Navigating blue justice: Policy gaps and conflicts in coastal development from small-scale fisher perspectives

Science for societyThe concept of the blue economy increasingly emphasizes sustainable use of ocean resources to foster economic growth, livelihood improvement, and job creation while preserving marine ecosystems. Central to this approach is blue justice, which integrates principles of environmental justice to address how activities such as coastal development and pollution impact traditional and Indigenous communities. Our study employs participatory mapping of fishing grounds, fisher narratives on coastal development, and remote sensing to explore correlations with blue justice issues. It reveals diverse impacts on fishing communities, highlighting conflicts arising from varying levels of coastal development. By emphasizing equity and justice within the blue economy framework, our interdisciplinary research underscores the importance of engaging local fishing communities in effective management strategies amid pressures from coastal development.Highlights•Integrating small-scale fishers' perspectives is vital to equitable coastal development•Participatory mapping, interviews, and remote sensing reveal gaps in blue justice•Interdisciplinary approaches are key to tackling blue justice in coastal developmentSummaryIt is urgent to acknowledge the challenges of achieving sustainable coastal development in the context of blue economy expansion. Thus, blue justice emerges, emphasizing the importance of adopting inclusive approaches to guide decision-making. Small-scale fishers (SSFs) end up facing challenges in this process, such as ocean grabbing, pollution, and exclusion from debate spheres. Here, we address the knowledge gap by investigating SSFs' perspectives and conflicts related to coastal development to inform equitable and inclusive policy formation. Our findings highlight the multiple impacts on different fishing communities, including marine traffic, blast fishing, industries, and ports, emphasizing contextual conflicts associated with different levels of coastal development. This enables the assessment of equity and justice within the domains of blue economy and blue growth. Our study showcases the pivotal role of interdisciplinary research in addressing diverse pressures from coastal development and including local communities for an effective advance in understanding blue justice issues.Graphical abstract