Fishermen’s perceptions of negative events affecting fishing activities. A case study of a Vietnamese purse seine fishery

Abstract

This paper focuses on fishermen’s perceptions of how environmental and social-economic factors influence their lives and activities. A sample of Vietnamese purse seine fishermen were asked about their perceptions of changes in heavy waves, bad weather, storms/tropical cyclones, high temperatures, heavy rains, fish abundance, costs of fishing, suitability of fishing gear and boats, health, crew access and the availability of capital. Uncertainties related to these factors sum up the fishermen’s major concerns. Most fishermen believe that the frequency and intensity of storms/tropical cyclones are increasing in Vietnam. Almost all of the surveyed fishermen expected the frequency and severity of rainfall and the average temperature to increase in the future and fish stock availabilities to decline. However, climate change is not expected to be among the most important negative factors in the future. Other factors, such as cost of fishing, health conditions, fishing gear and boats and the resource situation represent greater concerns among fishermen. Most of the worries fishermen currently have are confirmed by recent local observations when they are available. However, increasing frequencies of storms and precipitation were not observed, while the fishermen claimed such factors create problems for their current fishing activities.