Mogadishu's fish market

Indian Ocean fisheries fuel global nutrition — but the benefits are leaving the region

Mogadishu's fish market

Mogadishu’s fish market. Image by AMISOM Public Information, Wikimedia Commons.

Indian Ocean fisheries are vital for global nutrition as they provide 12 per cent of wild-caught seafood worldwide which, in turn, corresponds to nearly 30 per cent of all calcium from seafood, 20 per cent of vitamin A, 15 per cent of iron, and 13 per cent of vitamin B12.

A new study published in the journal Fish and Fisheries by researchers from the University of Western Australia, the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and the Sea Around Us initiative at the University of British Columbia estimates how much nutrition Indian Ocean fisheries provide and examines how these benefits align with conservation priorities.

“One of the main findings in our paper is that some small fish, like anchovies, play an outsized role in nutrition. Although anchovies make up only about 2.5 per cent of the total catch by weight, they deliver over 20 per cent of the Indian Ocean’s micronutrient supply,” said Vania Andreoli, lead author of the study and a researcher at the University of Western Australia. “Anchovies are rich in healthy omega-3 fatty acids, are affordable, and are resilient to overfishing and climate change. In contrast, species like tuna and squid are less nutrient-dense, more expensive, and more vulnerable to environmental pressures.”

Tuna and squid are among the top high-value species targeted by large foreign fishing fleets operating in the Indian Ocean. These fleets are also responsible for exporting about 2 per cent of the Indian Ocean’s total micronutrient supply.

“Tuna is rich in selenium and vitamin A, which means that these distant-water fleets are extracting some important nutritional benefits from the region, in addition to limiting economic opportunities for local communities,” said Dr. Dirk Zeller, co-author of the study and director of the Sea Around Us – Indian Ocean initiative at UWA. “Many tuna species are also overexploited and, therefore, these fleets are putting additional pressure on them.”

The study argues that managing fisheries is not just about how much is caught and how much it is worth, but also about how targeting specific species affects people’s and ocean health.

“We demonstrate that considering the nutritional aspect of fisheries can help ensure that nutrients are delivered while keeping the ocean intact for future generations,” said Dr. Deng Palomares, co-author of the study and manager of UBC’s Sea Around Us global initiative. “Our findings reveal the complex links between nutrition, economics, conservation, and climate resilience in Indian Ocean fisheries, offering valuable insights for policymakers and conservationists working to balance multiple priorities.”

The paper “Quantifying the Nutritional and Socio-Ecological Dimensions of Indian Ocean Fisheries” was published in Fish and Fisheries, https://doi.org/10.1111/faf.70008.