Fisheries Policy Research Articles

Shifting baselines and deciding on the desirable form of multispecies maximum sustainable yield

AbstractMultispecies, multigear fisheries occur in most ecosystems in the world, but are typical in tropical ecosystems and especially in emerging economies. However, much of fishery science has been developed from a single-species perspective. Management schemes based on single-species reference points often ignore the trophic link among species and the technical interaction between gears, essentially disconnecting management objectives from the context of an ecosystem—or socioecological system—where fisheries operate. Using the Gulf of Thailand fishery as an example, we demonstrate how aggregate production models can be used to estimate system-level fishery reference points for multispecies fisheries. Our results show that the multispecies maximum sustainable yield changes with ecosystem state—the systemic productivity level due to species composition and ecological (trophic/habitat, etc.) structure—under various development levels of fishing and varies with management objectives such as biodiversity, system resilience, total catch, total value, and employment. Aggregate approaches are a tractable way of estimating sustainable ecosystem-scale extraction for multispecies fisheries, avoiding the dilemma of facing conflicting advice derived from single-species methods and providing a practical, operational step toward ecosystem-based management. However, these methods are sensitive to the ecosystem states over time and decision makers need to make informed decisions on which state they want to maintain (or recover) and thus which system-level reference points to use. Consequently, management of multispecies fisheries must be clear on their system-level fisheries policy objectives.

Discard survival of coastal elasmobranchs in a small-scale fishery using acoustic telemetry and recapture data

Discard reduction is a cornerstone of the European Common Fisheries Policy. The discard ban policy, which aims to reduce fisheries discards, is particularly challenging for small-scale fisheries. Demonstrating high survival rates of discarded individuals may provide flexibility to the application of the discard ban through the so-called survival exemption. Here we used acoustic telemetry and mark-recapture data to estimate discard survival of coastal elasmobranch species at multiple temporal scales. We focused on four species targeted by the small-scale fishery in Galicia (NW Spain), one of the most important fishing regions in Europe: Scyliorhinus canicula, Raja undulata, Rajaclavata and Rajabrachyura. The overall survival rate was 90% on the short term and 85.7% on the long term, but it varied among species. Survival rates of R. clavata and S. canicula on the short term were 70% and 100%, respectively, and 66.7% and 92.9% on the long term, respectively. All the individuals of R. brachyura and R. undulata survived on the long term. Our results are critical to support the application of survival exemption in small scale fisheries.

The Contribution of National Fisheries Policy Implementation to Economic Security Management between Kenya and Uganda

The global agenda for natural resource management espouses the principle that disputes between riparian states are resolved in a peaceful manner. The management of economic security on Lake Victoria transboundary disputes between Kenya-Uganda which are about resources within the maritime zone has been negatively affected by transboundary dispute since resolutions on the same do not focus on the economic security aspect. This paper evaluates the contribution of national fisheries policy implementation to economic security management between Kenya and Uganda. Structural-functionalist, social conflict and John Burton’s conflict resolution theory guided the study. The study employed descriptive research design while purposive and simple random sampling techniques were used to determine samples. Philosophically, the study contributed towards a better understanding of the transboundary disputes and their management as well as forming a basis for future research. Study findings indicated that statutory instruments regulate fishing operations or the conduct of fishing as public revenues of both Kenya and Uganda on Lake Victoria. The study recommends a robust reform in the national policies on fishery by both Kenya and Uganda to militate against the Lake Victoria transboundary dispute and bolster economic security management. The statutory instruments for fishing should be revised to provide an enabling fishing environment for fishers and fish traders.

Ten lessons on the resilience of the EU common fisheries policy towards climate change and fuel efficiency - A call for adaptive, flexible and well-informed fisheries management

