In response to the current fisheries crisis, Nova Scotian coastal fishing dependent households are scrambling to get by. In the past, these households relied on long-term financial planning strategies, but in these tough times those strategies are breaking down, and are being replaced by short-term coping mechanisms. These attempts to get by include changing household livelihood strategies such as spending and saving practices, and changing work patterns inside and outside the home, as well as within the household fishing enterprise. By restructuring their work fishing-dependent households hope that they can get by until the fishery bounces back.