Why “resilience” is important

Resilient fisheries are less vulnerable to the adverse effects of changing circumstances and can adapt more quickly.

• That delivers the societal and economic benefits it is capable of providing;

• Where the people and institutions respond to threats and opportunities by shifting to other courses of action;

• Where improvements are likely to pay off because all concerned have been fairly represented in the decision-making process;

• In which the people in surrounding communities have a broader range of economic opportunities outside traditional fishing activities.

Part of the answer is helping fishing communities diversify their livelihood options. The Center’s innovative aquaculture technologies are a powerful instrument to support this, providing new sources of income from sustainable production of fish and other aquatic products.

In the rainforest of Cameroon, for example, WorldFish and partner organizations have helped several river-based communities to supply high-value ornamental fish to the international aquarium trade.

In New Caledonia and the Solomon Islands, similar methods are being developed to cultivate other species for export markets, including cleaner shrimp, spiny lobsters, angelfish, and giant clams.

Key publications:

Coping with Disaster: Rehabilitating coastal livelihoods and communities (2006 / PDF 758 KB)

Africa's Age of Aquarium: the dawning of ornamental fish culture - a high value livelihood option for vulnerable communities (2006 / PDF 413 KB)

Fisheries rehabilitation in post-tsunami Aceh: status and needs from participatory appraisals (2007 / PDF 255 KB)