Notes on the Quality of Life of Artisanal Small-Scale Fishermen along the Pacific Coast of Jalisco, México

Myrna Leticia Bravo-Olivas, Rosa María Chávez-Dagostino, Christopher D. Malcolm and Rodrigo Espinoza-Sánchez
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Myrna Leticia Bravo-Olivas: Biological Sciences Department, Centro Universitario de la Costa, Universidad de Guadalajara, Av. Universidad 203 Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco CP 48280, Mexico
Rosa María Chávez-Dagostino: Biological Sciences Department, Centro Universitario de la Costa, Universidad de Guadalajara, Av. Universidad 203 Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco CP 48280, Mexico
Christopher D. Malcolm: Department of Geography, John R. Brodie Science Centre, Brandon University, 270-18th Street, Brandon, MB R74 6A9, Canada
Rodrigo Espinoza-Sánchez: Administrative-Accounting Studies Department, Centro Universitario de la Costa, Universidad de Guadalajara, Av. Universidad 203 Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco CP 48280, Mexico

Sustainability, 2015, vol. 7, issue 5, 1-23

Abstract: Sustainable fishing includes the socioeconomic status of fishers. We combined empirical quality of life (QOL) and subjective lived experiences methods to explore the social sustainability of artisanal fishers in five fishery collectives along the coast of Jalisco, Mexico, where the average daily income is slightly above the poverty level. The QOL scores were also related to annual catch and incomes within each collective. A QOL index is used in this study that combines importance and achievement ratings scores; the results are indicative of an acceptable QOL for fishermen. The concept of lived experiences, incorporating aspects of life relating to Mind , Body , Work and People was explored through interviews with 12 fishers. The QOL data revealed that family and friends are important indicators related to positive QOL reported by the sample, while economic indicators were not important. Although four of the five collectives perceived that the future looks worse than the present and past, there was limited correlation between catch or income and QOL. However, while the lived experiences exercise in part supported the QOL findings, in that People was the most important dimension for almost all of the fishers interviewed, negative economic gaps related to poor catches and incomes were prevalent in the Mind and Work dimensions. The findings suggest that to understand the socioeconomic component of sustainable fisheries, both of these approaches should be considered, as they can illuminate different aspects of fishers’ lives that need to be considered during the development of fisheries’ management policies.

Keywords: lived experiences; sustainable fishing; gap (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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