Comunidad y Biodiversidad builds resilient fisheries, livelihoods and ecosystems through community-led conservation

Through participatory efforts with small-scale fishing communities in Mexico, Comunidad y Biodiversidad (COBI) is working to transform their fisheries into hubs of sustainable seafood and marine life conservation. As a Bright Spot, COBI exemplifies how local knowledge, diverse perspectives and community-driven innovation can build a food system that serves community livelihoods and ecosystem health.

Global small-scale fisheries currently account for at least 40% of global fish catch, but are largely seen as vulnerable to climate and socioeconomic impacts. Comunidad y Biodiversidad (COBI) is a not-for-profit organisation that works with small-scale fishers across 161 communities in Mexico to collaborate and implement context-specific solutions that build resilience and protect ocean health, from the bottom-up.

Founded in 1999 by a group of youth passionate about marine life and concerned about poverty in developing countries, COBI recognises that coastal communities are constantly adapting and that their knowledge around fishing practices is critical to long-term sustainability.

Women monitoring the impact of fisheries in kelp forests. Community monitoring team in Baja, California.

How is COBI different from more conventional conservation approaches?

COBI’s work prioritises participatory, community-led conservation in its efforts. Over 25 years, COBI has established deep relationships with fishers in 161 communities in Mexico, empowering local fishers to become data gatherers, decision-makers and advocates.

Their approach ensures that conservation strategies are relevant, scalable and backed by local knowledge. This has led to more trust among fishers and community leaders, assisting each other through fisher-to-fisher exchange, digital platforms, and capacity building to replicate or adapt solutions that have already been successfully implemented.

With almost 200 community-based solutions and extensive data collected by nearly 250 trained fisher-divers, COBI has created a citizen science model that significantly influences local and national decision-making. COBI has also empowered fishers to become authors and custodians of their work, publishing findings in close to 250 peer-reviewed studies, freely accessible for global learning.

“Community buy-in is key for long-term success. COBI only works with a coastal community if we can be there for the long-term. Sustainable fisheries management is really about managing people, not fish, so COBI´s work looks to ensure that each community has the capacity to take ownership of their sustainable actions. ”

—Stuart Fulton, Director of Change, Comunidad y Biodiversidad

Why does COBI’s work with fishing communities matter?

COBI’s work is transforming perceptions of small-scale fisheries from lacking scale and power to stewards of ocean health, strengthening resilience and livelihoods.

Community-based management of their fisheries has also created a positive impact on marine biodiversity: COBI has co-created marine reserves with local fishers spanning 685 km², protecting 616 species—5.5% of which are endangered or critically endangered in the IUCN’s Red List. Their data collection—spanning 14,000 fish and invertebrate surveys—has allowed communities to adapt fishing practices, safeguard critical habitats, and adapt to climate impacts.

These efforts have not only sustained marine resources, but have also spurred regulatory changes, earning COBI a seat on Mexico’s National Council for Protected Areas and close relationships with federal and state governments, where they continue to champion the role of local communities in preserving the oceans and encouraging the sustainable use of its resources.

Female clam fishers preparing fishing grounds.

Fishers monitoring the kelp forest marine reserves.

What could the future look like if COBI’s model scales?

If COBI’s model scales further, it could transform global small-scale fisheries into powerful stewards of marine ecosystem health and climate and social resilience. By 2027, COBI envisions a network of over 10,000 fishers across Latin America and the Caribbean sharing locally-driven solutions.

This future promises an exponential rise in community-managed marine protected areas and fish refuges, with over 1,000 species protected and 15,000 km² of ocean conserved. With more co-investment from communities, COBI’s model could also reduce reliance on external funding, allowing for more self-sustained and resilient fishing communities. Such a shift would propel Latin America to be a global leader in community-led conservation, providing a blueprint for sustainable fisheries that prioritises local knowledge, environmental stewardship, and inclusivity.

Questions to consider

How can we learn from COBI’s approach to balance conservation goals with community livelihoods and ensuring self-led funding to reduce reliance on external resources?

How can community-based initiatives influence policy at national and regional levels to strengthen the resilience of vulnerable groups and populations?

What lessons can other nations learn from COBI’s involvement in regulatory changes and protected area management?

Images courtesy: Comunidad y Biodiversidad (COBI)

Meet the Bright Spots

A Forum for the Future initiative, in partnership with The Earthshot Prize, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors and Trane Technologies, the Future of Sustainability: Reimagining the Way the World Works is showcasing the social and climate initiatives shaping a better future, today.

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