Fisheries
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12348/3
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- This infographic sheds light into gleaning fisheries, an under-researched fishery often led by women, and their contribution to food and nutrition security in coastal areas. It presents key findings from different data sources, such as gleaning catches and a census survey conducted in coastal hamlets of seven villages, as well as results from a seasonal nutrition survey conducted in four coastal villages and nutrient composition analysis of aquatic foods commonly consumed in Timor-Leste. It concludes that, importantly, incorporating women's practices, knowledge, and voices into coastal management and governance enhances environmental justice and is vital for the sustainability of marine resources.
- This report presents NSFM’s piloting work on fisheries co-management. It highlights co-management as a dynamic process that requires continuous discussion and negotiation, shaped by local socioeconomic inequalities, histories, and conflicts. The report provides an overview of co-management in Timor-Leste, outlines the community engagement steps taken to establish committees, and shares key lessons learned from each site to stress the unique nature of the process. It concludes by reflecting on the challenges, rewards, and the way forward for strengthening co-management in the country.
- This study presents a literature-based review of Malaysia’s fishery and aquaculture sectors, examining their historical development, production trends, contributions, and challenges. Unlike existing studies that focus primarily on production trends or environmental concerns, this paper provides a policy-oriented perspective, linking production challenges to governance, economic constraints, and gaps in small-scale aquaculture and private-sector involvement. The study show that in 2022, Malaysia’s total fishery production reached 1.89 million metric tons, with aquaculture contributing 30%. While capture fisheries have stagnated due to overfishing and environmental pressures, aquaculture has expanded, playing a crucial role in post-Covid-19 recovery. However, sustainability remains a challenge due to climate change, water pollution, rising production costs, and regulatory barriers. To address these issues, the study recommends promoting sustainable fishing and aquaculture practices, enhancing research and development (R&D), streamlining regulatory frameworks, improving disease management, and expanding economic support and market access. These measures are essential to strengthening Malaysia’s aquaculture sector and ensuring long-term food security and economic resilience.
- This Results Framework (RF) is based on the updated WorldFish (WF)’s Theory of Change (ToC) version in May 2023. The RF is built around a conceptual framework that focuses on determining the extent to which there is control over research results and contribution to development impacts. This document covers the details at all the above-mentioned levels as well as identifying roles and responsibilities and the ways of tracking the different outputs and outcomes. The high-level indicators were endorsed in 2023, during the annual retreat, taking reference of CGIAR indicators. This document also helps to identify (a) how the framework is operationalised and, (b) the key MEL activities and timelines to ensure the improvement of the program quality and efficiency of WF. For the full result framework table please refer to Annex 1, which provides more details of how each indicator will be reported, ways of segregation and aggregation, and frequency of data collection.
- This brief highlights the outcomes of a cross-border knowledge exchange between Timor-Leste and Indonesian fishing communities under the Nutrition-Sensitive Fisheries Management (NSFM) project, funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR). The exchange was a collaboration among WorldFish Timor-Leste, the Timor-Leste Directorate General of Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Resources Management (DG-PAGRA), Nusa Cendana University (UNDANA), and the Indonesian National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN). The aim of the exchange was to use practical training and collaborative engagement to strengthen small-scale actors along the aquatic food value chain. Over 4 days (March 11–14, 2025), fishers, gleaners, fish processors and traders from Binagua in Baucau Municipality, Timor-Leste, visited three villages in Belu District in East Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia. The participants from Timor-Leste engaged with their Indonesian counterparts, exploring novel fishing techniques, gear maintenance, and fish processing and marketing while reviving historical cross-border relationships.
- In 2024, significant strides were made in advancing aquatic food systems that are climate-resilient, inclusive, and nutrition-sensitive. Through targeted innovation, scientific research, and strategic policy engagement, efforts supported communities in building resilience to climate-related shocks. The application of digital technologies, sustainable aquaculture practices, and co-management approaches contributed to improved livelihoods, while inclusive value chains and emerging technologies enhanced opportunities for women and youth. Nutrition-focused interventions further demonstrated the critical role of small fish and fish-derived products in addressing micronutrient deficiencies. Collectively, these developments highlight the growing importance of aquatic foods in global strategies for food security, public health, and climate adaptation.
