Conference Agenda

Understanding productive diversification strategies and the degree of dependence on natural resources is essential for designing policies that reduce extractive pressures and enhance the resilience of small-scale fishing (SSF) communities. This study examines diversification strategies adopted by SSF households in a coastal region, employing the Sustainable Livelihoods (SL) and Site Assessment (SA) frameworks to link household decisions with territorial and institutional conditions. A Multinomial Logit Model (MLM) was used to analyze six types of strategies, including open access fishing, complementary fishing activities, and off-fishing livelihoods. Additionally, an Instrumental Variable Ordinary Least Squares (IV-OLS) model was applied to estimate the effects of diversification intensity on household income. The results reveal that a combination of individual capacities, organizational strength, and local environmental characteristics influences diversification decisions. Determinants such as self-organization capacity, technical assistance, labor availability, and access to economic infrastructure around landing sites play a significant role in enabling multi-activity strategies. Territorial factors, including urbanization, road access, and essential services, further shape both diversification intensity and income outcomes. The findings underscore the critical role of community-based institutions and spatial context in shaping adaptive strategies and economic sustainability. The study highlights the combined role of community-based institutions and spatial context in shaping sustainable livelihoods, offering a novel empirical integration of SL and SA frameworks to inform territorial policy design in coastal fisheries.