Strengthening Resilience among Small-Scale Fishers in Coastal Communities in Davao Region

Small-scale fisheries are vital to food security and livelihoods in coastal communities, yet fishing households face multiple environmental, institutional, and livelihood-related risks. This study analyzes vulnerability levels and resilience capacities of fishers across selected municipalities in the Davao Gulf. Fieldwork interviews were conducted using indicators that measure the vulnerability and resilience of coastal communities. Vulnerability was low in Samal (0.15), Sta. Cruz (0), Carmen (0.1) & St. Maria (0.33). This indicates that they are not directly affected by climate hazards and other stressors, whereas other municipalities experienced moderate vulnerability. Resilience is low in Mabini (0), Pantukan (0.5), and Samal (0.15) due to age and health issues and the lack of alternative livelihoods, which require intervention from the government and other concerned agencies. Governor Generoso (0.73) and Sta. Maria (1.01) is a municipality with the highest level of resilience. It emphasizes that livelihood diversification, adaptive capacity and effective enforcement are present in the area. In contrast, others show moderate resilience. The findings highlight the need for integrated policies that address environmental management, institutional support, livelihood diversification, and nutrition to strengthen the resilience of coastal fishing communities.