Small-scale fisheries (SSF) account for 50% of global fish catches. The sector also employs 90% of the world’s capture fishers and fish workers — about 500 million people. That’s roughly the population of the USA, Canada, and Mexico combined! And half of those people in the SSF sector are women. SSF provide a critical source of protein for billions, support local economies in coastal, lake, and riverside communities, and serve as a center for identity, culture, and connection to wild nature. Despite their importance, many SSF communities remain marginalized. Often located in remote areas with limited access to markets, healthcare, education, and social services, these communities face significant challenges, including declining fish populations, habitat destruction, and governance shaped by capitalism, neoliberal seafood industries, and colonial legacies. These pressures erode socio-ecological relationships and leave young people disconnected and uncertain about their futures in a changing climate and industrializing world. Rural education systems, hindered by inadequate infrastructure and urban-focused curricula, often fail to engage youth as active contributors to their communities. Many young people migrate to urban centers for better opportunities, disrupting community dynamics and leading to a loss of biocultural knowledge. This exodus creates a recruitment crisis, leaving aging populations to sustain services, cultural heritage, and political influence. This global trend threatens the sustainability of SSF communities and raises concerns about the industrialization of depopulated areas, further endangering marine and freshwater conservation. To secure the future of SSF communities, young people need education that connects them to their built and natural environments, inspires their aspirations, supports the well-being of their villages, and drives rural innovation for sustainable futures.