Revisiting Small-Scale Aquaculture (SSA)
This study reviews 83 studies from 24 countries to examine small scale aquaculture across freshwater, brackish, and marine systems. Findings reveal wide variation in production, governance, and social characteristics, showing existing definitions are insufficient. The authors propose a flexible social ecological classification and policy frameworks to improve visibility, equity, and sustainability of small scale aquaculture in global food systems
Subject Tags
- Fisheries
- Aquaculture
Abstract
Aquatic foods are a vital source of nutrition, yet growing demand and stagnant wild-capture fisheries have positioned aquaculture as essential to meeting global food needs. Despite this, aquaculture's diverse forms remain poorly understood, particularly small-scale aquaculture (SSA). Unlike small-scale fisheries (SSF), which are widely recognized in policy and research, SSA lacks consistent definitions and is often conflated with SSF or defined narrowly by physical metrics like farm size. This limits its visibility in policy and development efforts, overlooking critical social, economic, and governance dimensions such as ownership, labor, and market orientation. Through a systematic review of 83 studies across 24 countries, we analyze SSA across ecosystems (freshwater, brackish, marine) and species groups (finfish, invertebrates, seaweed) to identify trends in production characteristics, yield reporting, and social dimensions. We find freshwater SSA dominates the literature, while marine SSA, especially mollusk farming, is significantly underrepresented. SSA exhibits wide variation in yields, farm sizes, ownership, and management structures, indicating that existing classification frameworks are insufficient. We propose a context-sensitive, social-ecological classification system that integrates production metrics with governance and socioeconomic characteristics. To guide application, we offer two policy frameworks, one for regions with existing SSA definitions, recommending participatory revision and expanded data collection; and one for regions without definitions, advocating for a stepwise approach to characterization. Our findings underscore the need for more inclusive, adaptable classifications to improve SSA's visibility in global food policy and unlock its full contributions to sustainable development, equity, and local livelihoods.
Citation
Castillo, L. S., Froehlich, H. E., Wilson, J. R., Gephart, J. A., Aceves‐Bueno, E., & Gaines, S. D. (2026). Revisiting Small‐Scale Aquaculture (SSA). Reviews in Aquaculture, 18(1), e70110.
TNC Authors
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Jono R. Wilson
Director of Science, Oceans Program. California
The Nature Conservancy
Email: jono_wilson@tnc.org