Many coastal communities have historically relied on wild-capture fisheries to support livelihoods and subsistence; however, recent decades have been marked by a rapid global increase in aquaculture. Governments, NGOs, and industry associations have aimed to support or accelerate the adoption of aquaculture in coastal communities with varying degrees of social, economic, and environmental success. The factors that led to the success or failure of these initiatives warrant further analysis.
This document assesses five different community-based aquaculture initiatives around the world: the Grouper Livelihood Project in Palawan, Philippines; Project Wave in Cedar Key, Florida, USA; Community-based sea cucumber farming in Madagascar; Seaweed Mariculture Project in Placencia and Turneffe Atoll, Belize; and Aquaculture in Shared Waters in Maine, USA.