Abstract
Abstract The livelihood of small-scale fishers on the world's freshwater lakes cuts across the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6, which covers water and sanitation, and SDG 8 on economic growth. The aim of this study was to examine the nature and extent of fishers' mobility patterns and access to improved sanitation facilities, safe drinking water, and handwashing practices while at work and home for two fishing camps in Malawi. The study used key informant interviews, questionnaires, water quality testing, and an observational checklist, followed by interviews on fishers' occupational migration. Many fishers (85%; 51/60) live and work in fishing camps with their families. Most fishers only went on day trips, but 8% of their working days were away from the fishing camps. Only eight fishers had safe (0 cfu/100 ml) drinking water at home. Most fishers reported drinking (97%) from and going to the toilet (92%) in the lake during fishing. Historical trends in cholera cases did not correlate with higher periods of migratory behavior of fishers observed in this study. Improving the livelihoods of small-scale fishers requires attention to their culture, the economics of the industry, and geographic criteria while at work and within fishing communities along the shores of Lake Malawi.
Highlights
The livelihood of fishers on the world’s freshwater lakes cuts across the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6, which covers water and sanitation, and SDG 8 on economic growth (United Nations, 2019)
Fishing carries occupational health hazards, including accidents, injuries, chronic physical problems, lifestyle factors, and exposure to contaminants affecting the people associated with fishing and their communities (Woodhead et al, 2018), but occupational health issues related to basic access to toilets and safe drinking water are not often considered
The results of this study indicate a range of accessibility to safe water, improved sanitation, and handwashing at fishers’ homes, despite a common occupation
Summary
The livelihood of fishers on the world’s freshwater lakes cuts across the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6, which covers water and sanitation, and SDG 8 on economic growth (United Nations, 2019). Drinking water access is complex; shoreline communities may not have universal access or may choose not to use the available improved sources (Kaponda et al, 2019; Malawi Government, 2019) This challenge for access to improved sanitation facilities and safe drinking water for shoreline fishing communities living along Lake Malawi is further evidenced by high fecal bacteria contamination in the zone up to 15 m from the shore (Tyner et al, 2018). Malawi has a National Water Policy (Malawi Government, 2005) advocating for acceptable quality and satisfactory quantities of water for drinking and the environment in addition to a National Sanitation Policy (Malawi Government, 2008) promoting toilet and handwashing use and infrastructure Neither of these national policies address the unique circumstances of the well-being and vulnerabilities of small-scale fishers at work on the lake and in their communities
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