A framework for capturing small-scale fisheries' contribution to the sustainable development goals (SDGs)

Small-scale fisheries (SSFs) receive increasing international attention for landing around 50% of global marine fisheries catches and employing millions of people throughout the globe. Their contribution to food security and poverty alleviation, especially in developing countries, makes it relevant to consider them when discussing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Achieving sustainable SSFs means understanding them in their broader context, from the health of marine ecosystems to employment, public health, equity, and climate change impacts. These relationships are complex and poorly understood, thus challenging the identification of policies that could improve the contribution of SSFs to sustainable development. Here we developed an expert-based rapid appraisal framework to identify and characterize the relationships between SSFs and the SDGs. Based on existing knowledge and expert judgment, the framework serves as a diagnostic tool for identifying strengths and gaps in the contribution of SSFs to achieving the SDGs. These resources allow users to apply to other case studies the method developed in the paper A framework for capturing small-scale fisheries' contribution to the sustainable development goals (SDGs) to be published in 2023