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Campbell SJ, Jakub R, Valdivia A, Setiawan H, Setiawan A, Cox C, Kiyo A, Darman, Djafar LF, Rosa EDL, Suherfian W, Yuliani A, Kushardanto H, Muawanah U, Rukma A, Alimi T, Box S. Immediate impact of COVID-19 across tropical small-scale fishing communities. Ocean Coast Manag 2021; 200:105485. [PMID: 37131339 PMCID: PMC10140237 DOI: 10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2020.105485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
The volume and value of fish catches by Indonesia's small-scale fisheries have declined significantly since national government restrictions on travel and social distancing were imposed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a digital data collection system (OurFish), that records purchases by fish traders from small-scale fishers, data was collected across 82 coastal communities in Southeast Sulawesi. We found that the number of active fishers and traders declined by more than 90% after the onset of the pandemic and the average weight of catch per fishing trip increased across fishers. Although the average price per kilogram of fish declined after the pandemic began, fishers that were able to maintain fishing had on average higher catches and therefore daily catch value was maintained. High value fisheries that usually enter export supply chains were more negatively impacted compared with lower value species that are commonly sold to local markets. We interviewed 185 small scale fishers and fish traders across 20 of the 82 communities in Southeast Sulawesi province, recording the perceived level of impact on local fisheries and the fish trade, causes of this impact and proposed coping strategies. Over 50% of both fishers and fish traders believed low demand for fish from traders and a decline in the price received for fish were disrupting their lives. Approximately 75% of both male and female fishers are coping by continuing to fish, highlighting that there were few alternative livelihoods available at the time of the interviews. Our results provide key insights into the vulnerability of small-scale fishing communities to impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart J Campbell
- Rare Indonesia, Jl. Gunung Gede I No. 6, Kota Bogor, Jawa Barat, 16153, Indonesia
| | - Raymond Jakub
- Rare Indonesia, Jl. Gunung Gede I No. 6, Kota Bogor, Jawa Barat, 16153, Indonesia
| | - Abel Valdivia
- Rare, 1310 N Courthouse Rd Suite 110, Arlington, VA, 22201, USA
| | - Haris Setiawan
- Rare Southeast Sulawesi, Jl. Sao Sao No.6, BTN 1, Bende, Kota Kendari, Sulawesi Tenggara, 93117, Indonesia
| | - Agus Setiawan
- Rare Southeast Sulawesi, Jl. Sao Sao No.6, BTN 1, Bende, Kota Kendari, Sulawesi Tenggara, 93117, Indonesia
| | - Courtney Cox
- Rare, 1310 N Courthouse Rd Suite 110, Arlington, VA, 22201, USA
| | - Askabul Kiyo
- Marine and Fisheries Office of Southeast Sulawesi Province, Jl. Balai Kota No. 4, Mandonga, Kota Kendari, Sulawesi Tenggara, 93111, Indonesia
| | - Darman
- Wakatobi National Park Office, Jl. Dayanu Ikhsanuddin No. 71, Betoambari, Kota Bau-bau, Sulawesi Tenggara, 93724, Indonesia
| | - Lely Fajriah Djafar
- Marine and Fisheries Office of Southeast Sulawesi Province, Jl. Balai Kota No. 4, Mandonga, Kota Kendari, Sulawesi Tenggara, 93111, Indonesia
| | - Emilio de la Rosa
- Rare Indonesia, Jl. Gunung Gede I No. 6, Kota Bogor, Jawa Barat, 16153, Indonesia
| | - Wahid Suherfian
- Rare Indonesia, Jl. Gunung Gede I No. 6, Kota Bogor, Jawa Barat, 16153, Indonesia
| | - Ade Yuliani
- Rare Indonesia, Jl. Gunung Gede I No. 6, Kota Bogor, Jawa Barat, 16153, Indonesia
| | - Hari Kushardanto
- Rare Indonesia, Jl. Gunung Gede I No. 6, Kota Bogor, Jawa Barat, 16153, Indonesia
| | - Umi Muawanah
- Agency of Marine and Fisheries Research and Human Resources Development, Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Jl. Pasir Putih I, Ancol Timur, Jakarta Utara, 14430, Indonesia
| | - Arwandrija Rukma
- Rare Indonesia, Jl. Gunung Gede I No. 6, Kota Bogor, Jawa Barat, 16153, Indonesia
| | - Taufiq Alimi
- Rare Indonesia, Jl. Gunung Gede I No. 6, Kota Bogor, Jawa Barat, 16153, Indonesia
| | - Stephen Box
- Rare, 1310 N Courthouse Rd Suite 110, Arlington, VA, 22201, USA
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