Record-breaking ocean temperatures are already affecting millions of people living in coastal regions worldwide, with vulnerable small-scale fishers facing significant challenges as climate change intensifies. Recent reports highlight the deteriorating conditions in eastern Indonesia, where average fish catches have dropped by nearly two-thirds over the past two years, according to fisheries monitoring and observations from the local organization Nusa Bahari Lestari.

Fishers in Papua and the Maluku Islands attribute this decline not to depleted fish stocks but to shifting ocean conditions, including more frequent storms, rougher seas, stronger waves, and changing currents. These environmental shifts make fishing increasingly dangerous and less productive for communities that rely heavily on marine resources. The consequences extend beyond the fishing industry, undermining households’ food security, reducing access to essential protein, and diminishing incomes.

Globally, small-scale fisheries support the livelihoods of approximately one in every twelve people, with women constituting nearly half of this workforce. Despite their prominent role and the frontline exposure to ocean warming effects, fishers are often excluded from key climate resilience conversations and adaptation planning.

Experts emphasize that while enhancing marine protections is a vital step, it is insufficient on its own. Effective responses to ocean change must also involve direct investment in the communities most affected. This includes supporting community-led fisheries management, establishing and strengthening locally managed marine areas, and promoting adaptation strategies that are driven by local knowledge and priorities.

Policymakers, donors, and conservation organizations are urged to recognize the critical role of coastal communities and integrate their needs and expertise into climate adaptation efforts. Doing so will be essential to preserving both the sustainability of marine ecosystems and the well-being of the populations that depend on them in the face of accelerating climate change.