Physical distancing and risk of COVID-19 in small-scale fisheries: a remote sensing assessment in coastal Ghana

Abstract The novel coronavirus is predicted to have dire implications on global food systems including fisheries value chains due to restrictions imposed on human movements in many countries. In Ghana, food production, both agriculture and fisheries, is exempted from restrictions as an essential ser...

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Autores principales:	Isaac Okyere, Ernest O. Chuku, Bernard Ekumah, Donatus B. Angnuureng, Justice K. Boakye-Appiah, David J. Mills, Raymond Babanawo, Noble K. Asare, Denis W. Aheto, Brian Crawford
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Nature Portfolio 2020
Materias:	Medicine R Science Q
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/b722e9a98cfe43fd8f93adf2dd68926b
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:b722e9a98cfe43fd8f93adf2dd68926b2021-12-02T13:46:37ZPhysical distancing and risk of COVID-19 in small-scale fisheries: a remote sensing assessment in coastal Ghana10.1038/s41598-020-79898-42045-2322https://doaj.org/article/b722e9a98cfe43fd8f93adf2dd68926b2020-12-01T00:00:00Zhttps://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-79898-4https://doaj.org/toc/2045-2322Abstract The novel coronavirus is predicted to have dire implications on global food systems including fisheries value chains due to restrictions imposed on human movements in many countries. In Ghana, food production, both agriculture and fisheries, is exempted from restrictions as an essential service. The enforcement of COVID-19 prevention protocols, particularly social distancing, has been widely reported in Ghana’s agricultural markets whereas casual observations and media reports on fish landing sites suggest no such enforcements are in place. This study aimed to provide sound scientific evidence as a basis for informed policy direction and intervention for the artisanal fishing sector in these challenging times. We employed an unmanned aerial vehicle in assessing the risk of artisanal fishers to the pandemic using physical distancing as a proxy. From analysis of cumulative distribution function (G-function) of the nearest-neighbour distances, this study underscored crowding at all surveyed fish landing beaches, and identified potential “hotspots” for disease transmission. Aerial measurements taken at times of peak landing beach activity indicated that the highest proportion of people, representing 56%, 48%, 39% and 78% in Elmina, Winneba, Apam and Mumford respectively, were located at distances of less than one metre from their nearest neighbour. Risk of crowding was independent of the population at the landing beaches, suggesting that all categories of fish landing sites along the coast would require equal urgency and measured attention towards preventing and mitigating the spread of the disease.Isaac OkyereErnest O. ChukuBernard EkumahDonatus B. AngnuurengJustice K. Boakye-AppiahDavid J. MillsRaymond BabanawoNoble K. AsareDenis W. AhetoBrian CrawfordNature PortfolioarticleMedicineRScienceQENScientific Reports, Vol 10, Iss 1, Pp 1-13 (2020)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	Medicine R Science Q
spellingShingle	Medicine R Science Q Isaac Okyere Ernest O. Chuku Bernard Ekumah Donatus B. Angnuureng Justice K. Boakye-Appiah David J. Mills Raymond Babanawo Noble K. Asare Denis W. Aheto Brian Crawford Physical distancing and risk of COVID-19 in small-scale fisheries: a remote sensing assessment in coastal Ghana
description	Abstract The novel coronavirus is predicted to have dire implications on global food systems including fisheries value chains due to restrictions imposed on human movements in many countries. In Ghana, food production, both agriculture and fisheries, is exempted from restrictions as an essential service. The enforcement of COVID-19 prevention protocols, particularly social distancing, has been widely reported in Ghana’s agricultural markets whereas casual observations and media reports on fish landing sites suggest no such enforcements are in place. This study aimed to provide sound scientific evidence as a basis for informed policy direction and intervention for the artisanal fishing sector in these challenging times. We employed an unmanned aerial vehicle in assessing the risk of artisanal fishers to the pandemic using physical distancing as a proxy. From analysis of cumulative distribution function (G-function) of the nearest-neighbour distances, this study underscored crowding at all surveyed fish landing beaches, and identified potential “hotspots” for disease transmission. Aerial measurements taken at times of peak landing beach activity indicated that the highest proportion of people, representing 56%, 48%, 39% and 78% in Elmina, Winneba, Apam and Mumford respectively, were located at distances of less than one metre from their nearest neighbour. Risk of crowding was independent of the population at the landing beaches, suggesting that all categories of fish landing sites along the coast would require equal urgency and measured attention towards preventing and mitigating the spread of the disease.
format	article
author	Isaac Okyere Ernest O. Chuku Bernard Ekumah Donatus B. Angnuureng Justice K. Boakye-Appiah David J. Mills Raymond Babanawo Noble K. Asare Denis W. Aheto Brian Crawford
author_facet	Isaac Okyere Ernest O. Chuku Bernard Ekumah Donatus B. Angnuureng Justice K. Boakye-Appiah David J. Mills Raymond Babanawo Noble K. Asare Denis W. Aheto Brian Crawford
author_sort	Isaac Okyere
title	Physical distancing and risk of COVID-19 in small-scale fisheries: a remote sensing assessment in coastal Ghana
title_short	Physical distancing and risk of COVID-19 in small-scale fisheries: a remote sensing assessment in coastal Ghana
title_full	Physical distancing and risk of COVID-19 in small-scale fisheries: a remote sensing assessment in coastal Ghana
title_fullStr	Physical distancing and risk of COVID-19 in small-scale fisheries: a remote sensing assessment in coastal Ghana
title_full_unstemmed	Physical distancing and risk of COVID-19 in small-scale fisheries: a remote sensing assessment in coastal Ghana
title_sort	physical distancing and risk of covid-19 in small-scale fisheries: a remote sensing assessment in coastal ghana
publisher	Nature Portfolio
publishDate	2020
url	https://doaj.org/article/b722e9a98cfe43fd8f93adf2dd68926b
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Physical distancing and risk of COVID-19 in small-scale fisheries: a remote sensing assessment in coastal Ghana

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