What they live for: Adaptive strategies of Virginia’s small-scale commercial fishermen in a changing industry

Abstract

Small-scale commercial fishing communities around the world are facing a number of social, ecological, and economic challenges that are likely to persist or increase in prevalence with ongoing environmental changes and competing uses of marine resources. This research uses semi-structured interviews to assess the impacts of varying economic, ecological and social changes on individual decision-making and resilience in Virginia’s small-scale commercial fishing industry. Similar to nationwide trends, Virginia’s small-scale commercial fishing industry has shifted in response to changes in management, species abundance, and participation with impacts on social identities and cultural norms, job satisfaction, resource dependence, and the future of the commercial fishing industry. As a means of coping with the inherent volatility of commercial fishing, fishermen have implemented adaptation strategies, including diversification within and outside of commercial fishing, that enable continued participation in the commercial fishing industry. Interviews reveal that Virginia’s small-scale commercial fisheries are deeply embedded within the social identities of fishermen and fishing communities in the state. Therefore, it is valuable to managers and researchers to consider the economic and societal consequences associated with declines in small-scale commercial fisheries and more importantly, to understand why these declines are occurring. Managers can expand on these results to create workforce development strategies that ensure the long-term sustainability of Virginia’s commercial fishing industry and preserve the commercial fishing livelihood for the future.