Fishing depends on unstable natural water resources and changing socioeconomic dynamics within and beyond the fishing environment. Changes in the aquatic and socioeconomic environments have effects on the physical and mental health of fishers and sustainability of fisheries. This scoping review aimed to: a) identify the breadth of mental health aspects in fisheries literature, b) establish the geographic focus of fisheries mental health literature, and c) examine the factors responsible for the global disparity in fisheries mental health literature. Eighty three mental health studies dominated by researches from Europe, North America, Africa, Latin America, Australia and Asia were noted from over 7452 fishing community health studies. Literature is lopsided towards the physical rather than mental health in fishers. Paucity of mental health literature for fishers emanates from the complexity of assessing the mental health of a specific group which encompasses confounding, associated and risk factors. With prevailing climate change, economic uncertainty and post COVID-19 effects, mental resilience is important for the recovery and sustainability of fisheries. There is need for development and integration of fisheries specific mental psychometrics into broader schematic health, scientific and social well-being frameworks for fishing communities to enhance mental resilience to environmental, economic and health challenges.