- The 2024 annual FASA workshop was held in Lusaka, Zambia, on November 11–15, 2024. During the workshop, key achievements, challenges and solutions were highlighted and discussed. This event brought together FASA partners from Kenya, Nigeria, Zambia, Sweden and Malaysia, providing an opportunity to reflect on the progress made in Year 2 and strengthen collaboration for the project’s next phase in Year 3. In its second year, the FASA project continued to make progress toward achieving deliverables for the year despite facing challenges, such as delays in some activities. Building on the foundation established in its first year, the project successfully completed a scoping study to identify and select alternative raw ingredients for fish feed. It also continued its research on the nutrient requirements of fish, strengthened capacity building efforts and fostered engagement with stakeholders to achieve the project’s milestones. In addition, FASA’s partners remained dedicated to delivering project activities despite challenges that arose.
- The fisheries sector has great potential to contribute to the development of the domestic economy. Business activity linked to fisheries and fish processing can enhance and strengthen local industries at the community level, as well as contribute to the development of the rural economy in Timor-Leste. Fisheries and its products important to the economy of coastal communities, when we know how to use and manage it well. This training program is designed to help coastal community individuals and groups understand better on how to conduct business activities to achieve success.
- In Timor-Leste, WorldFish works with the government, development partners, communities, fishers, farmers and private enterprises to research and test effective approaches for increasing the sustainable production of aquatic foods and improving access to their nutrients for those who need them most. This document provides a comprehensive overview of WorldFish's activities, contributions, and impact in Timor-Leste, focusing on sustainable aquaculture and fisheries development to address food security, nutrition, and livelihoods.
- This booklet was prepared to assist participants from the training “Basic skills business: Development training for business activities in the marine area”. It serves as a reference to improve their knowledge, skills and impact behavior change. Livriñu ida ne'e ida ne’e prepara husi servisu hamutuk Business Development Services (BDS) SMART, Unipesoal Lda, no WorldFish hodi tulun partisipante sira ne’ebé partisipa iha formasaun “Abilidade báziku negósiu: Treinamentu dezenvolvimentu ba atividade negósiu área marina” nian. Livriñu ida ne'e mos enkoraja komunidade kosteiru sira atu partisipa iha desenvolvimentu ekonomia rural hodi kria servisu ba an rasik no ba ema seluk, atu hamenus kiak no hamlaha. Livriñu ida ne’e prodús ho objetivu atu fasilita partisipante sira hodi bele prenxe matenek kona ba kontéudu ne’ebé sira simu durante formasaun. Tan ne’e, livriñu ida ne’e sai hanesan referénsia ida atu hasae sira nia koñesementu, abilidade no mudansa ba hahalok.
- At the end of Year 2 of Asia–Africa BlueTech Superhighway (AABS), the project has progressed aquatic food solutions—driving innovation, fostering South–South collaboration and setting the stage for further impact. Highlights include a side-event at Ocean Innovation Africa 2025, working to advance aquatic food solutions in five target countries, and translating a wealth of resources into local languages.
- The MFMR in partnership with WorldFish and also People with Disabilities Solomon Islands (PWDSI), a national non-governmental organization (NGO), held a workshop in Honiara on August 26, 2024, to explore how to better integrate disability and social inclusion into coastal fisheries management strategies in Solomon Islands. A total of 16 participants attended the workshop, from the MFMR, PWDSI and WorldFish, as well as other relevant government ministries and NGOs. This brief draws on the workshop report.
- This poster presents an innovative, science-driven approach integrating rice and fisheries to enhance climate resilience and rural livelihoods in Cambodia. Through improved rice-field fisheries (RFF) management and Community Fish Refuges (CFRs), the approach boosts food security, income, and adaptive capacity. Supported by CGIAR’s Scaling for Impact and national partners, the model is expanding across key regions. Results show strong gains: up to 97 kg of fish, 27 kg of OAA, and 4 kg of aquatic plants per hectare per year. Over 160 CFRs near Tonle Sap directly benefit 500,000 people. While more than 900 CFRs serve 2 million people, many need better management. More than 40 resilient fish species have been recorded, reinforcing the system’s climate adaptation potential.
- Over the past 5 years, WorldFish’s work in Zambia has delivered tangible, measurable change, especially for smallholder farmers, women and youths in rural communities. In the remote provinces of Northern and Luapula, where access to quality fish seed, feed and training is limited, WorldFish introduced practical, inclusive models that have strengthened livelihoods and reshaped local food systems.
- The AABS work package two (WP2) executed the socioeconomic and environmental baseline survey study in Nigeria with the main objective of documenting the coastal aquaculture farmers in Nigeria socioeconomic. This baseline study provides a snapshot of the community's social, economic, environmental, and cultural characteristics, which serves as a reference point to measure changes and impacts resulting from IMTA implementation. In this study we identified key socioeconomic and environmental indicators. These indicators include income levels, education, health, gender dynamics, cultural practices, land ownership, livelihoods, infrastructure and service. Establishing a robust socioeconomic and environmental baseline helps in designing context-specific interventions, predicting potential challenges, and identifying key interventions that could promote the adoption and growth of IMTA in Nigeria.
