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

Hongzhi Ma, Yexi Zhong (), Minghui Ou, Wenhui Wang and Xinghua Feng
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Hongzhi Ma: School of Geography and Environment, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China
Yexi Zhong: School of Geography and Environment, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China
Minghui Ou: School of Geography and Environment, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China
Wenhui Wang: School of Geography and Environment, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China
Xinghua Feng: School of Geography and Environment, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China

Land, 2022, vol. 11, issue 12, 1-14

Abstract: How fishermen produce and live has been a hot topic of academic concern in recent years. However, existing research has focused excessively on marine fishermen. Inland fisheries make a significant but often overlooked contribution to rural livelihoods in developing countries. In this paper, we constructed a framework for fishermen’s livelihood strategies and used questionnaires and in-depth interviews to study 275 households of inland fishermen in a professional fishing village at Poyang Lake. The results show that (1) the impact of the comprehensive fishing ban has led to significant changes in the livelihood capital of inland fishermen, leading to fishermen being forced to change their livelihood strategies. (2) The current livelihood strategies can be divided into four categories, which are non-fishing employment, self-employment, public welfare positions and retirement respectively. (3) Livelihood capital such as age, education, social interaction and fishing rights influence their choice of livelihood strategies. (4) The fishing ban proposal generally meets the interests of fishermen, but there is some capacity for improvement in terms of implementation details and policy flexibility. Based on these findings, we recommend that the government conducts further in-depth research and adjusts and improves its policy options in good time. To the satisfaction of all parties, the current policy protects the environment and achieves sustainable human development, making Chinese contributions and proposing Chinese plans to address global environmental change.

Keywords: livelihood strategies; policy change; inland fishermen; employment conditions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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