Adaptation Strategies of Small‐Scale Marine Fisheries in Response to Climate Change, Resource Changes, and Sudden Systemic Shocks

Abstract

Biodiversity loss and climate change threaten global food security and the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Fish is considered important for combating malnutrition globally and small‐scale fisheries are vital to the marine wild capture industry, supporting livelihoods and well‐being. With many marine small‐scale fishing communities experiencing the effects of climatic and resource changes on subsistence, income, and well‐being, it is important to understand what adaptation strategies might help these communities thrive. Through a review of scientific literature, we identified short‐term coping and long‐term adaptive strategies employed around the world to reduce local vulnerability and improve resilience to climate change, resource changes, and sudden systemic shocks such as COVID‐19. However, most reported strategies examined only fishers (82.6%) rather than those involved in fish processing. Coping strategies to minimize vulnerability dominated documented responses (67.7%) rather than longer‐term adaptive strategies. Fishers initiated most coping strategies themselves (88.9%); adaptive strategies were more likely to rely on external actors (53.8%). Findings underscored the relative importance of two social factors that influenced whether specific strategies were adopted or not: social organization (formal and informal social networks between individuals, communities, and institutions) and assets (financial, technological, informational, and natural capital). We argue that mobilization of these networks and resources requires agency, which is shaped by inequalities within communities. Given the intensifying effects of climate change and potential for societal shocks, we urge researchers and practitioners to support communities through locally relevant longer‐term adaptation strategies that address the full fishery from catch to processing chains.This article is categorized under: Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change > Learning from Cases and Analogies Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change > Institutions for Adaptation