The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and associated mitigation measures have disrupted global systems that support the health, food and nutrition security, and livelihoods of billions of people. These disruptions have likewise affected the small-scale fishery (SSF) sector, disrupting SSF supply chains and exposing weaknesses in the global seafood distribution system. To inform future development of adaptive capacity and resilience in the sector, it is important to understand how supply chain actors are responding in the face of a macroeconomic shock. Comparing across seven SSF case studies in four countries, we explore how actors are responding to COVID-19 disruptions, identify constraints to adaptive responses, and describe patterns of disruption and response across cases. In all cases examined, actors shifted focus to local and regional distribution channels and particularly drew on flexibility, organization, and learning to re-purpose pre-existing networks and use technology to their advantage. Key constraints to reaching domestic consumers included domestic restrictions on movement and labor, reduced spending power amongst domestic consumers, and lack of existing distribution channels. In addition, the lack of recognition of SSFs as essential food-producers and inequities in access to technology hampered efforts to continue local seafood supply. We suggest that the initial impacts from COVID-19 highlight the risks in of over-reliance on global trade networks. The SSFs that were able to change strategies most successfully had local organizations and connections in place that they leveraged in innovative ways. As such, supporting local and domestic networks and flexible organizations within the supply chain may help build resilience in the face of future macroeconomic shocks. Importantly, bolstering financial wellbeing and security within the domestic market both before and during such large-scale disruptions is crucial for supporting ongoing supply chain operations and continued food provision during macroeconomic crises.

持续的 COVID-19 大流行和相关的缓解措施扰乱了支持数十亿人的健康、粮食和营养安全以及生计的全球系统。这些中断同样影响了小规模渔业 (SSF) 部门，扰乱了 SSF 供应链并暴露了全球海产品分销系统的弱点。为了告知该部门适应能力和弹性的未来发展，重要的是要了解供应链参与者在面对宏观经济冲击时如何做出反应。我们比较了四个国家的七个 SSF 案例研究，探讨了参与者如何应对 COVID-19 中断，确定适应性响应的限制，并描述了跨案例的中断和响应模式。在所有检查的案例中，参与者将重点转移到本地和区域分销渠道，特别是利用灵活性、组织和学习来重新利用现有网络并利用技术为他们带来优势。接触国内消费者的主要制约因素包括国内对流动和劳动力的限制、国内消费者消费能力的下降以及现有分销渠道的缺乏。此外，由于缺乏对小规模渔业作为基本食品生产者的认识以及在获取技术方面的不平等，阻碍了继续供应当地海产品的努力。我们建议，COVID-19 的初步影响突出了过度依赖全球贸易网络的风险。能够最成功地改变战略的 SSF 拥有以创新方式利用的当地组织和联系。像这样，支持本地和国内网络以及供应链中的灵活组织可能有助于增强面对未来宏观经济冲击的弹性。重要的是，在此类大规模中断之前和期间加强国内市场的财务福祉和安全对于支持持续的供应链运营和在宏观经济危机期间持续提供粮食至关重要。