Artisanal fisheries provide essential food and nutrition on the Galápagos Islands: priority areas for policy and sustainability

This perspective article examines the role of artisanal fisheries in local food security and nutrition in the Galápagos archipelago, Ecuador, an issue that remains underrepresented in conservation and food systems debates. We argue that fish should be understood not only as a natural resource or economic commodity, but as a central component of local diets, livelihoods, and nutritional outcomes. Using the four pillars of food security and nutrition as an analytical lens (availability, access, utilization, and stability), we synthesize how artisanal fisheries contribute to local food systems while also facing vulnerabilities linked to tourism demand, international markets, and conservation policies that insufficiently consider nutrition and livelihood consequences. We outline four priority areas for strengthening food security and nutrition on the Galápagos Islands. These include recognizing fish as food within local food systems, acknowledging the role of gender and social networks in sustaining small-scale fisheries, aligning resource stewardship with sustainable use in marine protected areas, and promoting integrated food systems through a One Health perspective. We conclude that explicitly incorporating food security and nutrition into fisheries governance can help align conservation objectives with local livelihoods in the Galápagos and beyond.