Small-scale Fishers Research Articles

Wicked problem of improving fishery livelihoods through capacity building

Development programs can train fishers in value-adding but factors influencing who is likely to benefit are not well understood. Small-scale fishers worldwide often fall short increasing the value of their catch and wellbeing benefits from their harvests. Here, we sought to improve technical capacity of sea cucumber fishers in postharvest processing and examine intrinsic and extrinsic factors that shape long-term livelihood impacts. Manuals, videos and village-based workshops were used to train hundreds of fishers in 29 villages across seven island regions in Fiji. Our linear mixed models found that trained fishers spent more time processing their catch and were more likely to report increased sale prices. However, the fishery was in decline and so fishers’ weekly incomes did not improve overall. The capacity building led to gender-transformative outcomes by motivating women to increase catch rates and it improved their weekly fishery income. Perceived changes in trading prices and economic dependence on the fishery varied regionally, implying inconsistent trader behaviour. Our study reveals that improving fishery livelihoods can be a “wicked problem” involving a complexity of external factors that hinder livelihood impacts. Capacity-building of fishers was insufficient on its own to markedly improve wellbeing. Income also depended on the fishery stocks, equitable behaviour of traders and access of fishers to raw materials for postharvest processing. Development programs should consider a holistic approach through partnerships with institutions to improve the management of natural resources, value chains and technical capacity of fishers.

Correction: Impacts, challenges, and adaptation of small-scale fishers during the COVID-19 pandemic in selected tropical countries

Correction: Impacts, challenges, and adaptation of small-scale fishers during the COVID-19 pandemic in selected tropical countries

Traditional knowledge and socioeconomic aspects of small-scale bivalve fishing on the Amazon coast: A case study of Iphigenia brasiliensis on the Island of Maranhão

The bivalve mollusk Iphigenia brasiliensis, locally known as tarioba, is an important fishing resource exploited along the coast of Maranhão. Despite its socioeconomic relevance to numerous shellfish communities on the Amazon coast, little information is available on this species. This study aimed to evaluate the socioeconomic profiles and traditional local knowledge of I. brasiliensis fishermen working on Maranhão Island. For this purpose, 106 guided interviews were conducted with workers selected using the snowball method in the four municipalities of the region: São Luís, Raposa, Paço do Lumiar, and São José de Ribamar. The results showed that shellfish gatherers are predominantly young men with reasonable education and low income who start practicing the activity early, are influenced by family and friends, and have traditional knowledge verticalized between generations. In the region, three methods of capturing mollusks were identified: diving, using hands and feet, and with the support of a stick, with subsistence being the main demand for the activity. Dozens of mollusks are marketed in natura, with prices varying between municipalities, and processing is conducted only by the final consumer.

Another One Bites the Net: Assessing the Economic Impacts of Lagocephalus sceleratus on Small-Scale Fisheries in Greece

The assessment of the economic impacts of marine invasive species is fundamental for adopting mitigation measures, yet such impacts have been underreported in the Mediterranean Sea. The silver-cheeked toadfish (Lagocephalus sceleratus) is a toxic pufferfish that since its introduction has seriously disturbed small-scale fisheries along the eastern Mediterranean coast. This species depredates on fishing gears, causing damage to nets, longlines and commercial catches. To quantify its economic impact on small-scale fisheries, we interviewed 141 fishers from Crete (Cretan and Libyan Sea) and the Ionian Sea (Greece) during May 2020–December 2022. The mean annual economic cost resulting from L. sceleratus depredation was estimated at EUR 6315 ± 2620 per vessel in Crete and EUR 258 ± 120 in the Ionian Sea. Additionally, observer surveys carried out on board small-scale fishing vessels in Crete showed that depredation probability was significantly influenced by fishing depth, sea surface temperature, gear type (nets, longlines) and region (Cretan, Libyan Sea). L. sceleratus was caught more frequently and in higher numbers in the Libyan Sea. In response to depredation, fishers in Crete have altered their fishing tactics in terms of fishing in deeper waters, reducing fishing time and changing the technical characteristics of fishing gears. Our results underscore the adverse impacts of L. sceleratus on Greek small-scale fishers, emphasizing the need for region-specific management plans where the species establishes large populations.

