Sustainable Resource Use Challenges, Resilience and Livelihood Outcome Among Artisanal Fishers in Lake Victoria, Siaya County
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65150/EP-jnsrr/V2E2/2026-03Keywords:
Sustainable resource use, Artisanal fisheries, Livelihood resilience, Socio-ecological systems, Lake Victoria FisheriesAbstract
Purpose of the Study: This study examined how sustainable resource use challenges influence livelihoods among artisanal fishers in Siaya County, Lake Victoria, with particular attention to the mediating role of household resilience.
Problem Statement: Despite ongoing fisheries management interventions, artisanal fishers continue to experience declining stocks, weak governance, and livelihood insecurity. Limited site-specific evidence and inadequate integration of ecological, institutional, and socio-economic dimensions constrain effective policy responses.
Methodology: Guided by the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework and Tragedy of the Commons Theory, the study adopted a mixed-methods design. Quantitative data were collected from 396 fishers, traders, and Beach Management Unit officials using structured questionnaires, complemented by qualitative key informant interviews. Data were analysed in SPSS using descriptive statistics, multiple regression, and mediation analysis to estimate both direct effects of ecological and governance pressures on livelihoods and indirect effects transmitted through household resilience.
Results: Findings revealed that overfishing and destructive gears, environmental degradation and climate change, and weak governance exerted significant negative effects on household livelihood outcomes. Mediation analysis showed that fishers’ resilience partially mediated these relationships, indicating that adaptive strategies buffered, but did not fully offset the ecological and institutional stressors. Qualitative evidence highlighted enforcement gaps, limited livelihood alternatives, and uneven institutional support at landing sites.
Conclusion and Policy Recommendations: The study concludes that sustainable livelihoods in small-scale fisheries require integrated interventions addressing ecological sustainability, governance effectiveness, and household adaptive capacity. Policy actions should strengthen fisheries enforcement, promote participatory co-management, and expand livelihood diversification and resilience-building programmes to enhance long-term sustainability.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Samwel Aura Audi, Dr. Christopher Masila, Prof. Maurice Ogada (Author)
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