Livelihood Vulnerability of Marine Fishermen to Multi-Stresses under the Vessel Buyback and Fishermen Transfer Programs in China: The Case of Zhoushan City, Zhejiang Province

Abstract

In the context of vessel buyback and fishermen transfer, some traditional marine fishermen changed their profession and turned to other related industries such as mariculture, fish processing, and recreational fishery. Studying the livelihood vulnerability of different types of fishermen is an important basis to help fishermen rebuild sustainable livelihoods. This paper developed a framework of a fishermen’s livelihood vulnerability assessment under multi-stresses, and then conducted an empirical analysis based on a survey in Zhoushan City, Zhejiang Province, China. Finally, the determinants of livelihood vulnerability were analyzed by a regression tree model. Results showed that fishermen with a high level of vulnerability accounted for about 37.35%, and they had some unique characteristics such as advanced age, low education levels. Although converted fishermen faced fewer exposure risks than non-converted fishermen, they eventually showed higher vulnerability due to poor adaptive ability. The livelihood vulnerability of fishermen engaged in recreational fisheries was relatively low, while that of fishermen engaged in non-fisheries was quite different from each other. The results of the regression tree analysis showed that the number of household income sources, whether they converted or not, impacts of disturbances, and whether they were equipped with fishery facilities could influence the fishermen’s livelihood vulnerability. The government should pay more attention to the fishermen whose family income source was single, and the converted fishermen whose productive physical capital was scare.

The Sustainability of the Fishery Industry and Environmental Development: A Study on Factor Market Distortions

“…In recent years, the number of fishery practitioners has gradually decreased, some traditional marine fishermen changed their profession and turned to other related industries [ 37 ]. First, due to overfishing, the state has called for fishery practitioners to switch to other industries.…”

The Transformation of Fishermen’s Livelihoods in the Context of a Comprehensive Fishing Ban: A Case Study of Datang Village at the Poyang Lake Region, China

“…However, whether it is the fishermen, the fishing industry or the fishing village, it is not an about individuals but a socio-ecological system [44]. The subsystems of fisheries resources, fisheries management, and fisheries fishing interact with each other in the broad social, political and economic context of the external environment [9]. Most importantly, these mentioned theoretical frameworks provide the knowledge base for the development of a framework for fishermen's livelihood strategies.…”

“…The policy changes for inland fishermen refer mainly to the three policy types of a fishing moratorium, fishing ban and comprehensive fishing ban. The two former are mainly about fishing bans at specific times and places, such as fish spawning periods and nature reserves [9]. The comprehensive band does is not allow fishing at any time or location.…”

“…The rapid growth of coastal cities has put enormous pressure on marine ecosystems, resulting in the loss of 80% of coral reefs, 57% of mangroves and over 50% of coastal wetlands, most of which are important spawning, nursing or feeding grounds for fish [8]. To conserve fishery resources, in 1987, the Fisheries Bureau of the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture proposed a "double control" system, which is to control the total number of fishing vessels powered by marine engines and their total engine power [9]. Then, the Chinese government issued policies (vessel buy-back schemes, fuel subsidy reductions, employment assistance funds, etc.)…”

Evaluation of Marine Fisheries Vulnerability in China and Its Spatial Effects: Evidence from Coastal Regions

“…However, as far as the marine fisheries sector is concerned, research on vulnerability is still underdeveloped. In terms of research subjects, vulnerability studies have been conducted for specific types of fisheries, such as small-scale fisheries [13] and squid fisheries [14]; specific seafood fisheries, such as coral communities [15] and tuna and sardines [16]; specific regional fisheries, such as wetlands [17] and coastal regions [18]; and specific perspectives, such as marine catches [19] and fishermen livelihood [20]. In terms of evaluation methods, the most common methods used for marine fisheries vulnerability include the composite index method and productivity susceptibility analysis (PSA).…”