Small-scale fisheries, large-scale fisheries and fisheries governance in the Philippines

ABSTRACT This article investigates the intersections between two highly significant ocean policy processes: fisheries governance interventions for improved sustainability, and the relationship between small- and large-scale fishers. The focus is on how fisheries governance interventions interact with longstanding tensions between small- and large-scale fishers. The article draws on three examples of contemporary policy debates about fisheries governance in the Philippines: measures against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, closed seasons, and initiatives to re-organise spatial regulations governing fishing access. The article shows how in each case, debates about fisheries governance cannot be separated from the relationships between small and large scale fishers. Small- and large-scale fishers are affected differently by each governance intervention, and responses to this differentiation subsequently influence governance outcomes. The article finds that a key concern for any fisheries governance intervention needs to be assessing the relationships between key stakeholders, how these relationships will be modified by any governance intervention, and how these relational dynamics are likely to affect governance outcomes.

Analysis of Health Ailments and Associated Risk Factors in Small-Scale Fisherfolk Community of Indian Sundarbans: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Small-scale fishers of Indian Sundarbans depend on open-water fisheries for their livelihoods. They often face health, occupational, and safety issues in their profession due to environmental, socio-economic, and policy changes. The morbidity pattern and related risk factors are important indicators of well-being for any community, hence applicable to small-scale fishers of Sundarbans. The present study was designed to assess patterns of morbidities, associated risk factors including occupational health hazards, and treatment-seeking behavior of small-scale fishers in the Indian Sundarbans. Household surveys, focused group discussions, and personal interviews were conducted through a predesigned pretested structured questionnaire. Associated risk factors and the nature of seeking treatment were considered during the data collection covering 650 individuals from 132 fishers' families. Morbidities were more frequent in males (39.33%) than in females (28.5%). The fever (31%) was the most dominant reason for morbidities followed by ocular ailments (23%), musculoskeletal disorder (20%), dermatological ailments (17%), and respiratory illness (9%). The highest morbidities (25%) were recorded in the age group of 21-30 years in males while that was 20% in the 11-20 years age group in the case of the females. Physical labor for fishing activities predisposes to health ailments of the studied population. The prevalence of morbidity among the fishermen community was found to be 28.5%. The understanding of the morbidity profile of a population in general and specific age groups of both sexes in specific sheds light on the vulnerability of working groups that will help for effective healthcare planning and resource allocation.

Tragedy of the Commons in a Mediterranean MPA: The Case of Gyaros Island Marine Reserve

Gyaros Island (Aegean Sea) is a recently (2019) established MPA in the Mediterranean Sea, allowing spatiotemporal small-scale fishing (SSF) activities with specific access rules. However, due to the inability of the state authorities to establish any fishing permit process, Gyaros MPA initially functioned as a No-Take Zone (NTZ), offering a rare opportunity for scientific monitoring. Significant political pressure by fisher organizations led to the opening of the MPA in June 2022 without any fishing permit restriction. The unprecedented ‘race for fish’ that followed led to a significant deterioration of the MPA status, as confirmed by scientific monitoring before and after the opening. Outcry from national media, based on concerns raised by the scientific community and NGOs, resulted in lifting access to fishing in September 2022, upgrading Gyaros MPA to a full NTZ. This study aimed to assess if and how the MPA functioning was impacted based on a series of experimental fishing trials and questionnaire surveys conducted with local fishers. Although a substantial part of the fishing community’s mindset is embracing MPAs, our results also suggest that the self-interests of a fishers’ minority, along with non-science-based policy by the national authorities, have led to overfishing and deterioration of MPA status.

