Navigating blue justice: Policy gaps and conflicts in coastal development from small-scale fisher perspectives

Abstract

It is urgent to acknowledge the challenges of achieving sustainable coastal development in the context of blue economy expansion. Thus, blue justice emerges, emphasizing the importance of adopting inclusive approaches to guide decision-making. Small-scale fishers (SSFs) end up facing challenges in this process, such as ocean grabbing, pollution, and exclusion from debate spheres. Here, we address the knowledge gap by investigating SSFs’ perspectives and conflicts related to coastal development to inform equitable and inclusive policy formation. Our findings highlight the multiple impacts on different fishing communities, including marine traffic, blast fishing, industries, and ports, emphasizing contextual conflicts associated with different levels of coastal development. This enables the assessment of equity and justice within the domains of blue economy and blue growth. Our study showcases the pivotal role of interdisciplinary research in addressing diverse pressures from coastal development and including local communities for an effective advance in understanding blue justice issues.