IAP-25-098

Small-scale fisheries’ contributions to nutrition and food security under a changing climate

​El Niño-Southern Oscillation is a main contributor to global climate variability. In northern Peru, strong El Nino events are associated with extreme changes in marine and inland ecosystems, affecting multiple fish species and their associated fisheries (Kluger et al. 2020). While El Niño events are portrayed as calamities in Peru’s hyper-arid north coast, especially amongst coastal fishing communities, recent research reveals how such narratives neglect the advantages that increased water and temporary fishing opportunities can provide to inland desert communities via fish protein and vital nutrients. Fish are an excellent source of protein and critical nutrients and micronutrients, such omega-3 fatty acids, iron, selenium, iodine and vitamin D. In northern Peru, work to date shows a significant but currently unquantified increase in fish consumption amongst desert communities during El Niño climate events. The nutritional benefits to pregnant and lactating women, childhood and in later life are potentially significant (Byrd et al. 2021), yet the role of increased fish-based protein availability for health amongst communities exposed to climate extremes has not been assessed. This is a particular concern given predictions that the frequency and intensity of El Niño events may increase in future, since this could deepen existing health issues and inequalities, including between coastal communities, which rely on marine protein for nutrition and livelihoods, and inland desert communities, who have only temporary access to local fish. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of El Niño-driven increases in fish on diet, nutrition and health amongst desert communities.

​Specific objectives: i) Developing a framework to capture the significance of fish for health and nutrition in northern Peru; ii) Using latest climate change predictions, explore impacts on health and nutrition through scenario modelling.​​

​​​To achieve these aims and objectives, the PhD project will involve the following activities:

​Objective 1: Develop an innovative framework to capture the nutritional significance of main fish species in northern Peru by integrating data from i) ‘Fishbase’ a global database of fish nutritional values to identify nutritional levels in locally caught species, ii) quarterly household food consumption data compiled by the Peruvian National Institute of Statistics (ENAHO survey), and iii) National Nutritional Information System (SIEN) data on malnutrition among children and expectant mothers.

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​Objective 2: Develop scenarios to explore the impact of climate change on fisheries and the subsequent impacts on health and nutrition. This will integrate the latest climate change predictions, specifically on changes in El Niño frequency and intensity and associated impacts on different species or fisheries.

​Conduct surveys and interviews with communities and health practitioners to complement and evaluate the framework developed and to inform scenario building.

Year 1

​​Literature review and research design. Begin work on Objective 1. Develop stakeholder networks for surveys and interviews.

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Year 2

​​Conduct surveys and interviews. Produce first draft of framework.

Year 3

​​Build scenarios and assess framework.

Year 3.5

​Finish writing up thesis​.

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​The student will develop the skills necessary to undertake the data analysis outlined in the project through the supervisory team, who are members of three strong research groups: the Sustainable Futures Group and Environmental Change Research Group at St. Andrews University, and the School of Biological and Environmental Sciences at Stirling University. Further training is available through the Centre for Education Enhancement and Development at St. Andrews. This includes a suite of workshops and activities designed specifically for research postgraduate students to support their development, to improve their research capability and widen their employability inside and outside academia. The student will be expected to present their work at appropriate national and international conferences throughout their PhD research.