Adaptive livelihood strategies among small-scale fishing households to climate change-related stressors in Central Coast Vietnam

Phuong T.A Huynh,Sen T.H Le,Thang N Tran,Ngoan D Le

doi:10.1108/ijccsm-04-2020-0034

Abstract

PurposeThis paper aims to examine adaptive livelihood strategies used by small-scale fishing households in the two coastal communities in Central Vietnam under the context of climate change-related stressors.Design/methodology/approachField data were collected through mixed quantitative and qualitative methods including a review of secondary data, key-informant interviews, group discussions and household surveys with 300 sampled fishing households. The qualitative data support the analysis and discussion of quantitative data.FindingsThe results showed local households’ perception of the presence and influence of multiple non-climate and climate stressors on their fishery-based livelihoods in terms of employment and income in many ways. The affected households exerted to develop a diversity of adaptation methods within and out of fishing to sustain their livelihoods and cover a deficit in household income. The household socio-demographic characteristics particularly education, labour force, fishing equipment and social support played significant importance in characterising the categories of adaptation strategies among the survey households. The role of local governments in creating an enabling environment for local-level adaptation, as well as protecting marine and coastal ecosystems was rather limited despite their recognized importance.Originality/valueThe paper provides an empirical case of how small-scale fishing households in coastal communities in Central Vietnam are adapting to climate-related stressors. It suggests policy should promote livelihood diversification opportunities and address household-level constraints for adaptation. Fisheries management plan is urgently needed to control illegal fishing activities for sustainable use of coastal and marine fishery resources and the appropriate mechanism is important to stretch local governments’ resources for better supporting local-level adaptation.

Highlights

Climate change is globally happening and already causing a wide range of impacts on human and natural systems (Mooney et al, 2009; Noble et al, 2014)
The objectives of the study were to explore key stressors threatening local fishing-based livelihoods, investigate the diversity of adaptive strategies used by affected fishing households and discuss the importance of household socio-demographic characteristics and the efforts of local governments in local-level adaptation
Phu Dien and Quang Cong – two coastal communities located in Thua Thien Hue province – among the most climate change-affected regions in the Central Coast Vietnam (Ngoan, 2019) were selected for field data collection of this study

Summary

Introduction

Climate change is globally happening and already causing a wide range of impacts on human and natural systems (Mooney et al, 2009; Noble et al, 2014). The warmer temperature can directly raise the metabolism of marine and coastal fish species and even be fatal to some types of species resulting in negatively impacting on fish productivity, abundance and distribution to the variation or decline in fish catch and processing (Brander, 2010; Barange et al, 2014) Because of their great dependence on fish resources for food security, employment and income coastal communities and fishing households become much more vulnerable (Boon and Ahenka, 2013; Barange et al, 2014; Brander et al, 2017; Hanich et al, 2018; Muringai et al, 2019). Climate change impacts challenge contemporary fisheries management in many countries (Poulain et al, 2018)

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