Small-scale fishing activities often involve high levels of informality, irregularity, and seasonality. This often hinders small-scale fishers in accessing social protection systems such as pension plans, unemployment benefits, and health insurance. Recognizing the distinctive circumstances of fisherfolk, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) aims to promote their economic inclusion and strengthen their resilience and livelihood security through the expansion of social protection to the fisheries and aquaculture sector. FAO has developed a methodology for a global database of social protection programmes accessible to the fisheries and aquaculture sector. The aim is to create a repository of the social protection programmes available for fishers in each country, and to assess the trends and gaps in adequate and comprehensive coverage.   In Colombia, Paraguay and Tunisia, FAO implemented a project called Social Protection for Fisheries and Aquaculture (SocPro4Fish) to build the institutional capacities of countries to extend adequate and comprehensive coverage of social protection to the fisheries and aquaculture sector.