Impact

Resilient Communities

Thriving fisheries mean thriving fishing communities.

Any efforts to improve the sustainability of seafood must involve the people who produce that seafood in the first place. SFP works to advance opportunities for fishing communities worldwide, to improve their livelihoods and ensure that they can keep delivering seafood to a hungry world.

Creating resilient livelihoods and communities begins with fishers who have a legal right to fish and the capacity to participate in decisions that affect them. Around the world, we support and facilitate efforts to help fishers maximize the value of their products and minimize their costs – spending as little as possible to get the greatest possible return.

When fishers’ incomes grow, they can invest in themselves and their communities, leading to improved well-being and increased opportunities for all.

More than 113 million people are directly employed in small-scale and artisanal fisheries, representing more than 90 percent of the workforce in capture fisheries. Nearly all are located in developing countries.

Supporting resilient communities

Ensuring legal rights for fishers

Many artisanal and small-scale fishers lack legal fishing rights or legal status, meaning that they do not reap the full benefits of their efforts and their products can be deemed illegal in international markets.
Supporting fisher organization and participation

Representative organizations can mobilize fishers and act on their behalf, enabling them to participate fully in decisions and structures that affect their livelihoods.
Advancing sustainability in domestic markets

Most seafood caught or produced around the world is sold in domestic markets, and never reaches international destinations where there might be a premium for sustainable products. Domestic market incentives for good practice can help improve the livelihoods of fishers and their communities.