Supporting harmonization of small-scale fisheries data systems in the western indian ocean [policy brief]

Policy brief Small-scale fisheries underpin food security, livelihoods, and coastal economies across the Western Indian Ocean (WIO). Yet despite widespread data collection, fragmented and incompatible systems prevent countries from managing shared resources effectively. Without urgent data harmonization, regional stock assessments, ecosystem-based management, and evidence-based policy will remain out of reach.? There is strong political and institutional support and growing momentum for harmonization, including agreement on standardized indicators, open data principles with safeguards, and participatory monitoring.? A phased, practical roadmap can deliver national and regional data integration if accompanied by clear institutional instruments, sustainable financing, and capacity building.? Regional platforms such as the South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Commission (SWIOFC) and the Consortium for the Conservation of Coastal and Marine Ecosystems in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO C) are critical institutional anchors for scaling harmonization and embedding it in policy processes, while supporting the ecosystem approach to small-scale fisheries in the WIO.