Economic and Environmental Crises Caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Makran Coasts, Iran

Like many other countries, Iran has been exposed to the COVID-19 pandemic and its different economic and environmental implications. So, the research studies the economic and environmental consequences of COVID-19 in the Makoran coast of Sistan and Baluchistan province that supplies nearly 60% of the demand for fish in Iran.

The research is an applied study in terms of goal and a descriptive study in terms of data collection method, which was conducted by the cross-sectional survey method.

A comparison of the period of January-June 2020 (COVID-19 conditions) versus the similar period in the year 2019 (normal conditions) in the economic sector showed that the fishermen’s income, catch rate, and employment have decreased and their unemployment has increased. In the environmental sector, the pandemic and the related restrictions have increased seawater pollution and waste production.

 These changes, which have seemingly increased by the culmination of the COVID-19 pandemic, have had irreparable consequences for the fisheries sector.Suggestions: Governmental support from the management of demand and supply markets and its plans to support fishermen are recommended as approaches to tackling the crisis. Given the emergence of new strains of COVID-19, such as alpha, beta, gamma, delta, and omicron, it is necessary to conduct long-term studies to determine the full range of the pandemic.