Introduction
With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been concerns that the South Pacific could become one of the most vulnerable regions for the spread of the coronavirus. Many of the island nations of Oceania have “fragile” health systems, which are reflected in the lack of equipment, infrastructure and medical staff. It is necessary to analyze exactly how the pandemic affected the remote states of the Pacific Ocean and the fisheries in particular.
Impact of Pandemic on Post-Harvest Fisheries
Separately, it is necessary to highlight the impact of the pandemic on post-harvest fisheries, which is the main source of income for most of the Pacific island countries. The fact is that the introduced restrictions and changes negatively affect every stage of the entire trading process (Kose et al., 2021). It is necessary to start with the fact that a large number of specialists involved in this activity either lost their jobs or temporarily suspended them. This applies not only to the process of collecting fish, but also to its inspection, unpacking, storage and transportation (Hassanien et al., 2021). Based on this, part of the already caught fish has deteriorated unsold on the market. In turn, unemployed specialists increase the economic pressure on the state budget.
At the same time, the restrictions introduced a number of new rules for the processing and consumption of fish, especially relevant for the first half of 2020. The fact is that scientists have not established the exact cause of the virus, as well as the main ways of its transmission (Hooke et al., 2020). Based on theories and suspicions, the fish needed to be chemically treated and descaled in such a way as to minimize the spread of COVID-19. This led to the fact that the quality of products began to fall sharply, and the fish began to deteriorate even faster, which only complicated the situation in the niche (Pangelinan & McVey, 2021). Finally, the fall affected the export of goods, which significantly affected the marketing process (Kose et al., 2021). In addition to economic benefits, the goods themselves and vehicles began to stand idle, which brought several important export instruments out of operation. Thus, in post-harvest fisheries, virtually every single process has been affected (Husted & Sinkovics, 2021). By the end of the pandemic, all production will not be able to fully function again, since repairs and restoration will be required, as well as the search for new specialists. This can be explained by the fact that professionals did not wait for the end of the pandemic, but retrained into other professions or online work. However, the pandemic has affected not only post-harvest fisheries, but also the ocean fishing industry as a whole.
Impact on Fisheries
Separately, it is worth highlighting the impact of the pandemic on fisheries in the countries of Oceania. Despite the fact that the fish was not affected, the demand for it has decreased significantly (Singh, 2021). This is explained by the fact that many ports and trade routes were closed, and, accordingly, the number of fish caught decreased. First, there is a cleansing of the ocean due to the lack of a large amount of human impact, which leads to an increase in the quality of the fish (Connell & Campbell, 2021). In addition, the lack of large-scale fishing increases the population of edible fish, which means that after the end of restrictive measures, states can maximize the use of the resource for economic profit.
However, the short-term outlook is negative as the dose from fisheries falls. In addition, there is a growing need for the purchase of additional medical supplies and vaccines, and the main source of income is frozen. This means that the authorities need to look for alternative state earnings. Such a multifaceted problem gives it additional complexity, since the island states do not have strong flexible economies (Hussain et al., 2021). Based on this, the most acceptable way out is the help of more developed partners, such as Australia.
The economic situation has also affected the food security of the South Pacific island nations, with many households in the island nations and territories cutting back on food consumption to save money. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), in 2020 the economic downturn in the island countries of Oceania ranged from -3.3% to -21% (Green & Kanongata’a, 2021, p. 45). On the other hand, the IMF predicts a recovery of regional GDP in 2021 to the level of 2019. Such consequences are caused by the fact that, as noted above, fisheries have suffered serious damage due to pandemic restrictions. In addition to the fact that the state budget is suffering, funding after commercial fisheries is also decreasing, as there is a reorientation towards medical care (Ng & Stoeva, 2021). This can lead to the fact that the Pacific Islands niche will begin to lose its competitiveness, which means that it will be in crisis.
Conclusion
The island nations of the South Pacific have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, both economically and on the health front. Moreover, in early 2021, a COVID-19 outbreak hit Papua New Guinea, the largest and most economically developed country in Oceania. Vaccination will help them reopen to the outside world, ease the strain on fragile health systems, benefit the region’s economy and avoid mounting external debt. Australia, as the traditional leader of the South Pacific, is trying to mitigate the effects of the pandemic in its zone of influence, both in terms of approaching regional security and the formation of a unified South Pacific identity.
References
Connell, J., & Campbell, Y. (2021). COVID in the islands: A comparative perspective on the Caribbean and the Pacific. Springer Singapore.
Green, B., & Kanongata’a, K. A. (Eds.). (2021). Weaving theology in Oceania. Culture, context and practice. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
Hassanien, A. E., Alshurideh, M. T., & Masa’deh, R. (Eds.). (2021). The effect of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on business intelligence. Springer International Publishing.
Hooke, A., Vachharajani, H. Kaur, H., & Dow, K. E. (Eds.). (2020) Emerging business and trade opportunities between Oceania and Asia. Hershey: IGI Global.
Husted, K., & Sinkovics, R. R. (Eds.). (2021). Management perspectives on the Covid-19 crisis. lessons from New Zealand. Edward Elgar Publishing Limited.
Hussain, C. M., Rawtani, D., & Khatri, N. (Eds.). (2021) COVID-19 in the environment. Impact, concerns, and management of coronavirus. Elsevier Science.
Kose, U., Watada, J., Deperlioglu. O., & Saucedo. J. A. M. (2021). Computational intelligence for COVID-19 and future pandemics. Emerging applications and strategies. Springer Singapore.
Ng, K. H., & Stoeva, M. S. (Eds.). (2021). Medical physics during the COVID-19 pandemic. Global perspectives in clinical practice, education and research. CRC Press.
Pangelinan, P. J., & McVey. T. (Eds.). (2021). Learning and reconciliation through indigenous education in Oceania. IGI Global.
Singh, S. (2021). Life after Covid-19. BFC Publications.