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Sustainable Fisheries
Marine Protected Areas
Clean Water for Reefs
Local Engagement
Regional Coordination
Global Conservation

Overfishing endangers reefs.

On healthy reefs, herbivorous fish like parrotfish and surgeonfish graze on seaweed, keeping algal growth in check. Overfishing, which threatens more than 55% of the world’s reefs, upsets that balance and puts coral reef fisheries and fishing communities at risk. Sustainable fisheries management helps reefs, people and marine life thrive.

The Challenge
Tela Bay Fisher
Photo by André Guardiola

About 6 million small-scale and artisanal fishers rely on coral reef fisheries for food and income, yet most of these fisheries are unmonitored and unmanaged. Fishing is a way of life for many coastal communities, and with so few reef fisheries managed, fishing pressure keeps rising. Unsustainable fishing removes the herbivores that keep reefs healthy, weakening coral reef conservation efforts and the coastal communities that depend on reefs.

Our Solution

We co-develop and co-implement conservation strategies to protect coral reef ecosystems from the harmful effects of overfishing alongside our local partners:

  1. We conduct biological and socioeconomic studies to document the current status of fisheries and monitor changes over time.
  2. We establish or expand Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs) in collaboration with governments and communities.
  3. We partner with governments and communities to establish sustainable fisheries policies and practices, such as limiting the type of fishing gear to reduce bycatch or establishing spatial or seasonal closures that reduce the catch of rare species, juveniles, and spawning aggregations.
  4. We increase compliance with fishing regulations by conducting law enforcement patrols, clarifying governance, and building awareness among fishers about the detrimental impacts of overfishing.
  5. We address the underlying social and economic drivers of overfishing by promoting other sustainable income-generating activities such as aquaculture, agriculture, or tourism.
  6. We increase stewardship for coral reefs by building community awareness about coral reef ecosystems and the threats they face.
Tela Fisheries Patrol 1
Photo by André Guardiola
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