A Mixed Methods Approach to
Analyzing Vietnamese American
Fishing Communities on the Gulf of
Mexico
Matthew Freeman1, David Hoffman1, Rebecca
Schewe2, Brian Shoup1, and Joseph Witt1
1
Mississippi State University
2 Syracuse University
Background & Motivation
• Vietnamese American
fishers are a large
proportion of the
shrimping population and
seafood industry workers
in the MS-AL Gulf Coast.
• A high level of fisheries
resource dependency
exists amongst the
Vietnamese American
community in the MS-AL
Gulf Coast.
Background & Motivation
• These communities have faced extreme environmental
and economic shocks in the recent past which has
highlighted the need for:
– Effective communication amongst Vietnamese American
fishers and diverse agencies
– Successful dissemination of information to the Vietnamese
American community on the MS-AL Gulf Coast
• Effective agency communication and outreach is critical
to bolster community economic, environmental, and
sociocultural resiliency within ethnic fishing
communities.
Research Objectives
• 1) Identify existing channels and barriers for
communication amongst the Vietnamese American
fishing community and coastal resource agencies
• 2) Identify key nodes within existing community
communication networks for Vietnamese American
fishers
• 3) Develop a measurement tool to assess existing
agency communication avenues and effectiveness
Mixed Methods Approach
• Employ both quantitative and qualitative methods to research these
issues
• Use a combination of:
– Interviews with representatives of relevant state and federal agencies
(Objective 1)
– Interviews with community organizations and key informants (Objective 2)
– Focus groups with Vietnamese Americans employed in different aspects of the
fishing industry (Objective 1)
• To formulate:
– Face-to-face surveys with Vietnamese Americans in the fishing industry
(Objective 3)
• Use of the focus group framework could be used to structure new
interview and survey questions for additional ethnic groups involved in
fishing sectors in other parts of the US
Surveys
• Will be developing a brief face-to-face survey to be
administered to Vietnamese American fishers that
measures sociodemographic variables and
perceptions of existing communication lines.
• Analysis of this survey data will be used to identify
correlations between sociodemographics and
perceptions.
Agency Interviews
•
•
•
•
NOAA – several Gulf offices
MS-AL Sea Grant
Mississippi Dept of Marine Resources
Alabama Dept of Conservation & Natural
Resources (Marine Resources Division)
Agency Interviews
• “What are barriers to
communication with
the Vietnamese
American fishing
communities?”
• Common responses:
– Language
– Getting fishermen and
leaders involved
• Unique responses:
– Lack of trust with the
federal government
(- NOAA)
Agency Interviews
• “What are current agency communication and outreach strategies
to reach the Vietnamese American population?”
• Common responses:
–
–
–
–
Social media
Translating information (*all but AL)
Dockside training (- NOAA & Sea Grant)
Providing information to Vietnamese-American community
organizations
• Unique responses:
– Text message approach, but only in English (- AL)
– Sending information to processors, to disseminate to their fishermen
(- AL)
Community Organization Interviews
• Boat People SOS
– National Vietnamese American community
organization
– Gulf offices in Biloxi, Bayou la Batre, New Orleans,
and Houston
– Conducted interview in Bayou la Batre
• MS Coalition for Vietnamese-American
Fisherfolks & Families
– Interview scheduled…
Community Organization Interviews
• “What are barriers for agencies for
communication with the Vietnamese
American fishing communities?”
– If stakeholders don’t see a direct/immediate
monetary benefit, they don’t want to participate
in meetings. (Noted by MS-AL Sea Grant as well.)
– Shortsightedness by fishermen
– Getting ‘buy in’ (or backing) from the heads or
leaders within Vietnamese American fishing
communities
Focus Group Sites
• Our research sites are Biloxi, MS and Bayou la Batre, AL. A student
translator attended all research trips.
• In discussion with MS-AL Sea Grant, Sea Grant Extension staff, and
community organizations, these two shrimping ports were
identified as having the highest concentration of Vietnamese
American fishers and seafood industry workers.
• These two communities offer many key points of comparison and
similarities:
– they exist within the same bioregion and utilize similar fisheries
resources, and
– while under the same Sea Grant agency and federal agencies, they
have different state agencies and local communities, allowing
comparison across more diverse agency/community relationships.
Focus Group - Biloxi
• “Which agencie(s) do you have the best
relationship with? Why?”
• “Which agencie(s) do you trust the most? Why?”
– Same response to both questions
– None; primarily due to the language barrier
• “Are there specific people or places that are the
most trusted sources of information?”
– MS Coalition for Vietnamese-American Fisherfolk and
Families
Focus Group - Biloxi
• “How do you hear of new fishing regulations?”
– Agency meetings announced on website. But, not
consistent on date/time/location.
• “How do you hear of public meetings held by
agencies?”
– Through community associations like MS Coalition for
Vietnamese-American Fisherfolk and Families.
– But, don’t usually attend b/c too little notice, lack of
translators, and timing conflicts with fishing.
Focus Group - Biloxi
• “What barriers to communication exist with
agencies?”
– Language
– Fear of retaliation
• “What suggestions or strategies do you have for
improving communication with agencies?”
– More things translated
– Meetings/workshops that are not during
fishing/working hours
Focus Group - Biloxi
• Other items brought up:
– Residents are aware of how neighboring state
agencies interact with V-A fishermen
– View LA Dept of Wildlife & Fisheries as more involved
– Issues with corruption within MS DMR in the
past…lessened fishermen’s trust
– Around the time of Katrina, MS DMR involved
fishermen in shrimp monitoring and oyster restoration
projects, through NOAA funds. They were paid, but
they also liked the ‘cooperative’ research interaction.
Focus Group – Bayou la Batre
• Had two unsuccessful attempts, even with
recruiting through community associations
and dockside visits
• Based on feedback, may need to offer small
monetary incentive
Focus Group – Bayou la Batre
• What we have observed is that the Vietnamese
American community seems isolated here,
compared to Biloxi.
– One possible reason may be the size/traffic of the city.
– Also, Biloxi fishermen sell both to processors and
dockside; in Bayou la Batre, only to processors.
• Blessing of the Fleet event in early May:
– No V-A boats participated
– Some V-A attendees and vendors
Focus Group – Bayou la Batre
Moving Forward
• Working on focus group in Bayou la Batre.
• Interviews with:
– MS Coalition for Vietnamese-American Fisherfolk and
Families,
– LA Sea Grant, and
– LA Dept of Wildlife and Fisheries.
• Begin work on survey design and
implementation.
Questions?
freeman@agecon.msstate.edu
*Funded by MS-AL Sea Grant and
MSU’s Office of Research and Economic Development