Sustainability Transitions in Fisheries Global Value Chains: Insights for Tackling Overfishing from the Sri Lankan Context

Overfishing is a key barrier to sustainable fisheries management in South Asia. Focusing on Sri Lanka’s tuna sector, this article examines how global value chain dynamics interact with local socio-economic realities, national fisheries policy and institutional constraints, and regional governance mechanisms—and the gaps within them—to perpetuate unsustainable fishing practices. Our analysis provides four actionable insights for lead buyers, fishing communities, and policymakers, including aligning market incentives with sustainable fishing practices, empowering fishers as ocean stewards, integrating science-based management into national policy, and fostering regional cooperation. These insights offer pathways to promote a resilient blue economy and advance progress toward UN Sustainable Development Goal 14.