Impacts of COVID-19 on fishing villages and related adaptation strategies

ABSTRACT

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Taiwan raised its alert level to Level 3 in May 2021 and began to strengthen various pandemic prevention measures, which directly affected economic activities and people's lives. The fishery industry and fishing villages have also been impacted. This study investigated fishing villages in Taiwan, and conducted a literature review, focus groups, and in-depth interviews to explore the situations of the fishing villages under the impacts of COVID-19 in Taiwan. Moreover, it discussed the post-pandemic adaptation strategies to help the fishing villages deal with the uncertainty caused by the pandemic and sustainable development. The research results show that due to the pandemic prevention measures, the fishing villages reduced community operations, maintained safe social distancing, implemented community disinfection and cleaning, reduced cross-community movement, suspended various educational programs, all of which directly affected the community organization, production, tourism, and ecological environment of the fishing villages. During the new normal period before the pandemic ceases to spread, the operational models of fishing villages need to incorporate remote resources, Internet marketing, travel planning based on pandemic control, and ecological resources monitoring. At the same time, strengthening the community network of the fishing village residents, reinforcing the cooperation and exchange of experiences among partners of the fishing village, and cultivating the ability and resilience of the fishing villages for continuous operations in the post-pandemic era are important strategies to achieve the sustainable development of fishing villages.