Strategies for climate adaptation in small-scale fisheries
Strengthening climate resilience of fishing communities in South Africa
Climate change undermines the sustainability of oceans and the livelihoods of fishers significantly. Rising sea temperatures and ocean acidification disrupt marine ecosystems, affecting fish populations and their habitats. Extreme weather events interrupt fishing activities and damage infrastructure, threatening the safety and productivity of fishing communities. As a result, fish catches are reduced, fisher incomes decline, and food security is compromised. In South Africa, socioeconomic inequalities exacerbate these impacts, particularly for youth and women in the fishing industry. Additionally, large-scale companies increase pressure on fish stocks through overfishing, further threatening biodiversity by targeting endangered species.
Despite these challenges, South Africa also presents opportunities for developing and implementing solutions. The country is a hub for innovation and technological advancement, focused on addressing both social and economic issues. Additionally, South Africa is tackling these challenges through political measures. The Small-Scale Fisheries (SSF) policy is designed to empower small-scale fisheries and requires fishers to collaborate in a legal collective form as license holders. The implementation of this policy started in 2023. This presents a unique opportunity to link the socio-economic transition in the small-scale fisheries sector with climate adaptation strategies, as formulated in the SSF policy.
Climate adaptation strategies through innovative forecasting and monitoring
CLIMARES strengthens the climate resilience of small-scale fisheries in South Africa by linking maritime forecasts to human observations of climate-related changes at sea through the innovative platform Abalobi.
Abalobi provides technological tools to small-scale fishers and collects data on wind, sea temperature, algae, catch registration and fish traceability through a mobile app. This information enables fishers to work more safely and efficiently, reducing hazards and emissions while restoring the biodiversity.
Voices That Count will expand the Abalobi platform with a 'Human Sensor Network (HSN),' which collects innovative indicators based on human experiences with climate change and adaptation. This will result in improved warning systems, deeper vulnerability analyses and more effective adaptation strategies. The use of Abalobi will be actively promoted among fishers along the South African coast and supported by capacity-building initiatives for both fishers and government employees.
Additionally, a 'community of practice' will be established, where an interdisciplinary team will serve as a critical feedback board. This ensures that the integration and interpretation of the collected data are as accurate as possible.
The entire process is being documented by HIVA-KULeuven through ethnographic research, with a focus on visual collaborative methods involving fishing communities. This approach provides in-depth insights into climate adaptation and the empowerment process. This knowledge will enhance the implementation of future government policies and adaptation strategies.
In addition, a 'Digital Roadshow' will be organized, where multidisciplinary contributions from all involved parties will be compiled and shared with a broad national and international audience.
By expanding the functionality of the Abalobi platform and linking maritime data with human experience data, fishing communities will be able to gather precise information. This information will help them reduce risks and emissions while simultaneously restoring biodiversity. In this way, they can develop effective strategies to make their livelihoods in the fishing industry more resilient to climate change.
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