To effectively future-proof the management of the European Union fishing fleets we have explored a suite of case studies encompassing the northeast and tropical Atlantic, the Mediterranean, Baltic and Black Seas. This study shows that European Union (EU) fisheries are likely resilient to climate-driven short-term stresses, but may be negatively impacted by long-term trends in climate change. However, fisheries’ long-term stock resilience can be improved (and therefore be more resilient to increasing changes in climate) by adopting robust and adaptive fisheries management, provided such measures are based on sound scientific advice which includes uncertainty. Such management requires regular updates of biological reference points. Such updates will delineate safe biological limits for exploitation, providing both high long-term yields with reduced risk of stock collapse when affected by short-term stresses, and enhanced compliance with advice to avoid higher than intended fishing mortality. However, high resilience of the exploited ecosystem does not necessarily lead to the resilience of the economy of EU fisheries from suffering shocks associated with reduced yields, neither to a reduced carbon footprint if fuel use increases from lower stock abundances. Fuel consumption is impacted by stock development, but also by changes in vessel and gear technologies, as well as fishing techniques. In this respect, energy-efficient fishing technologies already exist within the EU, though implementing them would require improving the uptake of innovations and demonstrating to stakeholders the potential for both reduced fuel costs and increased catch rates. A transition towards reducing fuel consumption and costs would need to be supported by the setup of EU regulatory instruments. Overall, to effectively manage EU fisheries within a changing climate, flexible, adaptive, well-informed and well-enforced management is needed, with incentives provided for innovations and ocean literacy to cope with the changing conditions, while also reducing the dependency of the capture fishing industry on fossil fuels. To support such management, we provide 10 lessons to characterize ‘win-win’ fishing strategies for the European Union, which develop leverages in which fishing effort deployed corresponds to Maximum Sustainable Yield targets and Common Fisheries Policy minimal effects objectives. In these strategies, higher catch is obtained in the long run, less fuel is spent to attain the catch, and the fisheries have a higher resistance and resilience to shock and long-term factors to face climate-induced stresses.

Instruments to implement sustainable aquaculture in the European Union

The article gives an overview of instruments aimed to promote sustainable aquaculture which is used in European Union legislation and policy. Pursuant to FAO’s definition aquaculture involves the reproduction, breeding, cultivation and marketing of aquatic plants and animals, in controlled or semi-controlled environments. Today, a one fifth of the fish and seafood produced in the EU already comes from fish farms and other forms of aquaculture. The EUs’ regulation of Common Fisheries Policy comprises: protection, management, and exploitation of living aquatic resources, aquaculture, processing and trade in fishery and aquaculture products. A large number of regulations, guidance documents and policy papers have been produced in the past decade in the EU which address many implementation issues which are relevant for aquaculture. Attention is drawn not only to the Common Fisheries Policy but also to the uneven development and current importance of aquaculture globally.

The carbon footprint of the hake supply chain in Spain: Accounting for fisheries, international transportation and domestic distribution

Climate change mitigation depends to a large extent on economic sectors modifying their production processes to significantly reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, particularly CO₂. However, greenhouse gas emission assessments are usually excluded from management of capture fisheries. Traditionally, hake ( Merluccius ssp. ) has been an important food for the population of Western Europe, and remains one of the most consumed fish in Spain's gastronomic culture. This paper reconstructs, for the first time, the hake seafood chain in Spain with the aim of estimating the carbon footprint of its extraction (fishing), transport and distribution. Our results show that total greenhouse gas emissions from the hake production and value chain in 2017 were 681 kt CO₂e, with an emission intensity of 4.42 kgCO₂e kg‾ 1 of whole fish. From these total emissions, those related to fishing operations represent 67% (456 kt CO₂e), with the remaining 33% (225 kt CO₂e) associated with transport (maritime, air or road). Air transport was the highest in terms of emission intensity per kilogram of hake transported (15.85 kgCO₂e kg‾ 1 ), and contributed to the largest share (72%) of transport emissions. Maritime transport presented the least emission intensity (0.33 kgCO₂e kg‾ 1 ) and predominated for hake caught outside the EU (e.g., Argentina, Namibia), offsetting the long distances the hake had to travel with greater transport efficiency. Our study highlights the importance of including greenhouse gas emissions analysis in the operationalization of the ecosystem-based fisheries management in the European Common Fisheries Policy as well as other regulations such as the Marine Strategy Framework Directive as a key tool for decision makers to appropriately address climate change impacts. The evidence provided by our study highlights the importance of finding a balance between healthy fish consumption patterns and their associated environmental impacts. • Only 8% of hake consumed in Spain comes from national fishing zones. • 47% of the hake caught by the Spanish fleet travels on average 12,000 km to Spain. • Fishing is the largest contributor to emissions from the hake supply chain in Spain. • The total GHG emissions of the hake supply chain in Spain account for 681 kt CO₂e.