Socioeconomic Importance of the Small-Scale Mud Crab Fishing (Scylla Serrata, Forskall 1775) in the Bons Sinais Estuary—Mozambique

Mud crab fishing (Scylla serrata) is an important activity contributing to the livelihood of coastal communities in Mozambique. The abundance of this crab and the increase in international companies in the region that exclusively buy crabs and export to the Asian market have caused fisheries to gain local importance in recent years. The present study evaluates the socioeconomic importance of mud crab fishing and the contribution of this activity to the quality of life (QoL) of the local communities along the Bons Sinais Estuary (BSE)—Mozambique. The study was conducted in three fishing villages of the BSE (Mucupia, Carungo, and Inhangulue) to collect information on the economic and sociocultural structure conditions of the local crab families. Field data collection focuses on direct observation and a semi-structured questionnaire divided into four categories/dimensions: fishing activity (FA), family structure (FS), typology of household expenditure (HE), and other activities (OTA). The socioeconomic conditions of fishers’ families were analyzed based on the fishery contribution index (FCI), which comprises different indicators related to FA, HE, and OTA. The monthly fishing revenue ranged from MZN 2.500 (EUR ≈ 35) to MZN 30.000 (EUR ≈ 417), with an average of around MZN 10.796 (EUR ≈ 150) per fisher, slightly exceeding the minimum wage set for public service in Mozambique, which is around MZN 8000 (EUR ≈ 112). The contribution of mud crab fishing is low and is not directly related to enhancement of QoL, meaning that the fishing revenue of mud crabs is barely enough to cover the basic needs of fishers’ families, such as basic services and basic goods. Investments are mainly for transport, including bicycles. The FCI was also low, standing at the alert level (FCI = 0.26–0.50) in all three communities. As the crab market is still growing in the country, it is important that the government, through competent authorities, creates public policies to ensure sustainable exploitation, regulates the selling price of mud crabs according to size, as happens in other countries, and promotes basic services that facilitate the self-development of the fishing communities.

Presence of microplastic in target species of small scale fisheries and possible social implications on the local communities

Microplastic ingestion by marine fishes has been of particular interest, as many species are the target of commercial fisheries and, thus, have a strong connection with human health. Consumption of microplastic thru seafood is likely to have harmful effects on people globally but mainly on social groups that highly depend on fisheries for self-consumption. Here, we first aim to characterize the presence of microplastics in species targeted by small-scale fishers; and explore if the fish consumption of microplastic particles is associated with biological factors. Second, we applied semi-structured interviews to small-scale fishers to investigate, from a socio-environmental perspective, the potential social and environmental impacts of contamination by microplastics on the local communities. We found that commercially important fish families regularly contained microplastics in their tissues, and the consumption of microplastics by fish caught through traditional fishing gear depends on traits such as species mobility but the microplastic load also depended on the type of fishing gear used. Species with a wide home range had a higher load of microplastics than fish with a small home range but also seemed to be related to the fishing method. The observed differences in microplastic content on target species are likely to be transferred to humans in a non-random fashion. This work implies that microplastic pollution in commercial fish might represent an environmental and social issue that is not well understood by the fishing community in the Mexican Caribbean, with potential ramifications for marine resource management.

Bridging the gap: enhancing socio-ecological resilience by breaking the debt cycle among small-scale hilsa fishers in Bangladesh

This study examines the plight of hilsa fishers in Bangladesh, grappling with challenges such as poor market access, scant capital, and shrinking fish stocks. This situation led to the seasonal dadon loan system, which provides immediate financial aid but often traps many fishers in a relentless debt cycle. We adopted a socio-ecological systems (SES) framework to examine the interconnected social and ecological dynamics of the hilsa fishery industry. Using a blend of quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews, we assessed the impact of the dadon loan system on small-scale fishers across four fishing locales in Bangladesh. The results indicate that the dadon loan system is a temporary financial prop for fishers but perpetuates debt cycles and curbs long-term financial security. Factors such as restricted access to formal credit, high fishing costs, and inadequate government support drive this system. This study identifies potential alternatives, such as government-backed loans, community finance schemes, and the promotion of alternative livelihoods, which could reduce reliance on the dadon loan system and improve fishers’ socioeconomic conditions. Implementing these strategies may dismantle the debt cycle, boost fishers’ welfare, and strengthen the socio-ecological resilience of fishing communities.

