| dc.description.abstract | The fishing industry remains one of the most hazardous industries in the world, with fatality rates
said to be higher than the national averages of all occupational fatalities. Different researchers
disagree over whether fishermen as a whole tend to be risk loving or risk averse. However, due to
many factors surrounding the fishing industry, fishermen are continuously faced with making
decisions where financial gain or loss is uncertain. Fishing in the Okavango Delta, Botswana, is not
only a source of income but also a means of social cohesion. The dissertation identified possible
occupational hazards, determined the influence of fishers’ socio-economic characteristics on their
perceptions of occupational hazards and analysed the psychosocial factors influencing fishers’
perceptions about fishing occupational hazards. It also determined the role which culture plays on
how fishers perceive occupational hazards. The study used both open ended and close ended
interview schedules to collect qualitative and quantitative data from 44 artisanal fishers from 3
villages along the Okavango panhandle to determine factors influencing fisher’s perception of
occupational hazards. Findings show that most fishers are males (84.1%) and singles (68.2%), who
had evenly distributed ages and more than half of them had never been to school. Most (77%) stayed
in large families of more than 5 people. A large number (61.4%) of them had at one point or another
experienced injuries, most (36.3%) of which are bone pricks and for which most (85.1%) fishers
sought medical attention. Though most (77%) of the fishers believed that licensing is important to
regulate fishing activities, more than half (54.5%) of them believed that safety adherence regulations
would be an unnecessary hindrance to their source of livelihood. Fishing is part of their culture, which
teaches them sustainable management practices. Most (97.7) are of the opinion that a fisher should be
strong and brave and hence be willing to risk their lives for their families. They believe fishing is
dangerous but could be as dangerous as any occupation. The fishers were of the opinion that there was
need for safety training in the fishing occupation, whether from other fishers or the government. Most
(63.5%) fishers opined that being cautious or not on the job would not make any difference to the
enhancement of personal safety and as such most (61.3%) of them were willing to risk their lives for
their families. Most (93.2%) fishers, however, indicated that apart from knowing how to take
precautionary measures against hazards, they also had the ability to promptly deal with consequences
of such hazards lest their families lose their source of livelihood.
Pearson product-moment correlation analyses show that at p≤0.01 level of significance, there was a
positive correlation existing between fatalism and risk acceptance. Conversely, negative correlations
existed between fishers’ age and government support; as well as fatalism and risk acceptance at 95
percent confidence level. Chi Square analysis at p≤0.01 revealed strong associations between fishers’
perceptions and marital status; fishing experience in years; monthly income; number of dependents;
access to fishing information; and risk acceptance. | en_US |
