Small-scale fisheries underpin the aquatic food supply, and are facing acute challenges in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study aimed to examine how small-scale fishing households, including fishers and fish traders, are responding to COVID-19 and associated movement restrictions around Lake Victoria, Kenya. We conducted phone interviews with 88 households in three riparian communities around Lake Victoria to examine shifts in fish consumption, fishing activities, price changes, and coping strategies. We found that households are consuming less fish, perceiving high fish prices, and coping by more often selling than eating fish. Most fishers and traders reported spending less time fishing and trading, and concern about being infected with COVID-19 was high. Our findings suggest movement restrictions and COVID-19 concern, along with high lake levels in the region, may limit fishing activities and fish access. Controlling COVID-19 and supporting opportunities for fishers and traders to safely return to their livelihood activities will be paramount to the recovery of small-scale fishing communities today. Our findings can also support planning to mitigate the impacts of future crises on small-scale fishing communities.

小型渔业是水产食品供应的基础，在 COVID-19 大流行后面临着严峻的挑战。该研究旨在调查包括渔民和鱼品贸易商在内的小规模渔户如何应对 COVID-19 以及肯尼亚维多利亚湖周围的相关行动限制。我们对维多利亚湖周围三个河岸社区的 88 户家庭进行了电话采访，以研究鱼类消费、捕鱼活动、价格变化和应对策略的变化。我们发现，家庭的鱼消费量减少，鱼价上涨，并通过更多地卖鱼而不是吃鱼来应对。大多数渔民和贸易商表示，他们在捕鱼和贸易上花费的时间较少，并且对感染 COVID-19 的担忧很高。我们的研究结果表明，行动限制和对新冠肺炎 (COVID-19) 的担忧以及该地区湖泊水位较高，可能会限制捕鱼活动和鱼类捕捞。控制 COVID-19 并支持渔民和贸易商安全返回生计活动的机会对于当今小规模渔业社区的恢复至关重要。我们的研究结果还可以支持减轻未来危机对小规模渔业社区影响的规划。