Digital Coasts

Co-creating and scaling contextualized digital information systems for small-scale fisheries

attaching PESKAS

Vision

All fisheries stakeholders have access to and the capacity to use data to make informed, nature-positive decisions for a sustainable, resilient and equitable future.

Objectives

Improve aquatic food systems management of at least 20% of the coastal zone across Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique.
Strengthen institutional frameworks and regulatory mechanisms through data-driven fisheries management policies developed at local, county and national levels.
Create evidence on the impact of data and digital services on behavior change in fisheries management and marine conservation.
Co-create new knowledge on the utility of oceanographic modeling and artificial intelligence in marine resource management.
Mainstream small-scale fisheries data from local to national databases for policymaking to unleash the full potential of aquatic foods for sustainable oceans and food and nutrition security.

Strategy

Digital Coasts will develop sustainable, inclusive digital fisheries information systems for small-scale fisheries in Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique. Through participatory workshops with fishing communities, government stakeholders and experts, the project will co-design digital solutions tailored to local needs. These solutions will leverage existing fisheries knowledge, monitoring systems and novel technologies like data science, customized oceanographic models and machine learning.

The creation of a harmonized open-data platform for the Western Indian Ocean region will allow stakeholders to visualize fisheries trends and receive near real-time decision-making support. This adaptive system will help fisheries managers implement sustainable fishing practices and maximize the well-being of coastal communities. Continuous feedback through community consultations will ensure the platform remains responsive to the needs of small-scale fishing communities.

Partnerships

The success of this work package relies on collaborations with local and international partners who play a crucial role in improving aquatic food systems.