Food Security Of Coastal Communities Research Articles

Effect of Plastic Ocean Pollution on Marine Life and Human Health in Brazil

Purpose: The aim of the study was to examine effect of plastic ocean pollution on marine life and human health in Brazil. Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: The study found that pervasive presence of plastic debris in Brazil's coastal waters threatens marine ecosystems, leading to entanglement, ingestion, and suffocation of marine species such as seabirds, turtles, and marine mammals. Furthermore, microplastics, resulting from the breakdown of larger plastic items, pose insidious risks to marine life as they are ingested by plankton and subsequently enter the food chain, potentially accumulating in higher trophic levels, including fish consumed by humans. This not only disrupts marine biodiversity but also raises concerns about the safety and quality of seafood, impacting human health and food security in coastal communities. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Ecological theory, health impact assessment (HIA) theory & environmental justice theory may be used to anchor future studies on Effect of Plastic Ocean Pollution on Marine Life and Human Health in Brazil. Develop and deploy technologies that efficiently remove microplastics and larger debris from marine environments. This includes advancements in filtration systems for water treatment facilities and specialized equipment for collecting debris from ocean surfaces and shorelines. Enforce regulations limiting the production of non-essential single-use plastics, promoting the use of sustainable materials. Policy-makers should consider lifecycle assessments in the approval process of new plastic products.

Potential Conflict of Small-Scale Fishermen on the North Coast of Java: Case Study of Muarareja village, Tegal, Central Java, Indonesia

Fishing conditions on the North Coast of Java are known to experience overfishing; This then has an impact on low fisheries productivity which then triggers conflicts between fishermen, increases the poverty of fishermen, and threatens the food security of coastal communities whose livelihoods are very dependent on fish resources in the sea. Therefore, this study examines potential conflicts among small-scale fishermen in the use of fish resources and its impact on food security also the resolution of these conflicts. The method used is a qualitative approach supported by quantitative data. Data analysis refers to the structural-functional theory and conflict theory. The study results show that conflicts for livelihood mostly occur among small-scale fishermen. The forms of conflict that small-scale fishermen often perpetrate are vandalism and petty theft, with protests or sanctions that are given only to be silenced because coastal fishermen on North coast of Java still uphold Javanese culture, which prefers to live in peace and harmony. Some of the actions taken to secure food when conflict inevitably occurs are diversifying livelihoods, utilizing locally available food sources, maintaining applicable Javanese norms and customs as well as high utilization of social capital among small-scale fishermen. Conflict resolution among small-scale fishermen is usually carried out by simply being silent and forgotten over time or through deliberations mediated through religious leaders, rich fishermen (upper layer), and wise old fishermen. The dynamics of conflicts that occur among small-scale fishermen do not appear much because the existing conflicts are more latent.

Projected effects of climate change on marine ecosystems in Southeast Asian seas

The seas of Southeast Asia are home to some of the world’s most diverse ecosystems and resources that support the livelihoods of millions of people. Climate change will bring temperature changes, acidification and other environmental change, with uncertain consequences for human and natural systems, but there has been little regional-scale climate modelling of the marine ecosystem. We present initial dynamically downscaled projections using a biogeochemical model suitable for coastal and shelf seas. A coupled physical-biogeochemical model with a resolution of 0.1° (approximately 11 km) was used to create projections of future environmental conditions under moderate (RCP4.5) and high (RCP8.5) greenhouse gas scenarios. Changes for different parts of the region are presented, including four sensitive coastal sites of key importance for biodiversity and sustainable development: UNESCO Biosphere Reserves at Cu Lao Cham-Hoi An in Vietnam, Palawan in the Philippines and Taka Bonerate-Kepulauan Selayar in Indonesia, and coastal waters of Sabah, Malaysia, which include several marine parks. The projections show a sea that is warming by 1.1 to 2.9°C through the 21st century, with dissolved oxygen decreasing by 5 to 13 mmol m-3 and changes in many other environmental variables. The changes reach all parts of the water column and many places are projected to experience conditions well outside the range seen at the start of the century. The resulting damage to coral reefs and altered species distribution would have consequences for biodiversity, the livelihoods of small-scale fishers and the food security of coastal communities. Further work using a range of global models and regional models with different biogeochemical components is needed to provide confidence levels, and we suggest some ways forward. Projections of this type serve as a key tool for communities and policymakers as they plan how they will adapt to the challenge of climate change.

