Coastal and inland fisheries are vital to the livelihoods and food and nutrition of billions around the world. As we mark World Fisheries Day on November 21, we reflect on the often-unnoticed efforts of small-scale fisheries communities; the local fishers, processors, and traders who harvest aquatic foods from ponds, rivers, lakes, and oceans throughout the world.

Fisheries play a critical role in local and global aquatic food systems. From seaweeds and sea cucumbers to crustaceans and fish, the vast range of aquatic foods harvested from fisheries contributes to resilient, sustainable, and diverse diets and income streams from the associated trading and processing activities of the value chain.

Globally, the sector employs 120 million people. Of these, 97 percent live in developing countries, and 90 percent work in small-scale fisheries. However, the diverse, dispersed, and often informal nature of their work makes measuring these contributions difficult. We need to make sure the voices of fishers are heard and recognized.