Fish and Fisheries Resources as Drivers of Nutrition Security and Livelihood Resilience in Coastal Communities: A Systematic Review

¹Department of Environmental Sciences, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka, Bangladesh

²Department of Zoology, Sundarban Hazi Desarat College, South 24 Parganas, West Bengal, India

*Corresponding author: Prabal Barua, Department of Environmental Sciences, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka, Bangladesh, E-mail: [email protected]

Received Date: March 03, 2026

Published Date: April 17, 2026

Citation: Barua P, and Mitra A. (2026). Fish and Fisheries Resources as Drivers of Nutrition Security and Livelihood Resilience in Coastal Communities: A Systematic Review. Mathews J Nutr Diet. 9(1):44.

Copyrights: Barua P, and Mitra A. © (2026).

ABSTRACT

Coastal communities, comprising nearly 40% of the global population, depend heavily on fisheries for food, income, and cultural continuity. Fisheries and Fish resources are important for ensuring food security and that the people in coastal communities have the means to be resilient in their livelihoods. The purpose of this study is to conduct a systematic review which follows PRISMA 2020 guidelines in order to summarize what the current evidence shows regarding the impact that fish and fisheries have on dietary diversity and the overall socioeconomic status of individuals. Using different reputed publishing databases and institutional linkages, the authors found a total of 1,246 records through an extensive number of searches. Of those records, only 32 studies passed inclusion criteria to be analyzed. Overall, it was found that fisheries contribute to increased dietary diversity and micronutrient intake (especially omega-3 fatty acids, iron, zinc, and vitamin A). Out of the 32 studies reviewed, 78% demonstrated positive relationships between fish consumption and increased nutritional status. It was found that Fish supply highly bioavailable micronutrients—including iron, zinc, calcium, vitamin B12, and omega-3 fatty acids—critical for maternal and child health. Small-sized farmed fish juveniles can contain substantially higher calcium and vitamin B12 concentrations than larger adults, offering nutritional benefits comparable to wild small indigenous species. While fish were widely available in many countries where the studies were conducted, fish consumption did not always produce positive impact on nutritional status as a result of the use of market-based supply chains, the limited availability of fish for purchase, and intra-household disparity. Additionally, there were also many barriers to good governance that prevented fisheries from becoming important components of food and nutrition policies because they were not well integrated into either health or nutrition policy and as a result, did not adequately support the improvement of nutrition. Research provides moderately strong evidence which suffers from three main issues because of different research methods used and uneven geographic distribution of studies and the absence of long-term research. The review demonstrates that governments need to implement integrated policy solutions which will help them achieve their goals for fisheries management and public health and nutrition security. Small-scale fisheries development together with local community access expansion to fish resources establishes essential pathways which will bolster food security and strengthen resilience for coastal ecosystems.

Keywords: Fisheries Resource, Nutrition Security, Livelihood Resilience, Coastal Communities, Small-Scale Fisheries, PRISMA, Food Security, Systematic Review.