UrbanFishEries: sustaining small-scale fisheries and aquatic food security along urbanizing and climate-impacted coasts

Humanity has flocked along coasts for millenia, but coastal urbanization is rapidly increasing because of climate- and poverty-driven coastal migration, especially in low- and middle-income countries.

Yet, there is surprisingly limited understanding of the interplay between urbanization, climate change and one of the most important livelihoods and sources of food security for growing coastal populations; small-scale fisheries (SSF).

In the UrbanFishEries project (2024-26) we will assess the social and ecological challenges and opportunities for sustaining coastal SSF, food security and food safety along urbanizing coasts in Sub-Saharan Africa in light of climate change.

Using the coastal cities Zanzibar Town (Unguja Island, Tanzania) and Mombasa (mainland Kenya) and surrounding rural areas as case studies, we will i) conduct participatory research and interviews to characterize (and analyze the climatic and social drivers of) SSF and their livelihoods resilience, in urban vs rural areas, ii) use ecological field surveys and chemical tissue analyses of common target species to quantify the impacts of urban gradients on aquatic food availability, quality (micronutrients) and safety (contaminants), and iii) combine outut from parts i-ii with climate predictions and socio-economic scenarios developed together with fishers and managers, to analyze how SSF may continue providing livelihoods and nutritious, safe and valuable food in an increasingly urban and climate-impacted future.