Small-Scale Fisheries and Livelihoods in Coastal Communities

Small‐scale fisheries (SSF) are a foundational source of food, income and cultural identity for millions of people in coastal regions worldwide. Defined by their reliance on low‐technology gear, small vessel size and family or community operation, these fisheries underpin local economies and contribute significantly to food and nutrition security. The livelihoods they support are embedded within complex social-ecological systems, where access to resources, institutional frameworks and environmental variability interact to shape vulnerability and adaptive capacity. Challenges such as overfishing, habitat degradation, climate change and inequitable governance undermine both ecological sustainability and socio-economic well-being. At the same time, innovations in participatory management, resilient livelihood strategies and market diversification offer pathways to bolster community resilience. Advances in interdisciplinary research have illuminated the drivers of compliance with conservation measures, the mechanisms of livelihood adaptation and the role of gender and social capital in sustaining SSF-dependent communities.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have examined the behavioural and institutional factors that determine compliance with temporal fishing closures. Mixed‐method analyses in West African coastal communities reveal that fisher consent to closed seasons depends as much on perceived ecological benefits and effective enforcement as on fair compensation for lost earnings. Inclusive decision-making processes and co-management arrangements involving traditional authorities and fisheries agencies enhance adherence to regulations. Economic incentives, such as conservation payment schemes tailored to offset income shortfalls, when paired with robust monitoring, have been shown to improve both conservation outcomes and community livelihoods, suggesting integrated governance models as viable solutions for sustainable SSF management.

Small-Scale Fisheries and Livelihoods in Coastal Communities publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in small-scale fisheries and livelihoods in coastal communities across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Small-scale fisheries: Fishing operations characterised by low fishing effort, small vessels and artisanal or family-based practices, often within nearshore areas.

Co-management: Collaborative governance arrangements in which resource users and government agencies share responsibilities for decision-making, enforcement and benefit distribution.

Livelihood resilience: The capacity of individuals and communities to anticipate, absorb and adapt to shocks or stressors while maintaining essential functions and well-being.

Food and nutrition security: The condition in which all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food for a healthy life.

References

1. Factors influencing compliance of closed fishing season: lessons from small-scale coastal fisheries in the Central Region of Ghana. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications (2023).
2. Fish for food and nutrition security in Ghana: Challenges and opportunities. Global Food Security (2020).
3. A study on livelihood resilience in the small-scale fisheries of Ghana using a structural equation modelling approach. Ocean & Coastal Management (2021).
4. Evaluating the ecological and social targeting of a compensation scheme in Bangladesh. PLOS ONE (2018).