Footprints of fishing vessels in Chinese waters based on automatic identification system data

The importance and difficulty of large-scale quantitative analysis of fishing vessel footprints and fishing intensities with high resolution have received more and more attention and recognition in fishery research. In this study, a framework for identifying and analyzing fishing footprints and activities based on AIS data is proposed. The first step is the AIS data pre-processing. Through the screening and cleaning of AIS data, noise data such as non-fishing vessel trajectories are removed to retain only fishing vessel trajectories. The second step is the behavior detection of fishing vessels. Based on the proposed speed identification method, the trajectory of a fishing vessel is divided into three states: Fishing, stationary, and sailing. The third step is the calculation of fishing vessel activities. An adjacent point mean method is proposed to calculate the fishing time of each fishing point. In addition, two simple and efficient quantitative indicators, namely unit cell activity frequency (UCAF) and unit cell fishing time (UCFT), are proposed to quantify the activities of fishing vessels. The last step is the spatial and temporal analysis of fishing activities. The global Moran's index and Getis-Ord Gi* index are used to quantitatively describe the global spatio-temporal distribution and local spatio-temporal hotspots of fishing activities. Based on >130 million AIS data from 2015 to 2016, the footprints of fishing vessels in the waters of China's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) were analyzed and the 0.01° × 0.01° high-resolution fishing vessel activity distribution maps and fishing time distribution maps were generated. It is found that the footprints of fishing vessels in China's EEZ waters have a positive spatial correlation, and the areas with high fishing intensities are clustered in the coastal waters of Shandong Province, Zhejiang Province, Fujian Province and Guangdong Province. The research results can be used for fishing area identification, fishery policy making, and sustainable fisheries development.

Satellite Telemetry Elucidates Migratory Pathways and Foraging Areas for Hawksbill Sea Turtles, Eretmochelys imbricata, in the Caribbean

Adult female sea turtles are highly migratory, moving between foraging and nesting areas that can be thousands of kilometers apart. Conserving sea turtles and their habitats therefore depends on knowledge of space use across these migration-linked environments. Here, we describe migratory behavior of hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata), a globally imperiled species. We used satellite telemetry to characterize the movements of females from nesting areas in Jamaica (n = 4) and Antigua (n = 4), West Indies, over 1998–2001. We mapped migrations and summarized space use during inter-nesting and foraging periods with kernel utilization distributions (UDs) and minimum convex polygons. Seven of eight turtles made post-nesting migrations, with paths ranging 56–1324 km in length, representing straight-line displacements of 68–1206 km. Two turtles sampled in southern Jamaica made short-range migrations within southern Jamaican waters, whereas two from northern Jamaica migrated further to foraging areas in the waters of Belize and Honduras. Three migrants sampled at Long Island, Antigua migrated to St. Eustatius, St. Kitts, and Redonda, respectively, with a fourth individual remaining resident in northeastern Antigua. Inter-nesting movements observed for three turtles produced 50% UDs ranging 12–44 km2, with centroid depths between 4–13 m. Foraging UDs for seven turtles spanned 8–111 km2 and 2–161 m in depth. Our results reveal variable migratory strategies, demonstrate international connectivity between hawksbill foraging and nesting habitats, and provide important information for Caribbean conservation efforts such as the design of protected areas or fisheries policies.

A study on international trend and Korean measures regarding Cape Town Agreement of 2012

ABSTRACT At the global level, regulations on the safety of ships are gradually strengthening. Comparing international regulations on the safety of merchant vessels and fishing vessels, fishing vessels did not have a relatively strong safety regulations compared to merchant vessels. However, the importance of fishing vessel safety is being emphasized internationally for various reasons, such as the increase in IUU fishing activities. The Cape Town Agreement of 2012 is a representative international convention on the safety of fishing vessels. Although it has not yet met the requirements for entry into force, but several member states, including the IMO Secretariat, continue to encourage the entry into force of the Agreement. For reference, the Republic of Korea is also preparing various fishery policies with the goal of ratifying the agreement in 2023. This paper briefly introduces international trends related to the ratification of the Cape Town Agreement. In addition, by reviewing the current status of preparations of the Republic of Korea for ratification of the agreement in general, essential preparation measures for smooth ratification and implementation of the Cape Town Agreement have been identified.

