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Impact of COVID-19 on Pacific Island Fishing Values

April 18, 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has had global impacts to human health, safety, and livelihoods, including to Pacific Islands fisheries. Pacific Islands region fishers share how the pandemic affected their livelihoods and how they adapted.

Various fish being weighed at a fishing tournament on a table. Tournament fishing in the Pacific Islands region occurs year-round, drawing in local participants and visitors (non-residents) to the state. The COVID-19 global pandemic has affected in-person fishing activities and much of the fishing and seafood industry. Credit: NOAA Fisheries

COVID-19 and COVID-19 policies have had direct and indirect impacts on Pacific Islands region fisheries. The fishing community changed their fishing motives, techniques, and target species to adapt. And the fish flow and seafood chain also changed with market impacts. As a result, there has been an overall heightened focus on the value of local fisheries to local food security, economy, and communities.

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Video creation and editing funded in part by NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program.

NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program logo with a white coral silhouette in a blue circle.

Last updated by Pacific Islands Regional Office on August 08, 2022