Perceived Livelihood Vulnerabilities of Artisanal Fishers in Elmina, Ghana, in Relation to Chinese‐Controlled Industrial Trawling

ABSTRACT

This study examines the perceived livelihood vulnerabilities reported by artisanal fishers in Elmina, Ghana, in relation to Chinese‐controlled industrial trawling. Using a mixed‐methods design, it combined eight in‐depth interviews, 12 mini‐group discussions, informal conversations, and descriptive survey data from 549 artisanal fishers. The Sustainable Livelihoods Framework and political ecology theory were used to analyze reported perceptions of vulnerability across five livelihood capitals. Respondents most strongly associated Chinese‐controlled industrial trawling with perceived vulnerabilities in financial capital (64.26%) and natural capital (58.96%), followed by social capital (25.66%), human capital (20.36%), and physical capital (12.45%). The overall reported livelihood vulnerability occurrence index was 36.34%. Frequently reported pressures included rising fishing and processing costs, declining income and savings, reduced capacity to buy inputs, declining fish catches, worsening sea conditions, and reduced mutual support among fishers. The study analyses respondents' reported perceptions and livelihood interpretations of these pressures in relation to Chinese‐controlled industrial trawling; it does not independently verify ecological or economic change or establish direct causal effects. Further economic and environmental research is needed to assess the extent to which these reported vulnerabilities correspond to measurable changes in fisheries conditions and livelihood outcomes.