Cambodia’s coastal provinces, Koh Kong, Preah Sihanouk, Kampot, and Kep, host over 30 active Community Fisheries (CFi) groups playing vital roles in local livelihoods, mangrove ecosystem management, and small-scale aquaculture. These communities are at the frontline of climate change impacts such as coastal erosion, saline intrusion, and fisheries depletion. People earn a living in several ways. The main ones are small-scale fishing for crab, shrimp, and fish, and near-shore aquaculture using ponds and cages. Others work in salt production, simple processing like drying or fermenting, local trade, tourism, boat services, and some coastal farming. Large infrastructure, such as the port in Sihanoukville, also affects jobs and markets.

The coastal area is changing quickly. Erosion and saltwater are moving further inland and affecting houses, roads, and fields. Fish catches are lower in many places, and habitats are being lost due to overuse and land conversion. Water quality is a concern as development grows. Stronger storms and flooding damage gear, ponds, and docks. These problems create risks for families, but they also open chances for better practices, higher-value products, and tourism that depends on healthy coasts.

This ToR supports a deeper analysis of CFi profiles, capacities, and needs to inform the design and scaling of climate-resilient livelihoods, nature-based solutions, and inclusive blue economy strategies under the Coastal Project Landscape.

Notably, some work already completed for the coastal provinces will be used as a foundation for this further study. This includes value chain studies of key coastal products, reviews of country policy and provincial plans relevant to fisheries and coastal management, market assessments on aquaculture and CFis (covering inputs, services, post-harvest handling, buyers, and quality needs), and practical recommendations from earlier projects on governance, business skills, access to finance, and linking producers to reliable buyers.