- During the reporting period, the project successfully concluded all research field work, arranged learning and writing workshops, made significant progress in the development of national fish handling programs, and completed a very successful mid-term review. The project hosted 25 partner meetings or events, and we spent 250 staff days conducting field work, whereof about 50 days were Government partner staff days. Four community-level fish-handling and product demonstrations were arranged. Ten community meetings were independently carried out by Government partners using project funds and two training events and five workshops were arranged for research teams and/or partners. We published one peer-review paper and three briefs. The midterm review highlighted the project’s success in bringing together several partners and nurturing a shared ownership over priorities. This is illustrated by the mid-term reviewer’s quote “Extensive mentoring by the lead researchers is evident and the project team has built up a strong team culture”. The project has strengthened a research-in-development model, where our research responds to, and integrates with, development led by partners.
- The Pathways-2 project is at its mid-point of implementation. As such, this annual report has been compiled in the wake of a comprehensive mid-term review of the project (February 2024). The project was assessed to be on track and in some areas ahead of what is reasonable to expect at this stage. While the diversity in context across the different countries means that national CBFM programs have distinct focus, there is commonality in their alignment to the regional Framework for Action on scaling-up CBFM. Overal, the first half of project implementation can be seen to have had a relatively strong focus on advancing the enabling environment of CBFM, given demand and gaps were largest here. Developing supportive policies, establishing implementation guidance, and building capacity were (and continue to be prime areas of focus). In the second half of the project there naturally will be increased focus on evidencing change and impacts within national CBFM programs; in the three countries and regionally.
- Progress for the first year of program implementation is presented here. A quick overview of key milestones/ activities are presented followed by detailed progress updates of general program administration and each program outcome. Progress on program activities as per the Ikan Ba Futuru M&E plan are presented in Section 3. Section 4 gives provides the financial statement for the reporting period, followed by the final section providing a detailed overview of what is planned for the year ahead.
- This study comprehensively assesses purse seine fisheries in Abu Qir Bay, a key fishing ground on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast. The study utilized semi-structured interviews, field observations, and gear analysis to document vessel specifications, fishing operations, and catch composition for night-light and daylight purse seine fisheries. Of the nine vessels examined in the present study, five were consistent with their official designation as purse seiners, while the remaining four were recorded under alternative classifications, including longliners and trawlers. These inconsistencies suggest that economic considerations can influence fishers’ decisions regarding gear selection and operational strategies. Night-light nets measured 275–330 m in length and 91–110 m in depth, whereas daylight nets were larger (366–403 m in length) but shallower (54–70 m in depth). The main body of both net types had an 8.5 mm mesh length, which is far below sustainable recommendations. Small pelagic fishes, particularly Engraulis encrasicolus and Sardinella aurita, dominated the catch across all seasons, with night-light operations peaking in summer and daylight fishing more active in spring and autumn. While technological advancements have improved vessel efficiency and catch per unit effort, they have also intensified fishing pressure. Overfishing, overcapacity, and the use of small mesh sizes may present challenges to long-term sustainability. The results suggest opportunities to strengthen existing regulatory frameworks and to prioritize the design and enforcement of targeted management interventions. This paper recommends adopting a legal minimum mesh size of 25.7 mm and promoting an ecosystem-based management framework to help address overfishing, enhance stock productivity, and support the long-term sustainability of purse seine fisheries in Abu Qir Bay.
- To effectively manage fisheries, timely data of fishing operations and landings are needed by various stakeholders to make decisions. Although many technologies exist for fisheries' monitoring, control, and surveillance (MCS), low- and middle-income countries are often under-resourced and lack the capacity to establish and maintain these systems. To guide the formation of an effective MCS system for Egypt’s Mediterranean fisheries, this study investigates the current challenges in the sector, reviews national, regional, and European Union fisheries legislation, and evaluates the successes and suitability of low-cost and scalable digital systems used elsewhere. Results highlight significant gaps in current practices, such as manual, paper-based logbooks for reporting, and tracking of fishing vessels. We describe the design of a proposed low-cost digital workflow integrating electronic reporting with tiered vessel tracking. Our approach builds on tested technologies and international best practices that enhance data accuracy and strengthen compliance with regional and international regulations. This integrated system offers a promising pathway towards improving data-driven decision-making, enhancing fisheries management, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of Egypt's Mediterranean fisheries. This approach not only ensures regulatory compliance and promotes sustainable fisheries management, but also improves traceability, thereby strengthening adherence to standards and expanding market access.