Impacts, challenges, and adaptation of small-scale fishers during the COVID-19 pandemic in selected tropical countries

Impacts, challenges, and adaptation of small-scale fishers during the COVID-19 pandemic in selected tropical countries

An urgent call for more ambitious ocean literacy strategies in marine protected areas: a collaboration project with small-scale fishers as a case study

An urgent call for more ambitious ocean literacy strategies in marine protected areas: a collaboration project with small-scale fishers as a case study

Why women from fishing communities in Andalusia (Spain) not enlist on fishing vessels? Socio-economic and ideological factors of their non-recognition and initiatives for their inclusion

Andalusia, located in southern Spain, has a long coastline and a rich history of fishing activities that encompass extraction, industrialization, and commercialization. However, women have traditionally been underrepresented in various stages of the fishing chain in this region. Despite this, women have made significant contributions to the sustainability and social well-being of fishing households through their involvement in diverse fishing-related tasks. Women in Andalusia have taken on diverse roles in the fishing sector, including administration and support tasks for fishing units, as well as responsibilities related to care and maintenance of domestic services. In 2018, the Andalusian Association of Women in the Fishing Sector (ANDMUPES) was launched with the aim of promoting the effective incorporation of women in different tasks. The study conducted an in-depth questionnaire across 25 ports in Andalusia to gather comprehensive data on the labor situation of women in the fishing sector, as well as to expose the picture of ideological factors and socio-economic conditions that are hindering the access of women to the fishing sector. The study aims to highlight the role of women in the fishing sector and their potential contributions to the innovation, transformation, and sustainability of small-scale fishing.

Disentangling the dynamic of the Moored Fish-Aggregating Devices (MFADs) fleet in Guadeloupe using a stock-flow analysis

Fish-aggregating devices (FADs) have been used in centuries to attract fish and facilitate their captures. Drifting FADs developed at a large and industrial scale, but moored fish-aggregating devices (MFADs) are mostly used by artisanal fishers and often implemented to shift the pressure away from depleted coastal fish stocks and toward large migratory pelagic fish populations. Indeed, as pelagic fish aggregate around the devices, MFADs allow small-scale fishers to access this resource and improve their income. If there are many studies on the development of MFADs, the underlying assumption that the development of the MFAD fishery leads to the redeployment of the coastal fleet toward large pelagic species remains unproven. In the French archipelago of Guadeloupe, Lesser Antilles (FAO area 31), an important small-scale MFADs fleet targeting dolphinfish and tuna species developed since the end of the 80s. Available data on vessels, fishers and fishing effort permitted to develop a stock-flow framework and to analyse allocation of fishing effort between coastal and MFADs fisheries over the 2008–2019 period as well as the fleet and sub-fleet dynamics. The framework showed that the redeployment of fishing effort towards pelagic species thanks to MFADs was not straight forward. Pelagic vessels were more likely to become coastal than the opposite, and there was no influence of MFADs on the likelihood of pelagic vessels to quit their coastal activity. Instead, vessels fishing both on MFADs and coastal stocks were the dominant sub-fleet in the pelagic fleet in 2019. Nevertheless, pelagic vessels fished less and less on coastal stocks during the period, which was correlated with an increased use of MFAD. It also showed that the MFAD fishery remained more attractive for younger fishers but, as for the coastal fishery, MFADs failed to attract enough newcomers to compensate the outflows of ageing fishers as working conditions and barriers to enter the fishery remain key issues.

