Comparative analysis of the multidimensional well-being of small-scale fishers and tourism charter operators

A common management recommendation for achieving sustainable fisheries is to reduce fishing effort. While this measure is sometimes necessary, it can impact the livelihoods and well-being of fishermen. In response, small-scale fishers often choose to partially or fully shift their economic activities. This transition typically leads to providing tourism services in regions with high conservation interest, such as the Gulf of California. However, there are currently no studies examining how this economic shift influences the well-being of small-scale fishers. To evaluate this economic transition's impact on fishers' well-being, we estimated well-being indicators for fishermen and tourism service providers in the Bay of La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico—a region characterized by high fishing and conservation interest. We conducted surveys with small-scale fishers (n = 60) and tourism service providers (n = 44), complemented by public socioeconomic databases. Using indicators of development, poverty, inequality, and perception, we analyzed the multidimensional well-being of both groups. Our findings indicate that tourism service providers exhibit higher well-being conditions and lower poverty levels than small-scale fishers. However, no notable differences were found regarding inequality and self-perceived well-being. Canonical Variable Analysis was employed to explore differences between groups, revealing that seniority, type of fishing permit, age, and income were the most significant differentiating factors. The significant differences observed between groups and the higher well-being indicators for tourism service providers suggest that transitioning from fishing to tourism services could positively impact small-scale fishers’ well-being. Although the change of activity can be viable, in many cases, the benefits to well-being are marginal, and not all fishers possess the conditions necessary to facilitate this transition (e.g., age, experience, permits). Additionally, the indicators used demonstrated differences between groups, highlighting their potential utility for analyzing the well-being of fishers for other case studies.