Evaluating Food Security Challenges during the Covid-19 Pandemic in Nigeria’s Coastal Fishing Communities

This descriptive qualitative study examined how food security was undermined during the covid-19 pandemic in some coastal fishing communities in Nigeria. The study used the Household Economic Approach as a theoretical basis to explain the challenges of food security in coastal communities based on evidence from the Covid-19 pandemic. Data were generated from open-ended interviews conducted with 30 participants in three coastal fishing communities in Akwa Ibom state, Nigeria. The study also relied on secondary data from books, reports, and journal articles. From the analysis, results showed that the various preventive measures adopted to curb the spread of the virus posed a challenge to fish production, access, and consumption. Furthermore, the findings revealed that in addition to other human security issues, covid-19 was a natural mechanism whose emergence only exacerbated existing food insecurity in coastal fishing communities. Based on the ongoing, the study concludes that, food security can be enhanced in coastal fishing communities through cross-sectorial partnerships and collaborations between the government, civil society groups and the blue economy.
 
 
 Received: 11 July 2022 / Accepted: 29 August 2022 / Published: 2 September 2022

Analysis of Food Security Status of Fishermen's Households on Kulisusu District North Buton Regency

This study aims to determine the level of household food security in coastal communities. The research was carried out in 2020 in Lantagi Village, Kulisusu District, North Buton Regency. Samples were taken by simple random sampling with a total sample of 35 people. The data analysis used is descriptive quantitative and analysis of food security status using the household food security module developed by the United States Development of Agriculture. The results showed that the level of household food security status of coastal communities was low. This is because most of the fishermen in the research location are classified as poor, and their source of income only relies on fishing activities. Where fishing activities in the sea are also very dependent on traditional fishing gear, sea conditions, waves, weather/seasons. The steps usually taken by fishermen when facing low-income situations so that household food availability remains adequate are buying cheaper food, reducing food consumption, and sometimes borrowing money from family or neighbors.

Social capital analysis and its relations with the household food security of the coastal community

Food security is still a problem in the coastal community. One of the resources or capital that can be used to develop food security is social capital. This study aims to (1) analyze the social capital of the coastal community, (2) analyze the level of household food security of the coastal community, and (3) analyze the relationship between social capital and the level of household food security of coastal communities. This research was conducted in Barrang Lompo Sub-District, Sangkarrang District, Makassar City, in 2018 using the survey method. The unit of analysis is a fishing household with a total sample of 40 households. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests. The results showed that the elements of social capital, especially trust, networking, and reciprocity of the fisherman community, are in the medium and high level. There are 53.00% of fisherman households that have a high level of social capital. Trust, networking, and reciprocity in the fisherman community help them to maintain the sustainability of food availability at the household level, especially during famine season. Statistically, social capital is related to the level of food security of fishermen households (χ 2 = 8.02; C = 0.41).

COVID-19 restrictions amidst cyclones and volcanoes: A rapid assessment of early impacts on livelihoods and food security in coastal communities in Vanuatu

Coastal communities in regions like the Pacific have been impacted by COVID-19 related public health measures that limit the movement of people, trade and access to resources. In disaster-prone countries, like Vanuatu, such measures add to existing pressures on coastal communities’ adaptive capacity. To understand how coastal communities in Vanuatu were impacted in the immediate period after COVID-19 measures were placed, and how people responded to the changing circumstances, a rapid appraisal survey was carried out following a nationally declared state of emergency in March 2020. Results reveal changes in village population, loss of cash income, difficulties in accessing food and shifting pressures on particular resources and habitats. The findings provide insights into the ways local adaptive capacity to satisfy livelihood and food security needs differed among rural contexts. From this we argue that broad quantitative impact assessments are important in guiding strategic and longer term responses and adaptations, but that these are made more useful when complemented with qualitative insights on people and place in the short-term.

The thin edge of the wedge: Extremely high extinction risk in wedgefishes and giant guitarfishes

Abstract The process of understanding the rapid global decline of sawfishes (Pristidae) has revealed great concern for their relatives, the wedgefishes (Rhinidae) and giant guitarfishes (Glaucostegidae), not least because all three families are targeted for their high‐value and internationally traded ‘white’ fins. The objective of this study was to assess the extinction risk of all 10 wedgefishes and six giant guitarfishes by applying the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List Categories and Criteria, and to summarize the latest understanding of their biogeography and habitat, life history, exploitation, use and trade, and population status. Three of the 10 wedgefish species had not been assessed previously for the IUCN Red List. Wedgefishes and giant guitarfishes have overtaken sawfishes as the most imperilled marine fish families globally, with all but one of the 16 species facing an extremely high risk of extinction through a combination of traits: limited biological productivity; presence in shallow waters overlapping with some of the most intense and increasing coastal fisheries in the world; and overexploitation in target and by‐catch fisheries, driven by the need for animal protein and food security in coastal communities and the trade in meat and high‐value fins. Two species with very restricted ranges, the clown wedgefish (Rhynchobatus cooki) of the Malay Archipelago and the false shark ray (Rhynchorhina mauritaniensis) of Mauritania, may be very close to extinction. Only the eyebrow wedgefish (Rhynchobatus palpebratus) is not assessed as Critically Endangered, with it occurring primarily in Australia where fishing pressure is low and some management measures are in place. Australia represents a ‘lifeboat’ for the three wedgefish and one giant guitarfish species occurring there. To conserve populations and permit recovery, a suite of measures will be required that will need to include species protection, spatial management, by‐catch mitigation, and harvest and international trade management, all of which will be dependent on effective enforcement.