Unlocking the Perceptions of Fishing Communities for a Credible and Effective Weather Forecasting and Early-Warning System in Zanzibar, Tanzania

Small-scale fishers are highly vulnerable to the impacts of weather conditions and climate variability, which can significantly affect their livelihoods and safety at sea. This study assessed the small-scale fishers' access and usage of weather forecasts and early warning systems in Zanzibar. It did so by examining the fishing communities' perceptions of the matter and patterns of utilisation of the weather information. It investigated the sources and accessibility of weather forecasts and early warning systems to the fishers. It utilised a descriptive and observational design using qualitative approaches. Data were collected through structured interviews, observation, and focus group discussions with samples of small-scale fishers in six villages in Unguja and Pemba in Zanzibar. The findings show that small-scale fishers in Zanzibar face significant challenges accessing reliable and timely conventional weather forecasts and early warning information. Limited access to communication technologies, including television and smartphones, emerged as a significant barrier. In addition, the utility of modern meteorological information and early warning systems is limited by their perceived unreliability to fishing communities. The fishing communities extensively use traditional weather forecasting methods informed by generations of tradition. Using informal communication channels and telephony services, local communities integrate conventional weather information served through short messaging services with traditional weather prediction systems. The integration provides credible results shared across the communities for collective decision-making on safer fishing practices. These findings are important for Zanzibar's policymakers, fisheries management agencies, and climate service providers. There is a need for the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar and other stakeholders to deliberate and improve communities' access to reliable weather forecasts and early warning systems for their resilience and sustainable fishing practices. It is also important for the government and other stakeholders to promote integrating indigenous knowledge with scientific forecasting methods for a comprehensive and contextually relevant information framework for small-scale fishers and other consumers.

Marmara Ereğlisi'nin (Tekirdağ) balıkçılık potansiyeli ve küçük ölçekli balıkçılık faaliyetinde kullanılan av araçları

The study aims to determine the technical characteristics of fishing gear used in the small-scale fishery in Marmara Ereglisi and to give the fishing potential of Marmara Ereglisi. The study was conducted during the 2022-2023 fishing season at the Marmara Ereglisi fishing shelter. Our results are based on the surveys conducted with 14 commercial fishermen and personal observations. Accordingly, 15 different set nets (9 gill nets and 6 trammel nets), five different fishing lines, and 1 type of beam trawl were identified. In the small-scale fishing activity in Marmara Ereglisi, 38 other fish species (13 target and 36 non-target) were caught. This study concludes that small-scale fishing in Marmara Ereglisi has significant potential in the fishing gear used and the species seen. The study is the first to focus on the technical specifications of fishing gear used in Marmara Ereglisi.

The Impact of Marine Plastic Pollution in Asia-Pacific on Small-Scale Fisher’s Rights

This paper examines the impact of marine plastic pollution on small-scale fishers in Asia-Pacific countries and how the existing international law accommodates this problem. The research method used is doctrinal legal research with a statute approach and case approach using primary, secondary, and tertiary legal materials analysed with descriptive analytical techniques. The results show that Asia-Pacific is the most significant contributor to marine plastic pollution in the world as a region at the centre of the world's economic growth. The fisheries industry is one of the economic sectors that is the mainstay of countries in the Asia-Pacific, such as Indonesia, Australia, and China, because it contributes to a high Gross Domestic Product and becomes a job for small-scale fishers. However, marine plastic pollution is a problem because it contaminates fish, impacting fishermen's productivity. This has eliminated the rights of fishermen, especially the small-scale fisher, to obtain decent work and the right to an adequate standard of living. Meanwhile, the existing international law has yet to accommodate the plastic waste problem in the Asia-Pacific Ocean explicitly, so there is legal uncertainty that regulates this problem. This research concluded that the issue of marine plastic pollution in the Asia-Pacific must be handled seriously by formulating an agreement between countries in the region that contains more technical and specific arrangements to maintain the rights of small-scale fishers in obtaining decent work and adequate living standards.