Age-related differences in foraging behaviour at sea and interactions with fishing vessels in an opportunistic urban gull

Abstract Fishing activity generates high amounts of fishing discards, a predictable anthropogenic food subsidies used by seabirds. Although the use of discards by these predators has been well studied, there is a lack of knowledge about the ontogenetic differences in their use. We contributed to filling this gap for the yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis), an opportunistic predator that extensively exploits anthropogenic food subsides. We investigated its foraging behaviour during the early breeding season deploying GPS devices on adults, immatures, and juveniles from the urban population of Barcelona (northwestern Mediterranean Sea) and examining the effect of fishing vessels on their spatial movements using a Vessel Monitoring System. The results revealed age-related differences in distribution and foraging behaviour at sea and an interaction with fishing vessels in this seabird. Age-related differences in behaviour were explained by the reproductive constraints of adults and the ontogenetic differences associated with lower foraging ability in immature and juvenile individuals. We did not find apparent preferences for a specific type of fishing vessel between ages. These results suggest that the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy might affect the entire population of this species, that could lead to an increase in the use of urban environments, increasing the conflicts with human activities.

Interannual fluctuations in connectivity among crab populations (Liocarcinus depurator) along the Atlantic-Mediterranean transition

An interesting evolutionary question that still remains open is the connectivity between marine populations. Marine currents can favour the dispersal of larvae or adults, but they can also produce eddies and gyres generating oceanographic fronts, thus limiting gene flow. To address this subject, we selected the Atlantic-Mediterranean transition, where several fronts are located: Gibraltar Strait (GS), Almeria-Oran Front (AOF) and Ibiza Channel (IC). Seven populations of the marine crab Liocarcinus depurator (Cadiz, West and East Alboran, Alacant, Valencia, Ebro Delta and North Catalonia) located along this transition were analysed in six consecutive years (2014–2019) using a fragment of the COI (Cytochrome Oxidase subunit I) gene. All sequences (966) belonged to two well defined haplogroups: ATL (most abundant in Atlantic waters) and MED (predominant in Mediterranean waters). Following a geographic variation, the frequency of ATL decreased significantly from Cadiz to North Catalonia. However, this variation presented steps due to the effect of oceanographic restrictions/fronts. Significant effects were recorded for GS (2015, 2017, 2018 and 2019), AOF (all years except 2018) and IC (2016). The intensity and precise location of these fronts changed over time. Multivariate analyses distinguished three main population groups: Cadiz, Alboran Sea and the remaining Mediterranean populations. These findings could be relevant to properly define Marine Protected Areas and for conservation and fisheries policies.

The Role of MSC Marine Certification in Fisheries Governance in Finland

Finnish fisheries are regulated first and foremost by the EU Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and quotas determined by the EU. Certain fisheries have also been certified according to the international Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) standard. The aim of this article is to study the added value that the MSC brings to the governance of the ecological sustainability of Finnish marine fisheries. This is achieved by scrutinizing how the MSC addresses the ecosystem approach and how different experts and stakeholders see the role of the MSC in contributing to sustainable fisheries. We endeavor to unravel the sustainability benefits that non-state regulations can offer for a fishery in the Baltic Sea that is heavily regulated and controlled by the EU. We found that the MSC has led to some minor positive changes in fishing and that the indirect support the MSC provides when following scientific advice is even more important.

The last geoduck: The experience of geoduck clam fishery management in the Mexican Pacific Ocean

Fishing management continues to be a challenge for the Mexican geoduck fishery, and it has shown several deficiencies to maintain the sustainability of populations. During the last two decades, the stock status and reference points have not been clearly defined; therefore, the legal framework to regulate the fishery has not been updated according to the stock status, the management objectives are contradictory and with clear overregulation in the fishery policy instruments, where the information contained is repetitive and inadequate for the biological characteristics of Mexican geoduck populations. Although there is a lot of scientific information on geoducks in Mexico, the lack of governance in the current top-down management has limited active cooperation among local and scientific groups, non-governmental organizations, and government agencies, which is essential for appropriate formulation of regulatory policy. In this way, changes in the fishing management of geoducks need to be implemented, which must include fishery data and updated knowledge to provide the best scientific advice, public participation, and regulatory policies that can be continuously evaluated to determine whether positive results are achieved through management objectives.