Measurement and implications of marine food security in the Western Indian Ocean: an impending crisis?

Ten percent of the world’s population depends on the ocean for a readily accessible source of protein and employment. Coastal ecosystems and the communities that rely upon them are facing extreme challenges of increases in ocean pollution, loss of habitat, ocean warming, and changes in ocean productivity. With the whole system under mounting pressure, governments need to scale down food security analyses to the coastal community level to avoid overseeing rising levels of food insecurity. This paper provides an alternative view and analysis of food security at both a national and community level taking into account these marginalised communities. The results propose a refined definition of marine food security and new quantitative methods to measuring direct and indirect reliance on fish within developing countries. Application of this concept and methods reveals that aggregated national statistics mask the extreme levels of dependence on fish for food security in coastal communities within Kenya and Madagascar. The Comoros, Mauritius, Mozambique, and Somalia appear to be the most vulnerable to increasing sea surface temperature, population, and fluctuation in total catch and will be severely affected by a changing Western Indian Ocean from a national, community, and individual perspective. Overall, the study highlights that governments need to disaggregate fisheries data and redefine measurements of food security to more accurately reveal the severity of the potential marine food insecurity crisis at hand.

The effects of oil pollution on the marine environment in the Gulf of Guinea—the Bonga Oil Field example

ABSTRACTFish makes a significant contribution to the food security of millions of people in the Gulf of Guinea, accounting for up to 80 per cent of the animal protein, and sometimes the only source of animal protein consumed in coastal communities across the region, including those in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria. However, this contribution is increasingly undermined by unsustainable practices that are harmful to the marine environment such as pollution, illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and by climate change. This paper focuses on the role that pollution from oil spillages plays in damaging the marine environment, thereby exacerbating food insecurity in the region. Using the Bonga Oil Field spillage example, the paper exposes, from a policy perspective, the manner in which the shortcomings of existing environmental regulations and their implementation in Nigeria weaken efforts for a sustainable marine environment and, by extension, threaten the food security of coastal communities.

Food security assessment in the coastal area of Demak Regency

Food security is an issue of national and global level. Food is a basic human need to live. Without food will threaten human life. This research was conducted in coastal area of Demak Regency. This research is to understand the potential of human resources, natural resources and assess the level of food security of coastal communities. The data used are primary data through interviews with the local community. Also used Secondary data from government agencies. Data analysis used qualitative and quantitative descriptive methods through graphs, tables and maps. The results showed that potential of human resources in Demak coastal area (Wedung, Purworejo, and Sidogemah villages) is low. It can be indicated from education level of respondents in Demak are elementary school and junior high school. Beside, total households income are about 2-4 million. This study found that the households sampled are 90% is food insecured households. The most of households in Demak coastal area are about 90% households include on insecurity food category.

How important are coral reefs to food security in the Philippines? Diving deeper than national aggregates and averages

How important are coral reefs for food security and to what extent does coral reef conservation contribute to the food security of the coastal communities in the Coral Triangle? Based on the national fish production and consumption data from the Philippines and some data from Indonesia, Clifton and Foale (2017) [12] argued that the pelagic fisheries are far more important than coral reef fisheries for the food security of the Philippines and Indonesia. While it is true that, in totality, populations in both the Philippines and Indonesia rely heavily on pelagic fisheries for animal protein, this commentary demonstrates that coral reef fisheries contribute substantially to the food and livelihood security of coastal communities, which make up the poorest and most food insecure sector of the economy. There is also significant growth potential in nearshore fisheries that can be captured by working to recover currently degraded coral reef ecosystems. Nonetheless, research and institutional reforms in all sources of fish protein (pelagic, demersal, and aquaculture) are urgently needed to improve not only food security but also the lives and livelihoods of coastal fishing households in the Coral Triangle.

Patterns of species composition of beach seine fisheries off North-Western coast of Sri Lanka, fishers’ perceptions and implications for co-management

As in many developing countries, small-scale fisheries including beach seining contribute significantly livelihoods and food security of coastal communities. Beach seining in Sri Lanka is seasonal mainly during calm season deprived of strong monsoonal winds, and essentially a multi-species fishery. Knowledge about the seasonal occurrence of pelagic species is important to be known for proper planning of the fishing activity, especially due to the reason that beach seine fishers in many parts of Sri Lanka make decisions to attach the cod-end of correct type depending on the target species. The possibility of identifying pattern of seasonal occurrence of target fish species in beach seine fishing sites off the southern region of north-western coast of Sri Lanka was therefore investigated using Self Organizing Maps (SOM). The analysis indicated that beach seine fishers’ local knowledge to predict the occurrence of certain species in the fishing sites to adjust their fishing strategies to target desirable species was consistent with the findings of SOM approach. Consequently, it was concluded that as beach seine fishers use indirect indicators such as colour of sea water and behaviour sea birds predict the species occurrence fairly accurately, their local knowledge can be incorporated in the management planning of beach seine fisheries in the North Western coastal area of Sri Lanka.

