The importance of small-scale fishers cannot be ignored. Here are five ways small-scale fishers are shaping a healthier and more sustainable future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
FEEDING COMMUNITIES NUTRIENT-RICH FOODS<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nSmall-scale fishers play a key role in ensuring entire communities have healthy meals to eat. Their catch supplies essential nutrients for healthy growth and development. In fact, they help meet about 20% of the daily requirements for key micronutrients for up to 2.3 billion people<\/a> living in coastal communities around the world. For many, small-scale fishers provide about half of the individual recommended intake of omega\u20133 fatty acids and significant percentages of other micronutrients, such as calcium, iron, zinc, and vitamins A and B12.<\/p>\n\n\n\nTo advance nutrition equity, Oceana partners with small-scale fishing communities to help protect and strengthen their livelihoods, increase local access to fish, and support their voices in national policy decisions and on global stages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
LOWERING THE CARBON FOOTPRINT OF SEAFOOD<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\")
Fishers in the Philippines deliver new equipment to reduce fish spoilage. \u00a9 Oceana<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nSmall-scale fishers not only provide food that is nutrient-dense, but also climate-friendly. Compared to industrial fisheries that rely on large boats and fuel-intensive gear, small-scale fisheries are likely to have <\/strong><\/a>lower carbon emissions per kilo of fish caught than their industrial counterparts. Wild-caught fish already rank among the lowest-emission animal proteins.<\/p>\n\n\n\nUnfortunately, the changing climate and natural disasters, often intensified by human-caused emissions, are putting small-scale fisheries at risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the Philippines, an area highly vulnerable to climate change, Oceana is campaigning to reduce fish loss and boost livelihoods<\/a>. By providing safe and clean storage for fresh caught fish (extending their shelf life), fishers can better adapt to the changing climate and boost community resilience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nADVANCING GENDER EQUALITY<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nWomen play critical roles across small-scale fisheries along the value-chain. Of the 60 million people employed from when a fish is caught until it arrives to the consumer\u2019s plate, 21 million are women<\/a>. When you add informal or unpaid positions, that number jumps to almost 45 million women engaged in small-scale fisheries. Yet, because so much of their work is seen as informal, women often have less influence on how fisheries are managed and governed.<\/p>\n\n\n\nOceana strives to change that. In Brazil, Oceana provides platforms<\/a> for women to directly engage<\/a> in the policies that impacts their lives<\/a>. In the Philippines, Oceana helps women\u2019s associations submit funding requests to the government for new equipment to process fish and facilities to store them.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFormally recognizing and empowering women in the small-scale fishing economy is key to building well-nourished, equitable communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
IMPROVING DATA COLLECTION THROUGH COLLABORATION<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nManaging fisheries well requires reliable data. But in many cases, small-scale fishing communities and local governments don\u2019t have the money, staff, or technology to track what or how much is being caught in the water, limiting their ability to manage their fishery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This data gap can lead to overfishing, poor enforcement, inequitable resource distribution, and policies that don\u2019t reflect reality. It also hides the contributions of women and other typically marginalized groups \u2014 undermining their efforts and putting up barriers to inclusive policies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To address this limitation, <\/strong>Oceana champions data collection by partnering with scientists, local experts, governments, and other stakeholders to capture small-scale fisheries\u2019 hidden dimensions of nutrition, livelihoods, and gender.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIn Chile, for example, Oceana campaigned hand in hand with fishers from the Juan Fern\u00e1ndez Islands to develop a protected area management plan<\/a> based on their practices and needs. Today, thanks in large part to this plan, the rock lobster fishery, which supports most of the archipelago\u2019s economy, continues to thrive and sustain the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\nFisherwomen gather on a beach in Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. \u00a9 Oceana\/Christian Braga<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nFishers in Juan Fern\u00e1ndez pull up their lobster trap. \u00a9 Oceana\/Mauricio Altamirano<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nBUILDING INCLUSIVE POLICIES<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nFilling data gaps is just the beginning. Nearly two-thirds of small-scale catch comes from fisheries where local fishers lack formally recognized rights to fish, leaving their livelihoods and contributions defenseless. They are overlooked or excluded from governance decisions and oftentimes fish, not under fishing regulations, but customary practices. Small-scale fishers need to be an integral part of management and decision-making.