All Things Data: Advancing the Small-Scale Fisheries Guidelines through Fisher-Led, Inclusive, and Scalable Data Systems

​Join ABALOBI, WWF, Rare, Ocean Hub Africa, WCS, Low Impact Fishers of Europe (LIFE), Blue Ventures, Conservation International, Fauna & Flora, IUCN CEESP People and the Ocean Specialist Group, EDF, Whole Chain, RISE UP, Ocean Wise, Stanford Centre for Ocean Solutions, Aquatic Blue Food Coalition, WorldFish, COBI (Pescadata), PAVE, SWIOTUNA, Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance (ORRAA), Pan African Vision for the Environment and many others.

​This interactive session will unpack how data systems—when co-designed with small-scale fishers—can transform fisheries governance, resilience, and equity. Grounded in the momentum of the Illuminating Hidden Harvests report and the FAO SSF Guidelines, we’ll explore how mobile and web-based tools are being used by fishers to log catches, inform decision-making, engage with markets, and shape community-led management.

​Expect a mix of lightning talks, hands-on group discussions, and shared lessons from the field. We’ll dig into practical topics like data ownership and consent, traceability, interoperability, and the integration of local ecological knowledge with digital systems. The session will culminate in a co-creation process, laying the foundation for a global SSF Data Harmonisation Consortium.

​This is a space for critical reflection, peer learning, and forward-thinking collaboration—ensuring that fishers are not just counted, but counted in.