Youth recruitment and retainment in small‐scale fisheries: Factors influencing succession and participation decisions in Cameroon

Abstract Fisheries systems face enormous pressures from increased fish demand, decreased fish catches, and an ageing fishing population. As a case study, we investigate how climate change stressors, capacity‐building opportunities, and the introduction of climate‐smart innovations, tools and informa...

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Main Authors: Neville N. Suh, Bessy T. Efed, Richard A. Nyiawung
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2023-10-01
Series:Aquaculture, Fish and Fisheries
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/aff2.129
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author Neville N. Suh
Bessy T. Efed
Richard A. Nyiawung
author_facet Neville N. Suh
Bessy T. Efed
Richard A. Nyiawung
author_sort Neville N. Suh
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Fisheries systems face enormous pressures from increased fish demand, decreased fish catches, and an ageing fishing population. As a case study, we investigate how climate change stressors, capacity‐building opportunities, and the introduction of climate‐smart innovations, tools and information may influence youths’ succession decisions in small‐scale fisheries (SSF). We collected empirical data from a survey with the children of SSF actors to identify the factors promoting or hindering succession in fish harvesting activities through a simple random sampling of 415 youths in six fishing communities in Cameroon. The probit model results revealed that youth participation and succession decisions are positively influenced by their education, nationality, that is, being a migrant, desire to be employed full‐time in fisheries‐related activities, climate‐smart innovations, tools and information, and capacity‐building opportunities. Increasing temperatures and uncertainty in fish availability due to climate change negatively influence their succession decisions. We find that parents do not encourage their children to participate in SSF due to climate change impacts, which are reducing fish catch and due to a lack of suitable climate‐resilient innovations and capacity‐building opportunities. The study provides evidence that interventions that create an enabling environment for youths’ participation in fisheries‐related activities are important to secure the future of SSF in Cameroon.
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spelling doaj.art-661cbd7d1bb34030889d56281bb50f352023-10-06T12:31:13ZengWileyAquaculture, Fish and Fisheries2693-88472023-10-013542443410.1002/aff2.129Youth recruitment and retainment in small‐scale fisheries: Factors influencing succession and participation decisions in CameroonNeville N. Suh0Bessy T. Efed1Richard A. Nyiawung2KiKENG NGO Buea CameroonKiKENG NGO Buea CameroonKiKENG NGO Buea CameroonAbstract Fisheries systems face enormous pressures from increased fish demand, decreased fish catches, and an ageing fishing population. As a case study, we investigate how climate change stressors, capacity‐building opportunities, and the introduction of climate‐smart innovations, tools and information may influence youths’ succession decisions in small‐scale fisheries (SSF). We collected empirical data from a survey with the children of SSF actors to identify the factors promoting or hindering succession in fish harvesting activities through a simple random sampling of 415 youths in six fishing communities in Cameroon. The probit model results revealed that youth participation and succession decisions are positively influenced by their education, nationality, that is, being a migrant, desire to be employed full‐time in fisheries‐related activities, climate‐smart innovations, tools and information, and capacity‐building opportunities. Increasing temperatures and uncertainty in fish availability due to climate change negatively influence their succession decisions. We find that parents do not encourage their children to participate in SSF due to climate change impacts, which are reducing fish catch and due to a lack of suitable climate‐resilient innovations and capacity‐building opportunities. The study provides evidence that interventions that create an enabling environment for youths’ participation in fisheries‐related activities are important to secure the future of SSF in Cameroon.https://doi.org/10.1002/aff2.129CameroonCentral Africaclimate changeclimate‐smart innovationssmall‐scale fisheriessuccession
spellingShingle Neville N. Suh
Bessy T. Efed
Richard A. Nyiawung
Youth recruitment and retainment in small‐scale fisheries: Factors influencing succession and participation decisions in Cameroon
Aquaculture, Fish and Fisheries
Cameroon
Central Africa
climate change
climate‐smart innovations
small‐scale fisheries
succession
title Youth recruitment and retainment in small‐scale fisheries: Factors influencing succession and participation decisions in Cameroon
title_full Youth recruitment and retainment in small‐scale fisheries: Factors influencing succession and participation decisions in Cameroon
title_fullStr Youth recruitment and retainment in small‐scale fisheries: Factors influencing succession and participation decisions in Cameroon
title_full_unstemmed Youth recruitment and retainment in small‐scale fisheries: Factors influencing succession and participation decisions in Cameroon
title_short Youth recruitment and retainment in small‐scale fisheries: Factors influencing succession and participation decisions in Cameroon
title_sort youth recruitment and retainment in small scale fisheries factors influencing succession and participation decisions in cameroon
topic Cameroon
Central Africa
climate change
climate‐smart innovations
small‐scale fisheries
succession
url https://doi.org/10.1002/aff2.129
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AT richardanyiawung youthrecruitmentandretainmentinsmallscalefisheriesfactorsinfluencingsuccessionandparticipationdecisionsincameroon