Occupation and fertility: evidence from fishing communities in Vietnam

Fishing communities in Vietnam facing many difficulties due to unstable livelihood. To deal with that, they take advantage of employing marine resources using family labors. Therefore, large family size and son preference is prevalent social norms in this occupational group. This study measure the impact of families engaging in fishing sector on fertility behavior using instrumental variable approach. Study show that as the distance from commune to nearest coastline increase, the probability of household being in fisheries rise, and fishing families also have higher fertility than other occupations. The mechanism not only lie in economic factors, but also in social factors. The patriarchal system, an institution embedded in both factors, play an important role. Under the lens of capability approach, effective policies should increasing individual well-being, especially for women, by addressing not only in income and assets, but also in challenging institutions limiting individual autonomy and freedom to live the life of their choice.