The National Plans of Action for Small-Scale Fisheries help implement the SSF Guidelines at the country level, factoring in varying national and regional legal and policy frameworks.

No matter where in the world, small-scale fisheries (SSF) represent a critical source of food security, nutrition and livelihoods for coastal and riverine communities. In fact, almost 500 million people depend at least partially on SSF for their livelihoods, with 60 million of them employed either part- or full-time in SSF activities across the value chain, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Duke University and the 2023 WorldFish Illuminating Hidden Harvests study.

However, SSF face numerous challenges that threaten their capacity to continue providing nutritious food and livelihoods in the long run and ensuring the continuity of their activities. While there are various challenges or threats to the sustainability of the SSF sub-sector, among the most critical ones are the effects of climate change, conflicting interests with other sectors, and over-fishing.