Digital innovations in fisheries and aquaculture: A systematic review of technologies, adoption, and socio-economic impacts

Abstract

The fisheries and aquaculture sectors are undergoing rapid digital transformation in response to the challenges of rising global seafood demand and the need for ecological sustainability. This systematic review summarizes 35 academic papers released in 2010-2025, and the category of these papers is organized in five thematic areas with the following titles: digital transformation and smart fisheries, blockchain applications, e-marketing, transparency & traceability, ICT and mobile applications, and adoption of innovations with socio-economic impacts. The results confirm the critical role of technologies, such as the Internet of Things, blockchain, artificial intelligence, and mobile-based applications, in boosting productivity, governance, and transparency and empowering small-scale fishers. Blockchain emerges as an up-and-coming tool for addressing illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing and improving supply chain traceability. At the same time, ICT and mobile applications have shown transformative potential in data collection, advisory services, and market access. However, the challenges of scalability, cost, lack of infrastructure, and institutional bias limit equal adoption. The review points out that digitalization is not a technical change but a socio-institutional process, which is also affected by the nature of the users, policies, and governance structures. To ensure that digital innovations can play a role in sustainability, resilience, and equity in global fisheries and aquaculture, the future has to work on the inclusive adoption, interwoven digital ecosystems, and long-term impact evaluation.