A study on red tide risk and basic understanding of fishermen and residents in Bandar Abbas, Hormozgan Province, Iran (Persian Gulf)

Abstract

Harmful algal bloom can be regarded as a persistence environmental problem in the Persian Gulf. This region has experienced many problematic human and social issues, economic damages, and environmental problems caused by red tides. However, no coherent study has been devoted to shed light on perceptions of red tide risks in the Persian Gulf. In response to the mentioned gap, the present study aimed to investigate residents and fishermen perceptions of red tide risks in Bandar Abbas. To meet the mentioned objective, a total of 247 and 145 subjects filled out structured questionnaires in two coastal parks and Bandar Abbas Fishermen, respectively. The obtained results indicated that the demographic factors along with experience and human health issues of red tides affected subjects' risk perception. This study also revealed that fishermen<span style="text-decoration: line-through;">s</span> and residents intensify the risk of red tides, such as seafood consumption, occurrence of red tides and their progress towards coast. Negative media coverage, limited information, and lack of any support of fishermen by government are some of the factors affecting individuals' reaction and concerns towards red tide.