Coastal small-scale fisheries (SSFs) play a pivotal but often underappreciated role in supporting economic stability, food security, and social wellbeing across developing nations. Nowhere is this more evident than along Kenya’s expansive coastline, where artisanal fishing communities contribute profoundly not just to local livelihoods but to broader sustainability objectives as outlined by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Recent research sheds light on how these diverse fisheries intersect with multiple SDGs, revealing patterns of impact, potential, and critical areas for intervention.
Spanning Kenya’s coastal waters, SSFs encompass an array of fishing practices, from handline angling and basket trapping to shrimp and small pelagic fisheries. Unlike industrial fisheries, these operations typically rely on traditional methods and small boats, and are characterized by a complex sociocultural fabric involving fishers, traders, processors, and community members—many of whom are women and youth. Although the sector generates roughly USD 7.95 million annually, providing over 80% of marine and coastal fish landings, comprehensive data about its multifaceted contributions remain scarce due to the sector’s inherent complexity.
The interface between SSFs and the SDGs is multifarious, spanning social, economic, and environmental dimensions. Kenya’s SSFs have demonstrated significant progress toward goals such as poverty eradication (SDG 1), improved health and well-being (SDG 3), reduced inequalities (SDG 10), and responsible consumption and production (SDG 12). However, the sector’s role in other goals, particularly those related to economic infrastructure and global partnerships (SDGs 9 and 17), remains limited and calls for greater focus.
To unravel these intricate relationships, researchers adopted an innovative assessment framework that integrates 43 variables aligned with 32 SDG targets distributed across 12 key goals. This approach leverages expert elicitation and community engagement to assess fishery-level contributions, measuring elements such as resource access, economic returns, gender involvement, and ecological stewardship. By applying this method to ten representative Kenyan SSFs—including lobster, octopus, shrimp, and small pelagic fisheries—the analysis provided a granular view of each fishery’s strengths and weaknesses in the sustainability landscape.
Among the fisheries evaluated, small pelagic and shrimp fisheries emerged as the most robust contributors, exhibiting strong performance across a broad spectrum of SDGs. The small pelagic fishery, for instance, supports multiple goals by generating nutritious, affordable fish accessible to local populations, fostering gender equality through significant female participation in post-harvest activities, and reinforcing community stability through equitable access and cooperative management. The shrimp fishery, while excelling notably in health-related outcomes, revealed areas of gender imbalance and limited reach in global markets, illuminating the uneven nature of SSF contributions.
Conversely, fisheries such as handline and octopus scored lower on overall SDG metrics. Factors such as limited market access, seasonality of catches, resource constraints, and socio-economic barriers attenuated their impact. The lobster fishery presented a complex case: economically vital yet exhibiting disparities in social dimensions like gender equality and community well-being. Meanwhile, traditional gear fisheries like basket traps demonstrated sustainability virtues by employing selective fishing methods, minimizing bycatch, and supporting local economies, thus reinforcing responsible production and consumption goals.
A consistent theme across the research findings is the critical role of gender dynamics within Kenyan SSFs. Traditional power structures often concentrate boat ownership and fishing rights with men, who also control pricing and payment systems, while women predominantly engage in processing and trading roles. Although this division underscores persistent inequalities, certain fisheries buck this trend, showcasing women’s active involvement and leadership that bolster social cohesion and economic inclusion. Addressing these disparities through empowerment initiatives could therefore unlock further progress toward SDG 5 on gender equality and SDG 8 emphasizing decent work.
Environmental sustainability factors also surfaced as a challenging frontier. Most SSFs scored low on variables related to ecosystem health, fish stock management, and compliance with formal regulations. This is partly attributable to the open-access nature of these fisheries, limited management resources, and socio-political complexities within coastal communities. Strengthening governance frameworks, enhancing stewardship practices, and supporting participatory management mechanisms such as Beach Management Units (BMUs) are critical levers to align fisheries more closely with environmental SDGs.
The limitations of global SDG metrics in fully capturing local realities were highlighted by the researchers, who advocated for refining assessment tools to better reflect sociocultural contexts and nuanced dimensions of SSF contributions. The participatory nature of their approach, involving fishers, community representatives, academics, and policymakers, proved essential for bridging knowledge gaps, facilitating dialogue, and building consensus around sustainability priorities.
Furthermore, access to markets, particularly international ones, remains a bottleneck for many Kenyan SSFs. Despite the high-value nature of species like lobster and sea cucumber, export opportunities are curtailed by stringent standards, infrastructural limitations, and insufficient investment. Expanding market outreach and improving supply chains could bolster economic growth and augment the fisheries’ alignment with SDG 17, which emphasizes partnerships and global cooperation for sustainable development.
The socio-economic footprint of these SSFs is underscored by their capacity to alleviate poverty and enhance household incomes in coastal communities, where fishing often serves as a primary livelihood source. While poverty eradication and well-being indicators fared well under evaluation, nutritional outcomes related to food security varied depending on fisheries and fish disposition. The tendency to prioritize market sales of high-value species over household consumption impacts local diets and suggests trade-offs within SDG intersections.
Notably, the study underscores the importance of integrated, transdisciplinary research approaches that marry ecological, social, and economic lenses. Such frameworks are valuable not only for informing evidence-based policies but also for mobilizing inclusive governance arrangements that empower communities, promote equitable resource access, and foster sustainability transitions aligned with the 2030 Agenda.
The insights from the Kenyan case challenge prevailing narratives that often cast small-scale fisheries merely as sustainability challenges. Instead, they highlight the sector’s multifaceted contributions as assets that harbour potential to advance sustainable development—if appropriately supported by data-driven management, policy recognition, and targeted investments.
Looking ahead, the research advocates for continued expansion of SSF assessments in Kenya and beyond, stressing the value of context-sensitive methodologies and stakeholder engagement for maximizing the sector’s sustainability benefits. Raising awareness among fishers and related actors about the SDGs could further galvanize efforts to enhance governance, equity, and ecological stewardship within the fisheries landscape.
Ultimately, the Kenyan experience offers a template for understanding and harnessing small-scale fisheries’ integral role in sustainable development frameworks. As global attention intensifies on marine conservation and equitable resource use, such localized knowledge evidences the indispensable place of artisanal fisheries in forging resilient coastal communities and healthier oceans.
In sum, Kenya’s diverse coastal SSFs exemplify both the promise and complexity inherent in aligning marine resource use with global sustainability goals. The variabilities observed across fisheries in terms of their socio-economic and environmental impacts demand nuanced, adaptive strategies that recognize and leverage the unique attributes of each fishery. Through such efforts, small-scale fisheries can be positioned at the forefront of achieving SDGs—delivering food security, reducing poverty, empowering women, and fostering sustainable ocean management.
Subject of Research: The contributions of coastal small-scale fisheries in Kenya to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Article Title: The contributions of coastal small-scale fisheries toward the sustainable development goals: a Kenyan Case Study
Article References:
Fondo, E.N., Bitoun, R.E., Kimani, E.N. et al. The contributions of coastal small-scale fisheries toward the sustainable development goals: a Kenyan Case Study. npj Ocean Sustain 4, 14 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44183-025-00117-6
Image Credits: AI Generated
