Harnessing the diversity of small-scale actors is key to the future of aquatic food systems

Abstract

Small-scale fisheries and aquaculture (SSFA) provide livelihoods for over 100 million people and sustenance for ~1 billion people, particularly in the Global South. Aquatic foods are distributed through diverse supply chains, with the potential to be highly adaptable to stresses and shocks, but face a growing range of threats and adaptive challenges. Contemporary governance assumes homogeneity in SSFA despite the diverse nature of this sector. Here we use SSFA actor profiles to capture the key dimensions and dynamism of SSFA diversity, reviewing contemporary threats and exploring opportunities for the SSFA sector. The heuristic framework can inform adaptive governance actions supporting the diversity and vital roles of SSFA in food systems, and in the health and livelihoods of nutritionally vulnerable people-supporting their viability through appropriate policies whilst fostering equitable and sustainable food systems.

Proximity to small-scale inland and coastal fisheries is associated with improved income and food security

“…Our findings highlight where, and for whom, hunger, poverty and low rates of fish consumption prevail, and provides empirical evidence of the diversity of small-scale fisheries and their importance in food systems 35 . There is clearly an access issue for a high proportion of the rural poor distant from fishing grounds, and particularly for those who don’t fish.…”

“…We selected Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda, given these countries represent a region where small-scale fisheries provides the main supply of fish and are important for rural inland and coastal livelihoods 24 , 43 , and yet substantial data gaps remain in valuing small-scale fisheries in the regional food system. Small-scale fisheries, particularly inland fisheries, in this region are known to be highly productive with a linear increasing trend in catches over the last three decades 25 , 35 . On average 70% of the total catches consist of small pelagic species, which are largely driven by climate, and are highly productive, resilient, and under-exploited 34 .…”

A global and regional view of the opportunity for climate-smart mariculture

“…In particular, improved management of fisheries to address overexploitation and the effects of climate change could enhance fishing yields and profits under a range of predicted climate scenarios [6,72], and in some cases may be more appropriate than scaling-up mariculture production. Also, as they do in fisheries, traditional owners and small-scale operators in aquaculture play a vital role in food security, and there is a pressing need to increase the recognition and visibility of these actors in aquatic food systems [73]. Data currently available for aquaculture largely reflect an industrialized view of this food production system, and because of the reliance on this data in our assessment our analysis perpetuates this (industrialized) perspective.…”

Aquatic Animal Foods for Nutrition Security and Child Health

“…73 Such efforts could include bolstering biodiversity and habitat preservation initiatives, supporting integrated localized livelihood programs that help small-scale fishers increase income and take home catch while mitigating ecological impacts, and reinforcing and expanding aquatic food value chains. 74,75 Nutrition-focused social marketing could be employed to expand awareness around the importance to fish consumption, increase utilization of specific species to address localized health conditions, and foster sustained behavior change. 76 Additional research and policies are needed to address cost barriers for low-income communities, reduce postharvest loss and contamination issues, and increase access to production inputs for small fishers and farmers.…”