**Background:** The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted fisheries globally through market closures, trade restrictions, and health risks. Indonesia, the second-largest fish producer globally, has 2.7 million workers in wild capture fisheries and 1.7 million fishers dependent on coral reef species. Small-scale fisheries (boats under 10 GT) dominate coastal fisheries but lack resources to cope with economic shocks. Government assistance during the pandemic focused on industrial fisheries, leaving the informal small-scale sector with limited support due to lack of data on economic impacts.
**Methods:** The study was conducted in Southeast Sulawesi province, Indonesia, where small-scale fisheries account for 73% of household income. Fisheries catch data were collected from June 1, 2019 to May 31, 2020 using the OurFish app, an Android-based system recording transactions at the first point of sale between fishers and traders. Data came from 62 traders recording purchases from 943 fishers across 82 communities. Seven response variables were analyzed: daily total catches (kg/day), daily total value (IDR/day), price per kilogram (IDR/kg), daily catch per trip (kg/trip), daily catch value per trip (IDR/trip), and number of daily active fishers and traders. Generalized Additive Models (GAMs) were used with explanatory variables including time, weather conditions (wind speed, rainfall), and cumulative national COVID-19 cases. Additionally, 185 telephone interviews (114 fishers: 104 men, 10 women; 71 traders: 37 men, 34 women) were conducted from March 28 to April 8, 2020 across 20 coastal areas to assess perceived impacts, causes of disruption, and coping strategies.
**Key Results:** The number of active fishers and traders declined by over 90% after March 11, 2020 (WHO pandemic declaration). Total daily catch decreased from 4,393 kg/day to 194 kg/day (96% drop), and total catch value plummeted from 123,236,897 IDR/day (USD $8,414) to 2,407,400 IDR/day (USD $172) — a 98% decline. Average daily catch per trip increased from approximately 20 to over 30 kg/trip after the pandemic. Price per kilogram declined for regionally and internationally traded species (snappers, octopus, mackerels, cuttlefish, fresh groupers), while locally traded species (trevally, emperor, bream, parrotfish) showed less decline. Live grouper trade ceased entirely in April 2020. Among interviewees, 99% of men fishers and 75% of women fishers reported their practices were impacted or severely impacted; 97% of men traders and 83% of women traders reported business impacts. The primary perceived causes were lack of fish traders (affecting 80% of women fishers vs. 46% of men fishers) and low/reduced fish prices (affecting 73% of men fishers vs. 20% of women fishers). Approximately 80% of both men and women fishers reported continuing to fish as their main coping strategy. Women traders were four times more likely to rely on fish processing as a coping strategy than men (21% vs. 5%). Less than 10% of respondents reported using government subsidies, savings/loans, other employment, or smallholder farming as coping strategies.
**Clinical Implications:** While not a clinical study, this research has significant public health and food security implications. Small-scale fisheries provide critical animal protein for 55% of Indonesia's coastal population, and disruptions to this sector threaten nutrition security for millions. The findings demonstrate that informal fishing communities lack access to formal financial systems, insurance, and government support mechanisms, making them extremely vulnerable to exogenous shocks. The study highlights that women are disproportionately affected due to their overrepresentation in the informal economy and lower access to formal registration systems that provide emergency benefits. Government stimulus packages (e.g., Indonesia's Rp 1.02 trillion/USD $69 million allocation) need to specifically target small-scale fishers and traders in the informal sector. Digital data collection systems like OurFish can provide real-time monitoring of fisheries disruptions and potentially help build financial identity for unbanked fishing communities, enabling future access to financial services and social protection.