The idea of the blue economy, presented on the international stage at Rio+20, has led to a surge in interest for achieving 'blue growth'. The idea of blue growth has led to different interpretations, including the EU's Blue Growth Strategy and the FAO's Blue Growth Initiative. For the small-scale sector these efforts to achieve blue growth offer both opportunities and risks. The policy implications need to be considered further so that small-scale fishers can play a proactive role in shaping blue growth reforms and investments.