Seasonal variation in mineral concentrations of four marine fish species retained by fishers in Vanga and Msambweni, Kenya

Marine fish is a rich source of minerals in the diet of humans, but seasonal variation in fish mineral concentrations is relatively unstudied. We investigated seasonal mineral concentrations among four marine fish species retained by small scale fishers in Msambweni and Vanga fishing villages in Kenya. The fish species were Siganus sutor (rabbitfish) in Msambweni and Decapterus macarellus (mackerel scad), Sphraena forsteri (bigeye barracuda) and Sphyraena obtusata (obtuse barracuda) in Vanga. Mineral concentrations were quantified in 120 fish specimens (60/season) and their mineral supplementation potential evaluated. The concentrations of Potassium (K), Magnesium (Mg), Zinc (Zn), Iron (Fe) and Iodine (I) were determined using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry. K, Mg, Zn and I levels in fish samples varied between seasons with higher concentrations during the wet and cool southeast monsoon (SEM) season (April to October). However, Fe concentration was significantly higher during the dry and warm northeast monsoon (NEM) (November to March). S. fosteri recorded the highest concentrations of Mg (72.29 mg/100g in SEM) and Fe (3.63 mg/100g in NEM). S. sutor was the richest source of K (410.21 mg/100g in SEM). These two species also recorded the highest concentration of I (57.6 μg/100g in SEM) while D. macarellus had the highest Zn concentration (5.84 mg/100g in SEM). Mineral concentrations were dependent on fish species as well as season, influencing the mineral intake in Msambweni and Vanga villages.

Participatory scenario planning as a useful method for transforming ocean conflicts: Insights from a small-scale fishing conflict in São Paulo coast, Brazil

There are several initiatives towards the science-policy interface and the co-production of knowledge, but there is still few methodological and empirically grounded guidance helping scientists to design and implement research that actively facilitate transformative changes in ocean conflicts. In this paper, we explore the potential of the participatory scenario planning tool in the transformation of a conflict case on small-scale fishing in Brazil. We highlight the lessons learned, potential, and challenges of the scenario planning approach for conflict transformation. Despite being an approach widely applied to coastal and marine environmental and management issues, the scenarios methodology has not been explicitly applied in conflict situations, with the parties in dispute, as we did. Our methodological approach consisted of a previous research stage, based on documental analysis, direct observation of meetings and semi-structured interviews, followed by a participatory scenario planning workshop. Our results show that the participatory scenario planning was able to find the common desires as well as the uncertainties that generated doubts, mistrust, and in many moments disagreements among different groups of stakeholders that were in conflict. Previous research and the employment of multiple methods to build the history of the conflict contributed to legitimate researchers' positionality, to know the parties involved and the power dynamics. We raised some questions to advance the understanding of how the participatory scenarios planning contribute to transforming ocean conflicts in a more critical and politicized view.

Livelihood Resilience of Small Fishers Households in Rural Areas, Indonesia

The concept of livelihood resilience provides a unique framework for examining the utilization of livelihood capital and resilience values of farming households in ensuring sustainable communities. This study was conducted in Muarareja Village, Tegal Barat Subdistrict, Tegal City, in January-March 2019 by assessing the utilization of five livelihood capitals and livelihood resilience actions of fisher households facing social, economic, and ecological pressures. Data were collected through surveys, observations, and structured interviews, supported by a literature review. Purposive stratified-accidental sampling was used to interview fishermen from every socioeconomic class. The sample was 40 small-scale fisher households divided into 35 lower-layer fisher households and five upper-layer fisher households. Data analysis was conducted descriptively with simple tabulation to describe the condition of the study area. The results showed that social capital is the main capital utilized by lower-layer fishermen. Meanwhile, physical and financial capital are mostly utilized by upper-layer fisher households. Genealogical relationships and territorial ties in the study location make social capital dominant. Self-organization is the highest resilience action by lower-layer fisher households by prioritizing the value of trust. Meanwhile, upper-layer fishermen households have a high resilience value in the capacity of learning action on the value of experimentation. Ownership of larger production capital makes it easier for upper-layer fishermen households to make many alternatives to continue fishing. Meanwhile, due to limited ownership and access to production capital, lower-layer fishing households prioritize the value of trust between neighbors and relatives as their social safety net.