Impact of severe tropical cyclone Winston on fisheries-dependent communities in Fiji

Abstract

Coastal communities in the south Pacific are vulnerable to cyclones which are projected to increase in intensity due to climate change. We conducted a study 2–3 months after a Category 5 tropical cyclone passed through Fiji in 2016 to examine socio-economic impacts from the cyclone and the changes to livelihood strategies of fisheries-dependent communities. Key informant interviews were done in 154 Indigenous Fijian (iTaukei) coastal villages across six provinces. Questions focused on changes to participation in different fisheries and livelihoods, as well as dietary changes and impacts to fishing gear and infrastructure. We found that the affected villages had not returned to many of their pre-cyclone livelihoods, and many villages had stopped fishing altogether. Instead, in the short-term communities coped through livelihood reprioritisation, and a high reliance on external aid (e.g. food packages). The heterogeneity of livelihood strategies, the diversity of species targeted and lack of specialised gear requirements suggested many fisheries can serve as a buffer to natural hazards and external shocks for vulnerable coastal communities. Gender also had an influence on the experienced effects of the cyclone and coping strategies. Women had fewer changes to their fisheries activities post-cyclone and were less likely to have stopped fishing at the time of the survey, as they harvest from a wider diversity of habitats, glean and use low technology gear such as hand nets, and hooks and lines. Understanding how communities are impacted by intense cyclones through a gender lens can help local people better prepare for and mitigate impacts to their livelihoods, while also providing valuable information to assist authorities with their disaster preparedness, response, and recovery strategies.