Fishers bear deep costs of plastic pollution in Vietnam, but could help turn the tide
Plastic bags and bottles, aquaculture feed bags, nylon netting and ropes don’t sound like the makings of a healthy fishing haul. However, nets replete with these items are a near-daily reality for the majority of fishers interviewed by researchers during a recent study in Vietnam. Plastic waste causes small-scale fishers in Vietnam to lose an […]
Fishers in Vietnam bear significant financial and environmental burdens due to plastic pollution, but may also contribute to its solution, according to a recent study. The research, conducted in Vietnam, reveals that small-scale fishers lose an average of $3,421 per vessel annually due to plastic debris, which results in lost fishing time, decreased catch efficiency, and damaged gear.
This amounts to a 10-25% reduction in the annual income of vessel owners. Interviewed fishers revealed that they have significantly increased their fishing efforts in response to overexploited fish stocks and plastic pollution. One fisher stated that what once required just 6-7 hauls to make a profit now necessitates 20-25 hauls.
The study also emphasizes the potential for fishers to aid in tackling the plastic pollution crisis through "fishing for litter" programs that offer modest financial incentives for returning plastic bycatch for disposal and processing onshore. Michel Kaiser, a professor of fisheries conservation at Heriot-Watt University in the U.K. and co-author of the study, underscores the urgency of addressing the issue, stating that while curtailing the source of plastic is crucial, reducing plastic waste is a collective responsibility.
Written by urgent.news from Mongabay's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
