A study on the differences in characteristics, perceptions, and adaptive capacity of artisanal fishers in Tobago

Artisanal fishers are a highly diverse group, with social, economic, and demographic differences shaping their fishing behaviors and interactions with fisheries resources. However, fisheries management often treats them as a homogenous group. This study aims to investigate the nuanced differences in characteristics, perceptions, and adaptive capacity of artisanal fishers in Tobago. Through face-to-face surveys conducted with 89 fishers at seven landing sites along Tobago's Caribbean coast, this study examined fisher demographics, fishing effort, and responses to changes in fish abundance, size, and demand. The survey instrument was deployed from June to December 2016 and vessel owners or one of their crew if the boat owners was not available at seven landing sites in Tobago. Sampling within each village was stratified according to the size of the fishing community or landing size based on site reconnaissance. Artisanal fishers were treated as a secondary sampling unit and selected using a mix of opportunistic and snowball sampling, resulting in a response rate of 15% (n = 89 responses). The survey instrument measured the socio-demographics, fishery characteristics, perceptions of changes in the fishery and environment, and adaptive capacity using hypothetical scenarios to changes in fish catch.