Big Fishing Fleets Are Crowding Out Small Fishers Around the World

Almost 500 million people around the world depend on small-scale fishing to eat or earn a living. But a new study says that large industrial fishing fleets are crowding into the same coastal waters, making life much harder for those small fishers. Researchers created a special tool called the SIFI index to measure which countries are most at risk. They found that countries in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific face the biggest dangers — and that the problem is likely to get worse in the years ahead.

Small-scale fishers use simple boats and basic gear to catch fish close to shore. They sell or share much of what they catch in their local communities, helping families get the protein and nutrients they need. Large-scale fisheries, on the other hand, use massive industrial vessels that can travel far and catch enormous amounts of fish at once. When these big fleets move into the same nearshore waters as small fishers, serious problems can follow.

The conflicts between small and large fisheries can happen in many ways. Sometimes fishing boats physically collide, or large vessels destroy the nets and gear of small fishers. Other times, big fleets simply scoop up so many fish that there are not enough left for local fishers to catch. These clashes can be dangerous — and even deadly — for people who already work in one of the world's most hazardous jobs.

Scientists looked at data from 126 countries to build the SIFI index. The index measures how much small and large fishers overlap in the same waters, how much communities depend on small-scale fishing for food and income, and how well a country's government can manage these problems. Countries that score high on overlap and dependence but low on government strength are considered the most at risk.

The results showed that African countries face the greatest risk overall. The three most vulnerable countries in the entire study were Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Mozambique — all located in Africa. About 90 percent of the large vessels identified were trawlers — ships that drag huge nets along the ocean floor, which can cause serious damage to underwater habitats.

Countries in North America and Europe had the lowest risk scores. This is largely because their governments are stronger and better able to protect small-scale fishers. In contrast, many countries in Africa have less power to push back against big fishing fleets or enforce rules that protect their coastal communities.

One important finding was about nutrition. In many low-income coastal countries, small-scale fisheries provide most of the fish that local people eat. When large fleets take over those fishing grounds, local food supplies can shrink and the price of fish at local markets can rise. This hurts families who rely on fish as their main source of protein.

The researchers also looked at countries that have created special protected zones where only small-scale fishers are allowed to operate. They found at least 44 countries with these zones. Interestingly, countries with protected zones actually tended to have higher conflict scores, suggesting the zones were created after problems had already become serious. Enforcement of the rules is often weak, meaning large vessels sometimes still fish there illegally.

Scientists offered several ideas for solving these problems. First, governments should give small-scale fishers official, protected rights to fish in certain coastal areas. Second, countries should cut back on subsidies — money given by governments — that keep huge industrial fleets operating even when they catch too many fish. Third, when countries sign deals that allow foreign fishing fleets into their waters, those agreements should be fair and should benefit local fishing communities.

The researchers noted that their index is a useful starting point but still needs improvement. The most recent vessel data used was from 2021, so some newer conflicts were not yet reflected in the scores. The big picture message is clear: protecting small-scale fishers is not just about fairness — it is about protecting the food, jobs, and cultures of hundreds of millions of people who live along the world's coastlines.