Dataset for: The Heterogenous Effects of Marine Plastic Pollution on Fishing Productivity: A Decomposition Analysis for Coastal Artisanal Fishers in Ecuador and Peru

Administrative plastic waste data are appended in this dataset. Given the key global role of the fishing sector, there is a need for further understanding of the heterogeneous impact of marine plastic pollution on social and economic outcomes.

Focusing on the artisanal fishing sector in Ecuador and Peru, we explore whether fishers are more exposed to productivity losses due to plastic pollution. We use primary data on artisanal fishers from the Ecuadorian and Peruvian coastal zones and find that Peruvian fishers are 37.8% more productive than Ecuadorian respondents. Moreover, Oaxaca–Blinder decomposition analysis indicates that plastic debris affects Ecuadorian producers the most as the productivity gap in favor of Peruvian producers increases with higher plastic pollution exposure.