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Perceptions of Resilience in Fishery‐Dependent Bahamian Communities Following a Category 4 Hurricane
Author(s) -
Valdez Rene Xavier,
Peterson Nils,
Chen Alyssa,
Steward Michael,
Hannameyer Katrina,
Seebaluck Hans,
Hulthén Kaj,
Langerhans R. Brian
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
fisheries
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.725
H-Index - 79
eISSN - 1548-8446
pISSN - 0363-2415
DOI - 10.1002/fsh.10310
Subject(s) - damages , fishery , outreach , geography , climate change , vulnerability (computing) , fishing , natural disaster , psychological resilience , environmental resource management , resilience (materials science) , traditional knowledge , community resilience , natural resource , environmental planning , resource (disambiguation) , ecology , indigenous , political science , economic growth , environmental science , economics , psychology , biology , computer security , law , psychotherapist , computer network , computer science , thermodynamics , physics , meteorology
Fishery‐dependent communities in coastal environments are often vulnerable to hurricanes, but diverse and accessible fisheries may buffer the effects of extreme storms and promote community resilience. We began evaluating this possibility with a qualitative study in the Lowe Sound and Red Bays communities in The Bahamas immediately after the impact of a category 4 hurricane. We interviewed 68 households, asking about the relationships between the storm's impacts and fisheries resources. Lowe Sound respondents described fisheries as natural insurance that provided food and income. Both communities indicated that retaining access to boats was critically important. Respondents most often blamed impacts on low‐elevation geography, followed by religious interpretations. Fishers linked damages with climate change more often than other community members, suggesting that fishers have an experiential knowledge of climate change. We discuss the importance of fisheries as natural insurance, how recovery efforts can strengthen resilience, and potential outreach strategies that incorporate local knowledge.