Livelihood Strategies of Local Fishermen under Eastern Seaboard Development Program: A Case Study of Rayong Province

Abstract

The objectives of this research were 1) to study the living conditions of folk fishermen, 2) to analyze the factors affecting the livelihoods, and 3) to propose strategies for livelihoods of folk fishermen under the Development Projects of Eastern Seaboard, case study in Rayong. This study is the combining research which collected questionnaire data from 320 sampling groups and semi-structured interview from 10 key informants. Data characteristics of sample population folk fishermen in Rayong, most of fishery occupations are male. The average age is between 41-50 years, accounted for 29.1%, and marital status accounted for 72.5%. In terms of education, most of them were educated at the elementary level, accounted for 63.4%. And there are 4 or 5 persons lived in the household, accounted for 44.1%. Folk fishermen inherit from their ancestors from 1 to 2 generations, accounted for 46.3%. Income after deducting expenses between 50,001 - 100,000 baths in one year. Folk fishing requires "capital" for livelihood. Positive impacts are on human capital include natural reading skills, tooling, and good healthy. Social capital is a strong grouping. Financial capital is high-priced seafood. Institutional capital is the assistance from government sectors and the industrial sectors. The capital contributions in negatively impacts is on human capital include lack of health awareness, and lack of self-esteem. Financial capital is the ability to predict revenues. Physical capital includes limited space for folk fisheries. Tools are destroyed by external factors. Social capital is the fishermen attack assault others, and the resource hijack. And natural capital is including unstable weather, natural disasters and less of aquatic animals. It can be seen that human capital, social capital, and financial capital are the capital that provides both benefits and penalties. It depends on the context of economic policy, social values, as well as natural capital. From the results of this research, researcher has proposed 3 strategies, includes Strategy 1: encourages of livelihood folk fishermen to be environmental friendly and timely to change. Strategy 2: develops the marine resources management with good governance and efficiency. And Strategy 3: promotes the protection and restoration of sustainable marine resources.