Fish resource is under threat of getting depleted if its management is not taken care of. The indication towards the same is apparent through the decline in productivity seen throughout the world fishery sector. Modern management undertaken by the government has not yielded the desired results. Therefore, community based management receives more attention and focus. There are many instances where the community who is the receiver of most of the benefits of the resource, manages it well in a sustainable way. Such management is found to be successful as the community knows the resource well and they understand the importance of continuance of the resource, because their livelihood depends on the same and adapts such laws, which suit them as well as the resource. Such management systems practiced under the control of community institutions named ‘Kadal kodathi’ or ‘Sea Court’ was identified in northern districts of Kerala, a small state in the Southwest part of India. For understanding the management practices in the study area, various ethnographic tools along with the PRA tools were employed to elicit information from the respondents, Mainly the ethnographic tools were used taking into consideration the literacy status of the respondents. The structure of the institution as well as its functions was studied in detail. The various management practices undertaken by the institution were looked into. It was observed that certain rules and regulations were carried out especially during the ‘mudbank’ season, which is a season of plenty.