Chakraborty, Pallabi2025-08-262025-08-262025-08-262025-08-22https://hdl.handle.net/10012/22280In the context of the Anthropocene and escalating environmental pressures like sea-level rise, small-scale fisheries, like those dependent on mangrove ecosystems, are facing growing vulnerabilities. These fisheries are critical to food security, employment, and coastal resilience but are increasingly threatened by environmental degradation, governance deficits, and social inequalities. The transition from vulnerability to viability in small-scale fisheries requires integrated approaches that address social, ecological, and governance challenges while empowering local communities. Access to diverse capital assets (natural, financial, educational, social) and inclusive participatory governance are vital. Information systems, especially digital tools co-designed with stakeholders, can bridge data gaps, support collaborative management, and enhance resilience if they are context-sensitive and participatory. The research investigates how an information System can empower small-scale fisheries communities by improving data access, promoting inclusive governance, and addressing systemic inequalities. In doing so, it asks: What is the role of an information system in supporting the transition from vulnerability to viability in island and coastal small-scale fisheries? And how can insights into the society-technology interface better inform the design and implementation of inclusive digital systems that truly empower stakeholders? The research adopted a mixed-methods case study approach to evaluate the test version of the Vulnerability to Viability-Information System for small-scale fisheries in two Sundarbans villages, marked by ecological vulnerability and socio-economic marginalization. Quantitative data from structured surveys and interviews captured usage patterns and perceptions of the test version of information system, while qualitative data from in-depth interviews and participant observations provided insights into the cultural and institutional factors shaping technology adoption. Snowball sampling ensured access to diverse participants, and data collection involved video demonstrations, real-time feedback, and use of digital tools. Rigorous methodological steps, including piloting, triangulation, reflexivity, and ethical safeguards, were employed. Fieldwork reflected local complexities, and data were analyzed integrating both inductive and deductive techniques. The findings highlight the multifaceted role of information systems in supporting the transition from vulnerability to viability in small-scale fisheries in the Sundarbans. While digital tools, such as mobile applications, offer potential to improve access to real-time data, their effectiveness is limited by structural barriers including low literacy, poor infrastructure, language mismatches, and social inequalities. The pilot information system tested during the study faced usability issues due to lack of contextual adaptation and vernacular integration. These challenges reveal that inclusivity, through features like voice-based interfaces, offline functionality, and local language content, is not optional, but foundational to effective design and adoption. Beyond usability, the research emphasizes the importance of embedding such technologies within a co-productive society-technology interface. Fishers expressed interest in platforms that integrate traditional ecological knowledge with scientific data, enabling them to navigate environmental risks and regulatory demands more effectively. This hybrid knowledge approach not only improves local decision-making under climate uncertainty but also preserves cultural practices and fosters epistemic justice. Moreover, the system’s effectiveness is deeply tied to its capacity to support equitable governance. Local institutions are crucial intermediaries, but are often weakened by elite control and inconsistent state support. Digital tools must, therefore, strengthen transparency and empower marginalized voices in resource access and governance. The study further foregrounds gender as a critical dimension in technology design. Women in the sector, already constrained by socio-cultural norms, are frequently excluded from digital innovations unless systems are explicitly tailored to their needs. Gender-sensitive features and leadership support are necessary to ensure that technology enhances, rather than reinforces, existing inequalities. Overall, the findings position information systems not as standalone solutions but as participatory, justice-oriented infrastructures that must be co-designed with stakeholders. When integrated into broader governance and knowledge systems, these tools can strengthen resilience, build collective agency, and enable inclusive, sustainable resource management.ensmall-scale fisheriesmangrove ecosystemparticipatory governancedigital toolstraditional ecological knowledgecontext-specific designdigital literacyinclusive developmentsustainable resource managementlocalized information systemsMaster Thesis