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Fisheries and Food Systems: Cross pollinations and synthesis

Published by: Agriculture & Food Security
Editors: Ratana Chuenpagdee, Memorial University, Canada; Philip Loring, University of Saskatchewan, Canada; Moenieba Isaacs, University of Western Cape, South Africa. 

This special issue explores the importance of small-scale fisheries to food systems and food security at local, regional, and global levels. Fisheries, whether large or small, wild or farmed, commercial, artisanal, subsistence, or otherwise, contribute in multiple important ways to the lives and livelihoods of billions of people world-wide. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), fisheries, aquaculture, and related activities provide the primary livelihoods for ten to twelve percent of the world’s population. In addition, the products of these industries account for a significant portion of the global diet, providing about 3 billion people with almost 20 percent of their intake of animal protein, and 4.3 billion people with about 15 percent. Fisheries are also important to culture and well-being in numerous coastal communities worldwide. Further, both small-scale fisheries and aquaculture have been identified as be key development venues for raising people out of poverty and food insecurity.

Papers for this series were invited through the Too Big To Ignore research network, dedicated to the elevation of the profile of small-scale fisheries. 

  1. In Ethiopia, small ruminant had a great role in the economic development for farmers or producers, food-insecure areas and one of the main sources of meat production. The study was conducted in five small rumi...

    Authors: Shewangzaw Addisu Mekuria, Aschalew Assefa Teshager, Addis Getu Endeshaw, Malede Birhan Atinaw and Assemu Tesfa Sendeku
    Citation: Agriculture & Food Security 2018 7:64
    Content type: Research Published on:

  2. Poverty and food insecurity remain as the major challenges to achieve economic development in Ethiopia. Explaining the household food insecurity situation and identifying associated factors will help in makin...

    Authors: Mahlet Mulugeta, Gebeyaw Tiruneh and Zewdie Aderaw Alemu
    Citation: Agriculture & Food Security 2018 7:3
    Content type: Research Published on:

  3. Food availability, access, and utilization are the three pillars of food security and need to be aligned in order to support a healthy population. United States (US) fisheries policy plays an important role i...

    Authors: David Clifford Love, Patricia Pinto da Silva, Julia Olson, Jillian Parry Fry and Patricia Mary Clay
    Citation: Agriculture & Food Security 2017 6:16
    Content type: Research Published on:

  4. Existing scholarly works have paid little or no attention to the problems small-scale fisheries encounter within the context of food and nutritional security. Therefore, this work has examined the problem. Sma...

    Authors: Shehu Latunji Akintola and Kafayat Adetoun Fakoya
    Citation: Agriculture & Food Security 2017 6:34
    Content type: Review Published on:

  6. Fisheries have played a significant role in the economic development of Newfoundland and Labrador and continue to contribute to coastal livelihoods and local food security. However, the access to and availabil...

    Authors: Chloé Poitevin DesRivières, Ratana Chuenpagdee and Charles Mather
    Citation: Agriculture & Food Security 2017 6:33
    Content type: Research Published on:

  7. Despite the connections between terrestrial and marine/freshwater livelihood strategies that we see in coastal regions across the world, the contribution of wild fisheries and fish farming is seldom considered...

    Authors: Brendan Fisher, Robin Naidoo, John Guernier, Kiersten Johnson, Daniel Mullins, Dorcas Robinson and Edward H. Allison
    Citation: Agriculture & Food Security 2017 6:1
    Content type: Research Published on:

  8. The group of small pelagic fish is the largest species group landed globally. A significant proportion of this nutrient-rich food is processed and lost to livestock feed, fish feed, fish oil, pet food and omeg...

    Authors: Moenieba Isaacs
    Citation: Agriculture & Food Security 2016 5:27
    Content type: Research Published on:

  10. Alaska is known for its many fisheries, which support an extensive global marketplace, a thriving tourism industry, and also contribute much to diets of many Alaskans. Yet, some research has suggested that Al...

    Authors: Hannah L. Harrison and Philip A. Loring
    Citation: Agriculture & Food Security 2016 5:16
    Content type: Research Published on:

    The Erratum to this article has been published in Agriculture & Food Security 2016 5:21