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Marine plastic pollution undermines the livelihoods and income of fishing communities in Viet Nam
Summary
Ocean plastic isn't just an environmental problem — it's hitting fishing families' wallets hard. Researchers found that fishers in Vietnam lose about $3,400 per boat each year dealing with plastic debris (damaged nets, lost catch, injuries from entanglement), which eats up a quarter of a boat owner's income, with poorer fishing communities hit hardest. This matters because the people who catch much of the seafood we eat are being squeezed financially by pollution, which can threaten the stability and safety of the global seafood supply chain we all rely on.
Abstract Globally, small-scale fishing communities are impacted by plastic debris accumulating in coastal waters. We studied the socioeconomic impact of marine plastic on fishers in the Mekong and Red River Deltas. Using a mixed methods design, we quantified the impacts of marine plastics through socioeconomic structured interviews with nearshore fishers ( n = 199), post-hoc verification interviews ( n = 94) and waste audits of debris in fishing nets ( n = 282). The total cost of plastic pollution was calculated as ~3400 USD vessel -1 year -1 , equivalent to 12% of the annual vessel revenue and 25% of the owner’s income. Fishers also experienced injuries and fatalities when dealing with plastic entanglement incidents at sea. Results highlighted a disproportionate and unequitable higher economic burden faced by lower-income fishers in the Mekong Delta compared to the Red River Delta. Our study found that incentive-based plastic collection at priority locations could reduce pollution while supporting sustainable livelihoods.