This study is based on information collected from elderly fishermen and non fishermen in the Pichavaram Mangrove forest located in the coastal districts of Cuddalore and Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu, India. Nearly 60% of the fishermen from these mangroves are completely dependent on the mangrove waters for their livelihood. The traditional system of management in Tamil Nadu is “Paadu” or “Rotation” system. In Pichavaram, it is locally called “Vunuvalai kattu” or regulation of stake-nets and is followed to regulate mangrove fishery. There is no restriction on the use of gear except for stake nets which are chiefly used to catch prawns by putting the net across the tidal creeks and channels. With increase in fishermen population and decrease in resources, the practice of the community based management system is reported to have become more complicated.