From Net to Nutrition: An Integrated Framework for Nutrition-Sensitive and Traceability-Enabled Small Scale Fisheries in Africa

Africa small-scale fisheries are central to food security, nutrition, livelihoods and local economies, yet their contribution is weakened by governance gaps, post-harvest losses, fragmented value chains, limited traceability and illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. In many contexts, these fisheries are still managed mainly as production and resource extraction systems, while is given to how fish is handled, traded, traced and consumed as a nutritious food. Research and policy debates often examine co-management, fish loss and waste, traceability, livelihoods, nutrition and IUU prevention separately, leaving a weak understanding of how these elements interact across the aquatic food value chain. This paper develops a review-based integrated framework for repositioning Africa small-scale fisheries as nutrition-sensitive and accountability driven aquatic food systems. The framework is informed by synthesis of interdisciplinary literature, policy evidence and practical experiences from fisheries governance, post-harvest systems and aquatic food value chain research. It links five mutually reinforcing entry points which include community and government co-management for sustainable harvesting, improved handling and preservation to reduce quantitative and quality losses, coordinated value chains that strengthen market access and incomes, traceability mechanisms that verify fish origin and safety and accountability systems that reduce incentives for illegal fishing. The proposed framework shows how fisheries governance can move beyond stock sustainability alone to connect ecological stewardship with livelihood security, market efficiency, food safety and nutrition outcomes. It offers a policy relevant model for researchers, fisheries managers, development partners and communities seeking to build resilient, inclusive and transparent blue economies in Africa.