Progressing gender equality in fisheries by building strategic partnerships with development organisations

Gender equality, a universal agreed principle and value, has been adopted widely but implemented to varying levels in different sectors. Our study was designed to contrast how gender development (hereafter 'development') and fisheries sectors view and invest in gender, and then explore opportunities to strengthen collaborative relationships and networks between the two, with the aim of improving capacity for gender inclusion in practice in fisheries. We conducted key informant interviews with fisheries (n = 68) and development (n = 32) practitioners (including managers) in Fiji, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu between 2018 and 2019. We found three points of divergence between fisheries and development practitioners and/or their organisations when it comes to the inclusion of gender into their work: (1) fundamental differences in organisational motivations for working on gender – (i.e., fisheries organisations viewed gender equality as a means to achieve fisheries objectives (instrumental), while development organisations viewed it as a core value or principle (inherent); (2) fisheries practitioners had comparatively little to no access to qualified gender focal points and training, and limited networks with gender experts; and (3) differences in what each considered successful versus failed approaches to gender integration. Our findings illustrate opportunities, as well as limitations or challenges (e.g. resistance and indifference), to transfer knowledge and capacity to integrate gender into fisheries policies and practice. We suggest using these divergences to ‘pivot change’ in the fisheries sector by building on decades of knowledge, learning and experience from the development sector focusing on four areas for strategic partnership: (1) shifting values; (2) gender mainstreaming; (3) adopting gender best practice; and (4) investing in gender networks and coalitions. We argue that fundamental to the success of such a partnership will be the ability and willingness of fisheries and development practitioners and their organisations to break down silos and work collaboratively towards gender equality in the fisheries sector.

The Future of Fishing for Fun: The Economics and Sustainable Management of Recreational Fisheries

The management of recreational fisheries has received relatively little research attention from economists. Nevertheless, recreational fisheries generate substantial economic benefits and ecological impacts in many freshwater and marine systems, although they frequently face a range of management challenges. In this article we consider the endogenous feedbacks and exogenous stressors within the coupled human-natural system of recreational fisheries that threaten their efficient and sustainable management, and we review the potential role of economics in addressing these challenges. We discuss key similarities and differences between commercial and recreational fisheries and the implications of the differences for the theory and practice of managing recreational fisheries. Finally, we identify important research gaps that must be addressed to enable policy makers to more accurately weigh the costs and benefits of changes to recreational fishery policies.

Common Fisheries Policy of the EU through the Lens of Multi-Level Governance Framework

The fishery sector has a unique position within the European Union regulatory system. Being in the joint competence of supranational and national authorities, it has a complex transnational nature, characterized by an active participation of non-governmental organizations and associations, as well as a number of coordinating international authorities. Additionally, the fishery is of particular importance for nation states since it is linked to issues of sovereignty and social stability. The paper examines possible applications of the multi-level governance (MLG) theory to the study of the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), its history, current state and prospects for development. The first section outlines the key provisions of the MLG theory and describes its general applicability to the study of the EU institutions. In order to provide a better understanding of strengths and weaknesses of the MLG theory, the author compares it to a number of related approaches traditionally used in integration studies in general and the European integration studies in particular. The author concludes that the multi-level governance framework is particularly suitable to the study of complex regulatory processes that involve different actors, like in the case of the EU CFP. Such an approach allows the author to identify certain specifics of the EU political practices in this area of regulation. For example, the author highlights a clear desire of the supranational bodies to acquire additional competences and to bring about redistribution of power in their favor through mobilizing the support of sub-national actors and think-tanks and at the expense of national actors. However, the author concludes that in order to provide a truly comprehensive understanding of the EU CFP, the traditional focus of the MLG approach should be expanded to encompass yet another level of analysis — the global one.

Revealing the Effectiveness of Fisheries Policy: A Biological Observation of Species Johnius belengerii in Xiamen Bay

The rapid development of China’s economy has brought tremendous pressure to the marine ecosystem, and about 57% of marine fish populations have been overexploited or collapsed. A series of fisheries policies have been implemented successively to improve the decline of resources. Over the past decade, the fisheries sector has particularly increased focus on resource and ecosystem sustainability, which has led to the wider use of stock management policies in China. Therefore, fishery resource assessment is crucial, such as assessing the long-term changes in biological information. This study is based on biological characteristics of Johnius belengerii captured by bottom trawls in Xiamen Bay during two periods, beginning in 2006 and 2016. Length composition, length–weight relationship, growth, mortality, sexual maturation, and feeding intensity were analyzed. The changes in biological characteristics show that there is a phenomenon of improvement in the later period, of which the changes are closely related to a series of fisheries management strategies, such as setting closed fishing periods and non-fishing areas, and establishing fishery restoration marine protected areas. This result seems to reveal the effectiveness of a long-term series of fisheries policies. It can provide an important basis and visibility for management effectiveness.

