Seminar presented by Ocean Nexus Center fellow Dr. Tu Nguyen (Dalhousie University)

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted global fisheries. Restaurant closures, transportation and border restrictions, and surging demand for non-perishable seafood products are examples of supply and demand shifts in the seafood industry. Fisheries workers have been economically affected by these abrupt changes. While most governments were swift in issuing emergency COVID-19 assistance programs, fisheries workers were often overlooked due to the seasonal nature of the work and the lack of formal organization. When assistance reached fisheries workers, these polices were designed without the up-to-date data necessary for informed decision making. In this research, we develop a survey to study the economic impact of the pandemic on fisheries workers in Canada. We explore how various factors, including government financial assistance, contribute to workers’ general wellbeing, sense of financial security, and change in employment status. Findings from this study paint a rich picture of fisheries workers’ current economic situation and inform crisis management policy.