What we do

This is our mission

We want to ensure that the oceans remain a healthy source of food and income for all the people who depend on fishing as their livelihood: the fishermen, the fishing communities, and their families. The Fish Tales Foundation is committed to keeping oceans healthy worldwide.

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How do we do this?

With the Fish Tales Foundation, we run various projects around the world that contribute to making small-scale fisheries and fish farms more sustainable. In particular, we focus on fishing communities in developing countries. We have projects in Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Maldives. We want to increase the global supply of sustainable fish. That’s why we assist these fishing communities in operating (more) sustainably and this way we can support them in setting foot in new markets. We believe it is our common goal to take care of our oceans. Therefore, we also support various initiatives aimed at raising consumer awareness on the current state of our oceans and the importance of sustainable fishing. We’re all in this together, and together we can ensure that everybody can enjoy all the deliciousness that responsible fishing has to offer. Now and in the future.

The problems we’re facing now

Looking at the current conditions, we can’t be certain that we will be able to enjoy wild fish the same way as we do now in the future. The oceans are in bad shape. Many fish stocks are overfished, and harmful fishing practices have caused serious damage to marine life. Also, our seas have become warmer and flooded with plastics in recent years. This is disastrous for sea life and for the 200 million people worldwide who depend on the sea as their only source of food and income. These fishing communities fear what’s happening in our waters right now, especially for people in developing countries who rely solely on fishing. When there’s no more fish to catch, they lose their income and their food resources. Many small-scale and traditional fisheries provide a living for a large part of their populations. Globally, 10-12% of the workforce depends on fishing, of which 90% are in developing countries. Competition from large industrial fleets (often owned by multinationals) makes surviving extra difficult for small-scale fisheries.

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The alternative

It’s time to change course. Small-scale fishing communities that live and work in harmony with nature play a crucial role in this. Working with these fisheries is the only sustainable way! All our projects are carried out in close collaboration with local fisheries around the world. These fisheries traditionally fish in harmony with nature. They depend directly on the oceans as their source of food and income. Together with local partners, we support and give guidance to these communities on how to operate even more sustainably, if possible, and help them to gain access to new markets. This way, we are increasing the global supply of sustainable fish and contributing to the existence of small-scale fisheries. By working together and offering stability, we are working on a better future perspective for these fishing communities.