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Oceana is campaigning to improve fisher representation at all levels of governance. In Peru, Oceana successfully campaigned to reserve the nearshore five-mile coastline<\/a> for small-scale fishers and amplified the voices of impacted fishers.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSUPPORTING SMALL-SCALE FISHERS<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nAt the global level, small-scale fishers\u2019 influence on policy agendas is slowly improving, although there is still a long way to go toward full participation. Oceana supports the Small-Scale Fishers’ Call to Action<\/a>, developed by fishers, to recognize and safeguard their contributions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To advance nutrition equity, Oceana partners with small-scale fishing communities to help protect and strengthen their livelihoods, increase local access to fish, and support their voices in national policy decisions and on global stages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
LOWERING THE CARBON FOOTPRINT OF SEAFOOD<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nFishers in the Philippines deliver new equipment to reduce fish spoilage. \u00a9 Oceana<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nSmall-scale fishers not only provide food that is nutrient-dense, but also climate-friendly. Compared to industrial fisheries that rely on large boats and fuel-intensive gear, small-scale fisheries are likely to have <\/strong><\/a>lower carbon emissions per kilo of fish caught than their industrial counterparts. Wild-caught fish already rank among the lowest-emission animal proteins.<\/p>\n\n\n\nUnfortunately, the changing climate and natural disasters, often intensified by human-caused emissions, are putting small-scale fisheries at risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the Philippines, an area highly vulnerable to climate change, Oceana is campaigning to reduce fish loss and boost livelihoods<\/a>. By providing safe and clean storage for fresh caught fish (extending their shelf life), fishers can better adapt to the changing climate and boost community resilience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nADVANCING GENDER EQUALITY<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nWomen play critical roles across small-scale fisheries along the value-chain. Of the 60 million people employed from when a fish is caught until it arrives to the consumer\u2019s plate, 21 million are women<\/a>. When you add informal or unpaid positions, that number jumps to almost 45 million women engaged in small-scale fisheries. Yet, because so much of their work is seen as informal, women often have less influence on how fisheries are managed and governed.<\/p>\n\n\n\nOceana strives to change that. In Brazil, Oceana provides platforms<\/a> for women to directly engage<\/a> in the policies that impacts their lives<\/a>. In the Philippines, Oceana helps women\u2019s associations submit funding requests to the government for new equipment to process fish and facilities to store them.<\/p>\n\n\n\nFormally recognizing and empowering women in the small-scale fishing economy is key to building well-nourished, equitable communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
IMPROVING DATA COLLECTION THROUGH COLLABORATION<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nManaging fisheries well requires reliable data. But in many cases, small-scale fishing communities and local governments don\u2019t have the money, staff, or technology to track what or how much is being caught in the water, limiting their ability to manage their fishery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This data gap can lead to overfishing, poor enforcement, inequitable resource distribution, and policies that don\u2019t reflect reality. It also hides the contributions of women and other typically marginalized groups \u2014 undermining their efforts and putting up barriers to inclusive policies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To address this limitation, <\/strong>Oceana champions data collection by partnering with scientists, local experts, governments, and other stakeholders to capture small-scale fisheries\u2019 hidden dimensions of nutrition, livelihoods, and gender.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIn Chile, for example, Oceana campaigned hand in hand with fishers from the Juan Fern\u00e1ndez Islands to develop a protected area management plan<\/a> based on their practices and needs. Today, thanks in large part to this plan, the rock lobster fishery, which supports most of the archipelago\u2019s economy, continues to thrive and sustain the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\nFisherwomen gather on a beach in Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. \u00a9 Oceana\/Christian Braga<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nFishers in Juan Fern\u00e1ndez pull up their lobster trap. \u00a9 Oceana\/Mauricio Altamirano<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nBUILDING INCLUSIVE POLICIES<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nFilling data gaps is just the beginning. Nearly two-thirds of small-scale catch comes from fisheries where local fishers lack formally recognized rights to fish, leaving their livelihoods and contributions defenseless. They are overlooked or excluded from governance decisions and oftentimes fish, not under fishing regulations, but customary practices. Small-scale fishers need to be an integral part of management and decision-making.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Oceana is campaigning to improve fisher representation at all levels of governance. In Peru, Oceana successfully campaigned to reserve the nearshore five-mile coastline<\/a> for small-scale fishers and amplified the voices of impacted fishers.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSUPPORTING SMALL-SCALE FISHERS<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nAt the global level, small-scale fishers\u2019 influence on policy agendas is slowly improving, although there is still a long way to go toward full participation. Oceana supports the Small-Scale Fishers’ Call to Action<\/a>, developed by fishers, to recognize and safeguard their contributions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/oceana.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/18\/2025\/11\/Delivery-of-PH-Equipment_Cecilio-Talagon_20250626_6-1-1024x576.jpg\")
