As small-scale fish farming expands across rural Zimbabwe, governance must keep pace with the sector’s growth. Against this backdrop, on 7 October 2026, the Zimbabwe Environmental Law Organisation (ZELO) convened a national workshop to validate Zimbabwe’s Environmental and Biosecurity Guidelines for Small-Scale Fish Farmers. The validation forms part of work being undertaken through the FISH4ACP programme in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development, the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife, and the Zimbabwe Fish Producers Association. Technical expertise was provided by the Directorate of Veterinary Services, the Environmental Management Agency (EMA)-Zimbabwe, the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Department, and the Zimbabwe Parks & Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks). This national effort reflects a wider regional need as fisheries and aquaculture are expanding across much of Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP). FISH4ACP addresses key barriers to sustainable growth in these sectors, including weak economic performance, limited market access, and poor social and environmental sustainability. In Zimbabwe, field and laboratory assessments brought these challenges into sharper focus, identifying several gaps in the sector, including: ➡️ No structured system for aquatic disease surveillance ➡️ No system for fingerling certification or traceability ➡️ No environmental compliance framework tailored to small-scale producers To translate these findings into practical guidance, representatives from government, farmer organisations, and academia reviewed the technical outputs, including a Biosecurity Field Guide and Environmental Guidelines. They assessed each output against practical realities, refined the content, and prioritised recommendations for implementation. With the validation process complete, the guidelines will be officially launched in Harare on 27 October 2026, with further details to follow. Ultimately, the importance of this work extends beyond regulatory compliance, these ponds support food security, rural livelihoods, One Health, and climate resilience. Environmental law must, therefore, work at the scale of the communities it serves. We are grateful to our partners and every participant for their contributions. #Aquaculture #Biosecurity #FoodSecurity #ClimateResilience