COVID-19 Impacts on Puerto Rican Small-Scale Fisheries in the First 6 Months

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic and governmental actions to contain its spread threatened the livelihoods of millions of small-scale fishermen around the world. Because the duration and scale of the impacts can vary widely within and across fisheries and regions, it is important to monitor ground conditions. This study reports on the early socioeconomic effects of COVID-19 on Puerto Rican small-scale fishermen. The study focuses on the first 6 months of 2020 since COVID-19 began to disrupt seafood markets in January 2020. Drawing on 317 telephone interviews with fishing captains conducted between July and September 2020, we find that the pandemic severely disrupted fishing operations owing to three main factors: loss of seafood markets mainly in the leisure and hospitality sector, strict commonwealth and local governmental restrictions (lockdowns and curfews), and the adoption of sanitary control and prevention measures (face covering and social distancing requirements). These interrelated factors forced most fishermen to pause their fishing activities. Forty-three percent of the fishermen polled stopped their fishing between 1–3 months, and another 33% suspended their fishing for more than 3 months. Preliminary self-reported fishery statistics show that landings and dockside revenues fell by 40% and 51%, respectively, in the first semester of 2020 (January–June) relative to the same period in 2019. However, the fishermen surveyed specified that their fishing revenues had declined by 65% during the same period. Fishing income shortfalls, layoffs, and the loss of non-fishing opportunities adversely impacted fishermen’s livelihoods. Captains reported losing, on average, almost $6,900 relative to the first semester of 2019. One in four captains reported laying off, on average, 1 crewmember. The study also found that fishermen withstood the initial impacts of the pandemic thanks to the support of family and friends, personal savings, and social protection programs (unemployment benefits, federal stimulus checks, food stamps, etc.). Entrepreneurial fishermen were able to make ends meet by turning to online retailing and delivery and by continuing to sell roadside and house-to-house.