Social Constructions of Health-Environment Risks: A Comparison of Fishing Community and Expert Perceptions of Cyanobacterial Blooms

Abstract

Cyanobacterial blooms are expanding around the globe in frequency and intensity. Using cultural models to unravel local meanings, this study explores how stakeholders (fishers, aquaculturalists, and regional experts) from the Nyanza Gulf of Lake Victoria understand cyanobacterial blooms and their impact on human health. The study also examines resource user and expert perceptions of how these blooms have impacted the livelihoods of fishers and aquaculturalists, and how regional experts have responded. Semi-structured interviews (35 total; fishers and aquaculturalists [25], experts [10]) were used to describe cultural models used by different groups. Multiple perceptions of cyanobacterial blooms and their impact on human health emerged, influenced by the social locations of study participants. With the burden of environmental degradation unequally allocated because of dynamic social constructs, these findings reveal the importance of improving the flow of information between those involved in the design and implementation of policies and those impacted by them.

Keywords:

• Community-based research
• coupled human and environment systems
• fishing livelihoods
• harmful algal blooms
• microcystin

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Correction

Correction Statement

This article was originally published with errors, which have now been corrected in the online version. Please see Correction http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08941920.2023.2211888.

Acknowledgments

We thank the community participants in these interviews and the data collection team, especially Frederick Guya, Robert Okechi and Jane Obyru, who supported the research with translation and guided the research at the local level in Kenya. We also thank Professor. Dr. Gert Van Hecken who supported the research with literature, fieldwork and planning insights, as well as Dr. Alejandra Colom for the inspiration to work and think through cultural models.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by an NSF CNH2 (NSF BCS# 2009658), Cornell Atkinson Center Atkinson Venture Fund award and Cornell University’s Einaudi Center Faculty Seed Grants (to KJF). The research was also supported by the travel grant offered by the Institute of Development Policy of the University of Antwerp, Belgium.