Compensation mechanisms for fishermen quit fishing: A case of Jiangsu province, China

The ‘Ten-year Ban on Fishing’ policy was designed by the Chinese government to protect the biodiversity of the Yangtze River basin. Fishermen are the ultimate implementers of the fishing ban policy. Therefore, a scientific compensation mechanism for fishers to stop fishing is the basis for ensuring the continuous implementation of the policy. First, we conducted a survey with 309 fishermen in eight cities along the Yangtze River in Jiangsu province. We also analyzed living conditions of fishermen before and after quitting fishing based on descriptive statistical analysis. Based on the theory of sustainable livelihood, a binary logistic regression model was used to analyze the relationship between fishermen's willingness to quit fishing and five types of livelihood capital (natural, material, human, financial, and social capital). The results showed that fishermen face severe livelihood sustainability issues after ceasing to fish and that their willingness to quit is closely related to the five types of livelihood capital. Based on this, and according to different age groups, this study constructed a compensation mechanism for retired fishermen from two aspects: monetary and social security compensation. The research results can provide a theoretical framework for other provinces in the Yangtze River basin to formulate a compensation system for fishermen.