Fisher preferences for marine litter interventions in Vietnam

Abstract

Marine litter pollution is a global environmental problem, found in all oceans and with substantial impacts on marine ecosystem services, maritime economic activity, public health, and aesthetics. To develop socially acceptable policies to foster behavioral change, it is necessary to understand the perceptions of practical measures to curb marine litter pollution by key stakeholders. We employ a Best-Worst Scaling approach to investigate preferences of fishers for implementing abandoned, lost, and otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) control measures to curb marine litter pollution in Vietnam. The results show that the perceived effectiveness of proposed measures to address ALDFG varies among fishers and between fisheries, implying a “one size fits all” approach would not work in this context, though there are areas of agreement. While fishers perceive ‘awareness raising’ and ‘onshore collection’ to be most effective measures, the use of ‘biodegradable gear’ and ‘gear-lost reports’ are perceived least effective in combating ALDFG. Our results suggest the improvements of waste facilities in ports, on small islands, and in coastal areas to encourage fishers to dispose of their unwanted gear appropriately, coupled with targeted awareness-raising programs to increase fishers' awareness of ALDFG impacts on marine environment.