Ocean & Coastal Management · 17 authors, 6 centres
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Using digital transaction records from 82 communities and interviews with 185 fishers and traders in Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia, this study found that active fishers and traders declined by more than 90% after COVID-19 restrictions began, while fishers who continued fishing experienced higher catches per trip that sustained daily catch value.
Researchers used the OurFish digital data collection system to track fish purchases across 82 coastal communities from June 2019 to May 2020, and conducted semi-structured interviews with 185 small-scale fishers and fish traders across 20 of those communities. Following the WHO pandemic announcement on 11 March 2020, the number of active fishers and traders declined by more than 90%, while the average weight of catch per fishing trip increased. Although price per kilogram of fish declined, fishers who maintained activity had higher catches and sustained daily catch value. Over 50% of both fishers and traders believed low demand and declining prices were primary disruptions, and approximately 75% coped by continuing to fish. Export-oriented species were more negatively impacted than domestically traded species.
