Tacit knowledge management of fisherfolk in developing countries: designing a framework from the sustainability perspective

Fisherfolk communities possess tacit knowledge that supports ecological decision-making, livelihoods, cultural continuity, and adaptation, yet this knowledge is increasingly vulnerable as intergenerational learning is disrupted by youth migration, changing livelihood aspirations, environmental change, and unequal access to technology. This study examines how fisherfolk in Bangladesh and Indonesia preserve, share, and adapt tacit knowledge and develops a sustainability-oriented Tacit Knowledge Management Framework grounded in their experiences. A comparative qualitative design was employed, comprising 16 focus group discussions across two locations in Bangladesh and three in Indonesia, alongside 20 key informant interviews with stakeholders working with fishing communities. Data were analyzed thematically through open coding, cross-country comparison, and examination of relationships among ecological, social, cultural, economic, institutional, and technological dimensions. Findings show that fisherfolk knowledge is an interconnected system encompassing ecological understanding, fishing expertise, livelihood practices, and gendered knowledge. Its continuity depends primarily on experiential and intergenerational learning, mentorship, storytelling, collective activities, rituals, and community interaction rather than formal storage. However, declining youth participation, changing environmental and livelihood conditions, and dependence on oral and demonstration-based transmission create vulnerabilities. Participants viewed digital archives, mobile applications, videos, and local media as useful complements, but not substitutes, for experiential learning. Building on these findings, the proposed framework positions community-based preservation and sharing practices at its core, with accessible documentation and digital technologies providing complementary support. The study extends tacit knowledge management beyond organizational settings by conceptualizing knowledge as embedded within dynamic social-ecological and livelihood relationships, offering a pathway for sustaining knowledge continuity and adaptive capacity.