The Anchors of Home: Understanding How Place Attachment strengthen Well-being of Sri Lanka's Migratory Fisher Communities

Abstract

Abstract During the off-season, small-scale fishers migrate to more favourable locations to sustain their fishing activities and livelihoods. This study focuses on Sri Lanka's west coast to investigate the psychological, social, and economic motives that influence the decision making on the seasonal migration destination of these fishers. Using qualitative methods including sixty in-depth interviews and five key informant discussions, the research focuses on the overlooked aspects of well-being in fisheries literature. It introduces a holistic view of "well-being" that encompasses material gains, social motives, and functional factors, all of which are tied to the concept of place attachment. Economic drivers, such as stable income, resource access, and market opportunities, contribute to material well-being. Social factors like community ties and networking encourage migration for social benefits. Functional aspects, including emotional and cognitive factors, also play a role in migration decisions. The study concludes that the choice of migration sites is a complex blend of these economic, social, and functional motives, each linked to different facets of human well-being. The insights are extendable to other resource-dependent communities that engage in seasonal migration for livelihood and well-being, such as farmers and miners.