Fisheries Governance Research Program

Is small really small? Re-characterising tuna fisheries in the Indian Ocean

Small-scale fisheries are essential for food security and livelihoods but remain poorly defined and weakly integrated within regional fisheries management. The absence of unified definitions enables regulatory gaps. This paper proposes clearer small-scale fisheries classifications and a third calssification – semi-industrial fisheries – to improve data, close loopholes, and strengthen equitable, sustainable fisheries governance.

January 26, 2026

Fisheries Governance Publications

A 45-year retrospective of the European Union’s fishing access agreements with coastal States of the Global South

Since the late 1970s, EU fishing access agreements have structured the Union’s fishing activities in the waters of developing coastal States. Over time, these agreements have narrowed in scope, increasingly focusing on tuna fisheries, while public subsidies have been unevenly distributed across a small segment of the EU fleet. Their evolution reflects ongoing tensions between economic interests, sustainability, and equity.

January 11, 2026

Be careful what you wish (fish) for: Actioning distributive equity principles when determining catch limits in transboundary fisheries

The use of distributive equity principles in fisheries negotiations is increasing.
This study showed that using these principles might have unintended consequences. We suggest that high seas fisheries should be subjected to greater catch reductions. A combination of different principles could be the most equitable approach.

May 13, 2025

Ocean Equity Research

Fisheries Governance Research

Fisheries Governance Research Project