Seventy years of small-scale fisheries in Uruguay: Trends, challenges, and future directions

Small-scale fisheries (SSFs) play a crucial role in employment and food security worldwide, yet they often operate under fragile governance and face growing environmental and market pressures. This study provides a comprehensive, seventy-year assessment of Uruguayan SSFs, analyzing long-term trends in landings, fishing effort, catch per unit effort (CPUE), and export dynamics across inland and coastal systems. Results show a sustained increase in SSF landings and CPUE since 2007, contrasting with a decline in industrial fisheries. Policy reforms promoting formalization, social security access, and participatory governance through co-management councils significantly contributed to these positive trends. However, economic analyses reveal concerning declines in product unit prices and export volumes, coupled with high dependence on low-value, unprocessed exports to emerging markets. Environmental degradation in freshwater systems and global climate change further threaten SSF sustainability. Key challenges include the need for improved stock assessments, stronger multi-level governance frameworks, enhanced value chain development, and adaptive management strategies to build resilience against external stressors. Strengthening domestic markets and promoting sustainable value-added products are essential to secure the future of SSFs in Uruguay. Beyond its national relevance, this case study provides insights for shaping global management strategies to strengthen SSFs, demonstrating that institutional reforms, community empowerment, and resilience-building are pivotal for sustaining fisheries in the face of escalating global challenges.