Small-scale fishers not only provide food that is nutrient-dense, but also climate-friendly. Compared to industrial fisheries that rely on large boats and fuel-intensive gear, small-scale fisheries are likely to have <\/strong><\/a>lower carbon emissions per kilo of fish caught than their industrial counterparts. Wild-caught fish already rank among the lowest-emission animal proteins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unfortunately, the changing climate and natural disasters, often intensified by human-caused emissions, are putting small-scale fisheries at risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the Philippines, an area highly vulnerable to climate change, Oceana is campaigning to reduce fish loss and boost livelihoods<\/a>. By providing safe and clean storage for fresh caught fish (extending their shelf life), fishers can better adapt to the changing climate and boost community resilience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Women play critical roles across small-scale fisheries along the value-chain. Of the 60 million people employed from when a fish is caught until it arrives to the consumer\u2019s plate, 21 million are women<\/a>. When you add informal or unpaid positions, that number jumps to almost 45 million women engaged in small-scale fisheries. Yet, because so much of their work is seen as informal, women often have less influence on how fisheries are managed and governed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Oceana strives to change that. In Brazil, Oceana provides platforms<\/a> for women to directly engage<\/a> in the policies that impacts their lives<\/a>. In the Philippines, Oceana helps women\u2019s associations submit funding requests to the government for new equipment to process fish and facilities to store them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Formally recognizing and empowering women in the small-scale fishing economy is key to building well-nourished, equitable communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Managing fisheries well requires reliable data. But in many cases, small-scale fishing communities and local governments don\u2019t have the money, staff, or technology to track what or how much is being caught in the water, limiting their ability to manage their fishery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This data gap can lead to overfishing, poor enforcement, inequitable resource distribution, and policies that don\u2019t reflect reality. It also hides the contributions of women and other typically marginalized groups \u2014 undermining their efforts and putting up barriers to inclusive policies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To address this limitation, <\/strong>Oceana champions data collection by partnering with scientists, local experts, governments, and other stakeholders to capture small-scale fisheries\u2019 hidden dimensions of nutrition, livelihoods, and gender.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Chile, for example, Oceana campaigned hand in hand with fishers from the Juan Fern\u00e1ndez Islands to develop a protected area management plan<\/a> based on their practices and needs. Today, thanks in large part to this plan, the rock lobster fishery, which supports most of the archipelago\u2019s economy, continues to thrive and sustain the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Filling data gaps is just the beginning. Nearly two-thirds of small-scale catch comes from fisheries where local fishers lack formally recognized rights to fish, leaving their livelihoods and contributions defenseless. They are overlooked or excluded from governance decisions and oftentimes fish, not under fishing regulations, but customary practices. Small-scale fishers need to be an integral part of management and decision-making.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Oceana is campaigning to improve fisher representation at all levels of governance. In Peru, Oceana successfully campaigned to reserve the nearshore five-mile coastline<\/a> for small-scale fishers and amplified the voices of impacted fishers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the global level, small-scale fishers\u2019 influence on policy agendas is slowly improving, although there is still a long way to go toward full participation. Oceana supports the Small-Scale Fishers’ Call to Action<\/a>, developed by fishers, to recognize and safeguard their contributions.<\/p>\n\n\n\nADVANCING GENDER EQUALITY<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
IMPROVING DATA COLLECTION THROUGH COLLABORATION<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/oceana.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/18\/2025\/11\/Brazil-Women-Oceana_Christian-Braga-1024x683.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/oceana.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/18\/2025\/11\/SAO-\u00a9OCEANA-JUAN-FERNANDEZ-2017-Mauricio-Altamirano-021-1024x683.jpg\")
BUILDING INCLUSIVE POLICIES<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
SUPPORTING SMALL-SCALE FISHERS<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/oceana.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/18\/2025\/11\/fishing-fleet-1024x293.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"