ABSTRACT

In April 2016, toxic chemicals leaked into the ocean in central Vietnam during a trial of a waste discharge system for a newly built steel plant. This resulted in a significant fish kill that impacted coastal livelihoods and the seafood sector across four provinces. We surveyed 520 households to understand how people experienced this environmental disaster, and their recovery strategies. On average people stopped all fishing-related activities for over nine months: this was a period of precarity for most households. Fish farming households suffered the greatest financial losses. Fishing households, while having a lower income, recovered more quickly than fish farming households since the mobility of boats and fishing grounds afforded flexibility and adaptability. In the longer term, relatively significant financial compensation from the company responsible for the spill made a difference to household recovery and their perceptions of the disaster. We argue that this toxic spill was a major stressor for coastal households in central Vietnam, and contribute to the precarity and the livelihood resilience literatures by offering a multi-dimensional perspective to understanding household recovery strategies. This study also draws attention to the importance of better understanding financial compensation as an aspect of recovery from human-induced disasters.

摘要

2016 年 4 月，在越南中部新建钢铁厂的废物排放系统试验期间，有毒化学物质泄漏到海洋中。这导致了严重的鱼类死亡，影响了四个省份的沿海生计和海产品部门。我们对 520 户家庭进行了调查，以了解人们如何经历这场环境灾难以及他们的恢复策略。平均而言，人们停止所有与捕鱼有关的活动超过九个月：对于大多数家庭来说，这是一个不稳定的时期。养鱼户遭受的经济损失最大。渔户虽然收入较低，但比养鱼户恢复得更快，因为船只和渔场的流动性提供了灵活性和适应性。从长远来看，对泄漏事故负责的公司提供了相对较大的经济补偿，这对家庭恢复和他们对灾难的看法产生了影响。我们认为，这种有毒物质泄漏是越南中部沿海家庭的主要压力源，并通过提供多维视角来理解家庭恢复策略，为不稳定和生计复原力文献做出了贡献。本研究还提请注意更好地理解经济补偿作为从人为灾难中恢复的一个方面的重要性。并通过提供多维视角来理解家庭恢复战略，为不稳定和生计复原力文献做出贡献。本研究还提请注意更好地理解经济补偿作为从人为灾难中恢复的一个方面的重要性。并通过提供多维视角来理解家庭恢复战略，为不稳定和生计复原力文献做出贡献。本研究还提请注意更好地理解经济补偿作为从人为灾难中恢复的一个方面的重要性。