Understanding the motivations of young people from marginalized rural communities to participate in small-scale fisheries in oil territories of the Gulf of Mexico

Abstract

Small-scale fisheries (SSF) mainly operate in rural communities and face the challenge of a lack of generational renewal worldwide. Maslow's theory of human motivation was used to analyze the participation in SSF of 39 young men and women from households that depend on this activity in two highly marginalized rural locations in the Campeche Sound with high rates of youth migration. In this marine area, SSF and hydrocarbon extraction activities coexist. Using Fisher's exact test to detect statistical differences between motivations, we found that the most influential variables that inform the decisions of young people to engage in SSF are education, fishing skill level, self-identification as a fisher, income from fishing, and the opinions of a young person on fishing. Like their parents, young people participated in the entire fisheries supply chain, although they were less involved in sales, distribution, and management activities. Of the five needs identified by Maslow's theory, we found that fishing was most able to satisfactorily meet the needs of esteem and love and belonging in young people. In contrast, physiological needs were the least met by fishing. Moreover, the degree to which these needs were met depended on the income a young person received from fishing, reinforcing the idea that fishing in SSF is a subsistence activity. This was particularly notable with women due to the low pay or lack of remuneration they received for their work. Almost all interviewees would be willing to leave SSF for better jobs or to start businesses. Our results provide a better understanding of rural and coastal young people in SSF and may be used to develop inclusive fisheries management practices and incentives.