ABSTRACT
Since its outbreak in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, the COVID-19 virus has spread worldwide with devastating social and economic impacts. This study investigated the effects of COVID-19 on the small-scale commercial fishing sector in Masvingo Province, Zimbabwe. A qualitative survey was conducted by administering unstructured, open-ended questions among the ten (10) fishing cooperatives operating in the Tugwi-Mukosi Dam. Furthermore, assessments were made on the resilience of small-scale fishers to the pandemic. Results indicated that the small-scale fishers faced challenges associated with the virus and other shocks not linked to COVID-19. The findings were summarised into five main themes, which included fear of the virus among fishers, due to anxiety and lack of information on the virus;high susceptibility to the COVID-19 virus associated with poor shelter;lack of sanitary facilities and limited access to clean water;economic hardship, which increased social uncertainty;and unconducive dam terrain for gill netting, thus leading to the need for innovative resilience-building efforts. Travel restrictions and lockdown measures introduced in response to the pandemic added to the challenges the fisheries sector was already facing throughout the country. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023.