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This chapter emphasizes the importance of genuine collaboration and the co-production
of knowledge to promote a truly globally sustainable fishery. Our understanding of the
ecosystem dynamics of the ocean is relatively superb in terms of basic food webs.
We can expand on this knowledge by adding the use of both biotic and abiotic indices
in ecological risk assessments, recognizing the importance of sentinel species in the
early detection of the ecological impact of both natural and anthropogenic stressors,
and investigating the roles of less abundant or non-representative (indicator) species
for food web integrity. Addressing data limitations in fisheries management through
simple, cost-effective methods for stock assessment is crucial for sustainable practices.
The small- and large-scale fisheries in the Global South would be enhanced with a better
understanding of concepts such as co-management, marine spatial planning, and neoliberalism,
among others. Fisheries governance instruments such as the United Nations Convention on the
Law of the Sea, World Trade Organization Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, the Small-scale Fisheries
Guidelines, and the agreement on biological diversity beyond areas of national jurisdiction would benefit
from research that fosters their implementation and unpacks their complexities. In conclusion, research
should aim to accelerate the twin objectives of sustainable use and conservation of fisheries resources
of the ocean.
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University of Cape Coast