in tools does not diminish the dignity of labour; instead, it highlights how communities mobilize available resources to maintain economic survival. In this way, resilience is not only found in advanced technology or infrastructure, but also in the collective strength and ingenuity of people adapting to uncertainty.
Photo credit and contributor: Jubakti Anggoro, 2025
V2V Photo of the Week: February 4, 2026
This photo was taken in the Old Podampeta village in the south coast of Odisha state in India, and it tells the stories of climate change, displacement, and a community slowly losing its roots. On the edge of the Bay of Bengal lie an empty and deserted village what once used to be a close-knit and vibrant fishing community. Here, fisher families once lived and worked together, but what remains now are broken walls and scattered bricks that stand as silent witnesses to the power of the sea.
Each passing wave erodes the land a little bit more, forcing families to abandon their homes and move further inland. This coastline, once known for the nesting of endangered sea turtles - Olive Ridley - now tells a different story; a story that paints images of loss and uncertainty. The beauty of the blue sky and the endless ocean hides a quiet tragedy, where nature nurtures and destroys at the same time.
Photo credit and contributor: Hirak jyoti Sarmah, 2025
V2V Photo of the Week: January 28, 2026
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This photo was taken in Kumirmari, a remote village in the Sundarbans, during the Winter Field School in January 2026. This picture depicts a pond near a household in Kumirmari, Sundarbans, highlighting its role as a source of daily sustenance and resilience for the village community. The village mainly depends on farming and fishing for its livelihood, and people cultivate small plots of land near their homes, growing several varieties of vegetables. The land has experienced several instances of natural disasters and other calamities over the years. However, most of the people of the village that we interacted with during our stay emphasised how much they love their village and that they would not want to move away from this place, despite everything. This pond is a testament to the resilience that the people have in this place; the resilience that helps them to come back and set their lives up again even after the adversities they face in this precarious place. The pond also becomes a lifeline for the people here, providing them with their daily sustenance.
Photo credit and contributor: Angelina Thomas, 2026
V2V Photo of the Week: January 21, 2026
The Sundarbans Winter Field School on Transboundary, Transdisciplinarity, and Transformation through Transitions (4T) took place in Kumirmari, Gosaba, in the Indian Sundarbans from January 16 to 22, 2026. This year’s theme was centred on “Creative Ethnographies and Knowledge Co-Creation for Viable Social-Ecologies”, in collaboration with the SOR4D-funded ENGAGE4Sundarbans project, the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, and the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB).
The field school explored ethnography as a creative and collaborative research approach, combining qualitative methods with visual and sensorial practices such as photography, collage, illustrative storytelling, collaborative mapping, and the co-creation of augmented artefacts. These more-than-textual methods highlighted alternative ways of producing and sharing knowledge to address the complex challenges faced by vulnerable social-ecological systems like the Sundarbans. Artists, practitioners, community members, grassroots mobilizers, academic researchers, and students participated in the programme. The field school was hosted at Sundarban Bari in Kumirmari by Tapas Mondal and fellow community mobilizers from the Sundarban Paryatan Pariseba Samabay Samiti Ltd.
Mentorship was provided by Prof. Prateep Kumar Nayak (University of Waterloo), Prof. Jenia Mukherjee (IIT Kharagpur), Prof. Sekhar Mukherjee (Anant National University), and noted artist and filmmaker Sarbajit Sen. Participants were divided into four groups and undertook field visits across different parts of Kumirmari village, using diverse sensorial approaches to explore local vulnerabilities and viabilities. Through transdisciplinary engagement, the groups worked toward identifying pathways for co-created solutions and transformative transitions within the Sundarbans’ social-ecological systems.
Photo credit and contributor: Souradip Pathak, 2026
V2V Photo of the Week: January 14, 2026
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This photo was taken in Kampung Salang, Tioman Island, Malaysia, and it tells the story of contrast—between thriving tourism and quiet abandonment. The image shows an abandoned bar in a kampung that otherwise booms with visitors, where most locals own and profit from chalets, restaurants, and dive shops. Yet this space stands still, left behind. It creates a striking contrast between sustained viability and neglect. Across Tioman Island, and on many islands throughout Malaysia, failed development projects and closed shops are left desolate, with no clear responsibility for who should clean up what remains. Locals and tourists pass by this bar on their way to dinner, barely noticing it anymore—abandonment has become part of the everyday landscape.
This scene mirrors the realities of many small-scale fishing and coastal communities, where uneven development brings short-term growth but leaves long-term scars. It reflects how livelihoods tied to tourism and coastal resources can be fragile, shaping spaces where resilience and vulnerability exist side by side.
Photo credit and contributor: Chuah Yi Ying Jenelle, 2025
V2V Photo of the Week: January 7, 2026
This photo was taken in Mangalajodi Bird Sanctuary in the Chilika Lagoon and represents both hope and transformation. Once known as a site of bird hunting, the community has since shifted toward conservation, recognizing the ecological and cultural value of protecting wildlife. The eggs become a symbol of continuity and regeneration—life that will sustain not only the species but also the broader ecosystem.
The wetlands are thus more than a source of livelihood; they serve as a home for diverse ecological processes. By safeguarding these fragile forms of life, local communities demonstrate how human well-being and environmental sustainability are deeply interconnected. The protection of bird habitats reflects a broader vision of resilience, where conservation and livelihoods coexist in mutual reinforcement.
Photo credit and contributor: Jubakti Anggoro, 2025