International development cooperation at SLU Aqua

Last changed: 08 June 2023

People selling fish at the fish market in Papau, Indonesia. Photo.

The Department of Aquatic Resources (SLU Aqua) collaborates with several organizations active in low- and middle income countries where there is a decrease of resources and where food security is threatened. The overall purpose is to increase capacity to strengthen an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management in seas, lakes and rivers and thereby contributing to our overall vision: Viable fish stocks in healthy waters.

The world's marine and freshwater fish resources and the exploitation of these resources (e.g. fisheries) face major challenges. Overfishing, habitat degradation, climate change and environmental impacts contribute to the depletion of resources and threaten food security in many countries, especially countries that rely on inland and marine fisheries for a large part of their animal protein and micronutrient intake. Many of these countries are low- and middle-income countries.

International development cooperation in support of Agenda 2030

The Department of Aquatic Resources (SLU Aqua) works in accordance with

the SLU strategy Science for Global Development (SDGs) - SLU's contribution to poverty reduction (2010)
the Policy for SLU's Contribution to the Global Implementation of Agenda 2030 (2019).

The policy specifically identifies the areas of aquatic resources and management systems and food security and it highlights that SLU's environmental analysis expertise is relevant for capacity development in the implementation of the policy.

Collaboration in low- and middle-income countries

The Department of Aquatic Resources (SLU Aqua) contributes to the SLU strategy and policy by collaborating with a variety of organizations active in low- and middle-income countries, i.e. FAO, UNDP, WorldFish, IOTC, WCPFC, SWIOFC, ICCAT and national universities. Through these collaborations SLU Aqua contributes mainly to the achievement of SDGs 14 and 15 but also SDGs: 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 12, and 13. The overall purpose of all collaborations is to increase capacity to strengthen an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management in seas, lakes and rivers in low-income countries and thereby contributing to our overall vision: Viable fish stocks in healthy waters.

SDG 14 (marine ecosystems)

SLU Aqua currently have around 30 active projects that contribute to the fulfillment of SDG 14 and in doing so also supporting SDG 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 12, 13 and 15:

Support to West Indian Ocean Fisheries Commission (SWIOFC)
Support to the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC)
Support to the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC)
ICCAT Advice to management and stock assessments
Strengthened collaboration with WorldFish
Thresholds in seascape connectivity: implications for marine resources management in developing countries
Incorporating seascape connectivity and fishers´ local ecological knowledge in the management of tropical marine resources
Capacity building for conservation of Indonesian fish fauna
UN Ocean Conference 2017 and 2020 - Side event
Industry and research driven development and introduction of selective and low impact fishing gears; #OceanAction19509
Support to the Swedish delegation - COFI 2020

Read here about the marine and coastal fisheries Policy brief.

SDG 15 (freshwater ecosystems)

SLU Aqua currently has several projects active or submitted for funding that contribute to the fulfillment of SDG 15: and in doing so also supporting SDG 1, 2, 6, and 14:

Global inland fisheries assessment, FAO.
Tenure and user rights in large lakes, FAO (Uganda)
Strengthened collaboration with WorldFish
Support to the Swedish delegation - COFI 2020
aqua4SDGs -capacity building program with FAO and SEAFDEC (application submitted to Sida)
Assessing the contribution from inland fisheries to nutritional requirements of human populations in low-income countries - FAO, USGS, Hull Uni. (application submitted to VR)
Fish and fisheries in wetland ecosystems - synergies and conflicts between SDGs 2, 6 and 15 (application submitted to FORMAS)

Länk till Policy brief – inland fisheries