Why Africa Should Link Nutritional Data with Fisheries Management
A recent Our Ocean Conference in Mombasa, Kenya, held in June 2026, placed Africa’s ocean future in the global spotlight. However, the real test is whether new commitments will help countries build systems that manage aquatic foods for people, not just for production, trade, and conservation, argues Essam Yassin Mohammed, director general of WorldFish, in a commentary published by Mongabay.
Fisheries ministries count landings, while health ministries track nutritional deficiencies, but rarely do the two collaborate. This disconnect can be addressed when the right data is gathered and communicated, as demonstrated by a study in Timor-Leste.
The Timor-Leste Case Study: Data-Driven Nutrition
Six Years of Data Collection
For six years, fishers off the coast of Timor-Leste have logged their trips using a digital system built with the government of Timor-Leste. They recorded gear used, habitats visited, and catch brought home. Over 77,000 trips later, the data produced a study urging governments to rethink fisheries management. The value of a catch is not just in kilos; where people fish and the gear they use can shape the nutrients in local diets. Small pelagic fish are rich in iron, calcium, zinc, and omega-3s, while marine invertebrates gathered by hand—often by women and frequently overlooked in official statistics—are also nutritionally important.
Potential to Combat Malnutrition
The study found that Timor-Leste’s current small-scale fisheries production could potentially meet the protein needs of nearly two-thirds of women of reproductive age, if distribution, access, and policy were aligned. The country has already invested in aquatic foods as part of its strategy to combat malnutrition, with fish intake increasing as a result. The catches could also make meaningful contributions to zinc, calcium, and omega-3 intake. Fishing method and habitat help predict nutritional value, giving governments a clearer way to manage fisheries for diets, not just landings and revenue.
Data and Policy Gaps Across Africa and the Indo-Pacific
Across the Indo-Pacific, many coastal communities have seen traditional diets built around aquatic foods replaced by cheaper processed imports. This dietary shift has contributed to some of the highest rates of obesity and heart disease in the world. The problem is not just individual choices but food systems designed around trade volume without adequate attention to nutritional outcomes.
The Timor-Leste study was made possible by Peskas, an open-source digital monitoring system developed by WorldFish in partnership with the national government. It tracks fishing trips in near real time, connecting gear, habitat, and catch data in ways previously difficult for small-scale fisheries. Peskas is now being adapted in Kenya, Zanzibar, Mozambique, and Malawi. Linking fisheries data to nutrition data could transform how governments understand and manage fisheries, so the catch is counted for nutritional gains, not just weight and revenue.
Four Actions for African Governments and Development Partners
Essam Yassin Mohammed recommends four changes that governments and development partners can act on today:
- Include nutrition in fisheries mandates as a core measure of performance. A fisheries management plan that cannot speak to its nutritional contribution tells only half the story.
- Account for women’s work in small-scale fisheries, from gleaning marine invertebrates to processing fish and supplying local markets. Their contribution to household nutrition must be visible in data, policy, and investment.
- Incorporate local aquatic foods into school meal programs and maternal health initiatives in coastal and riparian communities. Their nutritional value is abundant and can be tapped with supportive policy.
- Rethink food systems investments and whether development institutions are investing enough in one of the most powerful nutritional resources on earth. Small-scale fisheries deliver significant nutrition and are part of the global food system’s foundation.
Essam Yassin Mohammed concludes: “If Africa can pivot to managing fisheries not only for how much is produced, but also for what the catch means for its people’s nutrition, the next generation of fisheries management will be able to harness its oceans for greater social impact and inclusive development.”
This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.
Credits: The Timor-Leste study (Longobardi et al., 2026, Nature Food) and another study (Basurto & Franz, 2025) are cited. Banner image: A woman transports a catch of fish from a landing site in coastal Kenya to market. Image by Festo Lumwe/WorldFish via Flickr.