Livelihoods & Wellbeing

Building resilience must involve not only protecting the health of the marine environment, but also must promote the wellbeing of people and communities. This can include opportunities to bolster local livelihoods beyond fishing, which might include aquaculture, seaweed farming, tourism-related activities such as recreational fishing and other complementary activities. Consideration about human health, in particular to food and nutrition security, is also a critical element of wellbeing. And ensuring more inclusive, equitable, and just participation and decision making processes is also foundational to community resilience. 

EDF is currently building a suite of tools and resources to help you develop a better understanding of the livelihood and wellbeing needs and opportunities in your fishery and community.

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Food and Nutrition Security

Fish is a vital source of food and nutrition for billions, while fishing is critical to the livelihoods and wellbeing of fishing communities around the world. Three billion people depend on our oceans, rivers and lakes for nutritious blue foods. By 2050, our global population is expected to reach 10 billion and global demand for blue foods is expected to roughly double. Blue foods, including fish, shellfish and seaweeds, provide vital nutrients like protein, zinc, vitamin A and omega-3 fatty acids. We must ensure that blue food systems are environmentally sustainable in a changing climate, that they can continue to nourish our global population, and that they contribute to thriving coastal communities and gender equality. This means managing fisheries in a way that supports the ecological, economic, and social welfare of fishers and their families.

Secure Livelihoods through Recreational Fisheries

Recreational fishing involves the catching of fish and other marine animals for purposes other than subsistence or sale. Recreational fishing can be conducted independently, or through for-hire businesses through which guides may provide boat transportation and gear. In many parts of the world, recreational fishing forms a rich part of local culture and tradition. The recreational sector can often play a large role in coastal economies through tourism, with value generated from fishing operations and the provisioning of ancillary services such as gear suppliers, fuel, dock facilities, and local accommodations and dining. Therefore, recreational fishing can contribute to local livelihoods in coastal communities. However, the environmental impact of recreational fisheries in some places can be as large or greater than commercial fishing, thus the same principles of sustainability and resilience apply to the development and management of recreational fisheries.