The Roles of Brackish Water Aquaculture in Fish Supply and Food Security in Some Coastal Communities of Rivers State, Nigeria

Background and Aim: Fish plays a crucial role in human nutrition and food supply across the globe, particularly among the poor segment of the society. Food fish currently represents the major source of animal protein needed for growth and development, especially among the children and women who are more vulnerable to malnutrition in developing countries. The importance of food to an individual and society cannot be over emphasized, as food is a basic necessity of life and sufficient intake of quality food is imperative for people to live a strong, vibrant and productive life. Considering the importance of fish food, this study therefore assessed the contribution of brackish water fish farming to stable fish supply and food security in coastal communities of Rivers State.

Climate change at the dinner table

An innovative use of catch statistics shows that climate change has already influenced the composition of species in fisheries around the world, and thereby the fish that we eat. See Letter p.365 In a warming climate, we would expect the rise of warm-water marine species at the expense of those adapted to cooler waters. That characteristic pattern has now been detected in a study of catch composition in 52 large marine ecosystems between 1970 and 2006, a sample that includes most of the world's major fisheries. The authors develop an index, the MTC (mean temperature of the catch), calculated from the average inferred temperature preference of exploited species weighted by their annual catch. Over these years, global temperature preference increased at a rate of about 0.2 °C every decade, and the effects were even more pronounced in non-tropical areas. Taken together, these findings highlight the need to develop adaptation plans to minimize the impacts of climate change on the economy and food security of coastal communities.

Signature of ocean warming in global fisheries catch

Marine fishes and invertebrates respond to ocean warming through distribution shifts, generally to higher latitudes and deeper waters. Consequently, fisheries should be affected by 'tropicalization' of catch (increasing dominance of warm-water species). However, a signature of such climate-change effects on global fisheries catch has so far not been detected. Here we report such an index, the mean temperature of the catch (MTC), that is calculated from the average inferred temperature preference of exploited species weighted by their annual catch. Our results show that, after accounting for the effects of fishing and large-scale oceanographic variability, global MTC increased at a rate of 0.19 degrees Celsius per decade between 1970 and 2006, and non-tropical MTC increased at a rate of 0.23 degrees Celsius per decade. In tropical areas, MTC increased initially because of the reduction in the proportion of subtropical species catches, but subsequently stabilized as scope for further tropicalization of communities became limited. Changes in MTC in 52 large marine ecosystems, covering the majority of the world's coastal and shelf areas, are significantly and positively related to regional changes in sea surface temperature. This study shows that ocean warming has already affected global fisheries in the past four decades, highlighting the immediate need to develop adaptation plans to minimize the effect of such warming on the economy and food security of coastal communities, particularly in tropical regions.

Revisiting Fish Wars: Conflict and Collaboration over Fisheries in Indonesia

The result of overfishing in Indonesia, as in other Southeast Asian nations, is lower productivity of fisheries, high levels of conflict among different users, increasing impoverishment of fishers, and erosion of food security in coastal communities that are highly dependent on fish supplies for protein and income. It is becoming clear that the challenge for resource managers and national decision makers is to choose more appropriate governance and management approaches for the fishery resources in Indonesia in order to address overfishing and increasing conflict. This article examines the performance of co-management in managing fisheries conflicts in Indonesia over time. Utilizing survey data from 2004 and 2009, this study confirms the hypothesis that co-management can serve to deter fisheries resources conflicts.

Do Marine Protected Areas Affect Human Nutrition and Health? A Comparison between Villages in Roviana, Solomon Islands

The implementation of marine protected areas (MPAs) for fisheries management has increased recently due to the perceived role of MPAs in conserving biodiversity, increasing fish stocks, and enhancing the food security of coastal communities. However, it is unclear whether MPAs may restrict the availability of marine resources and decrease overall food security and the health of the people. In the Roviana Lagoon of the Solomon Islands, we conducted cross-comparisons of villages with MPAs and a village without an MPA to assess whether MPAs influenced local perceptions of governance, environmental change, livelihood strategies, and actual human nutrition and health. Results showed that residents of villages with effective MPAs had higher energy and protein intake than those who had no MPA or an ineffective MPA. We conclude that “no-take” marine reserves do not have adverse effects and that when MPAs are effectively sustained they may enhance local nutrition and health.