An Inter-Temporal Computable General Equilibrium Model for Fisheries

Computable general equilibrium models have been a popular tool for policy analysis in recent decades, but rarely applied for fisheries policy and management. This paper presents an inter-temporal computable general equilibrium model with fisheries details. While the model in a full-scale and disaggregate way describes the structure and dynamics of a regional fisheries economy, it further specifies the heterogeneous bottom-up fish producers, such as harvesters, aquaculture and fish-processing firms, and links fisheries with the top–down non-fisheries economic sectors. In addition, the model can be externally linked with fish biological models to consider interactions between economic and biological systems. The model is designed to provide a comprehensive tool for analysis of new fisheries policy in general and to study five European fishery regions in particular. The empirics in the paper evaluate the impact of several important management and policy instruments on the Salerno economy and on recovery of endangered species.

From means to ends: Insights into the operationalization and evaluation of sustainable fisheries

Objectives reflect values that matter to end-users, but can be challenging in resource management contexts where high uncertainty amplifies the complexity of acceptably satisfying multiple conflicting objectives. Structured decision-making recommends connecting assessable objectives with management alternatives and influencing factors in conceptual models called decision networks that reflect perceived cause-and-effect (means-ends) relationships. In this paper we applied decision networks to examine the contents of fisheries policies within and across jurisdictions. First, we compared implicit means-ends relationships of objectives and management alternatives from fisheries laws and policies to explicit structures in Canadian management plans. Plans were diverse but generally nested objectives from ends to management alternatives, demonstrating operational convergence on decision networks. Second, we compared how five jurisdictions used means and ends objectives to strategically evaluate fishery performance in “report cards,” and which were fixed into law and/or pre-operationalized with guidance for measurable objective elements. Across jurisdictions, guidance for reference points, probabilities and timeframes was more common for objectives subject to evaluation and legal obligations regardless of whether they represented means or ends. Target stock indicators formed chains of evidence in report cards, supporting evaluation of fisheries sustainability from actions to results (though absent indicators of desirable catches, an ends objective). Means objectives may sometimes serve as proxies for hard-to-define ends, depending on assumptions, but both are important. Decision networks help clarify, for both science and policy, the conceptual models and assumptions underlying management alternatives, objectives they aim to meet, and associated indicators evaluating fisheries sustainability at both operational and strategic levels.

Coastal and mangrove economic valuation associated fisheries and problems in Kwale County, Kenya

Abstract. Ahmed HA, Mwaura F, Thenya T, Kairo JG. 2022. Coastal and mangrove economic valuation associated fisheries and problems in Kwale County, Kenya. Indo Pac J Ocean Life 6: 17-27. The coastal fisheries in Kenya are essential to the livelihoods of the coastal communities. They provide employment, income, and food and support other auxiliary industries. Despite the socio-economic importance of coastal fisheries, various anthropogenic and climate change impact threatened their existence. Fish habitats, including mangroves, coral reefs, and seagrasses, are threatened by human activities such as aquaculture, mangrove extraction, unplanned expansion of coastal cities, and marine pollution. Usually, coastal fisheries are also neglected in key policy-making agendas. That is attributed to inadequate information and a lack of data on the socio-economic contribution of coastal communities engaged in fisheries. This study aimed to estimate the economic value to provide crucial information for policy making of mangrove ecosystem-based coastal fisheries in Kwale County. The study also attempted to establish the coastal fishery production trend for the past decade, to estimate the economic value of mangrove ecosystems to fishery production, and the future of coastal fisheries projecting based on Climate Compatible Development (CCD) and Business As Usual (BAU) scenarios. Combining the primary data from interviews with 242 respondents with secondary data, including a decade of fish catch data, were analyzed, which exhibited a continuous increase from 1,908 tonnes in 2004 to 2,450 tonnes in 2013 coastal fisheries production. The coastal fisheries value was estimated to be Ksh.182 million (US$ 2.2) annually after deducting all fishing-related costs in 2013. This study also estimated that mangrove ecosystems could support the production of 160kg/ha/year, comprable to Ksh.11,610/ha/year (US$ 198/ha/year). Moreover, the estimated values could be much higher than the calculated ones because a considerable amount of fish caught is unrecorded. The future projections reveal that the scenario of Business As Usual (BAU) is not sustainable. Hence, the study demands a shift to the scenario of Climate Compatible Development (CCD), which incorporates mitigation measures, climate change adaptation, and investment in infrastructure. The study recommends reviewing the existing fishery policies regarding the unique characteristics of coastal fisheries to ensure sustainable exploitation and address the challenges. The research also recommends further economic studies on the coastal fisheries value chain.