Examining Fisheries Contributions to Community Food Security: Findings from a Household Seafood Consumption Survey on the West Coast of Newfoundland

Abstract

This study was carried out in the Bonne Bay region on the west coast of Newfoundland, Canada. A seafood consumption survey was undertaken as a case study for exploring fisheries contributions to community food security. The findings show that households prefer eating local over imported seafood. Fish plants and networks of family/friends are the main sources for local seafood. However, the results also show a decline in consumption of most local fish and shellfish species. Survey results are contextualized by findings from interviews with local households and fish harvesters. The article concludes with recommendations for strengthening the contributions of fisheries to community food security.

Keywords:

• fisheries
• community food security
• sustainable food systems

Acknowledgments

The author acknowledges funding support from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC); the Rural Secretariat, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador; the MITACS-Accelerate Program; and the Community–University Research for Recovery Alliance Project at Memorial University. Many thanks to Andrew Canning for assistance with data entry and analysis and to Barb Neis, Charles Mather, Ahmed Khan, Lilith Finkler, and Kathy Fitzpatrick for reviewing earlier drafts of this article.