The small-scale cooperative societies of Imagbon Alade, Ibeju- Lekki, Lagos State, were largely able to cope with the several natural, social, and governance issues that have confronted them over the years until in recent times when there were huge industrial developments in the coastal areas. The magnitude of the current stressors threatened the security of their environment, fishing operations, productivity, food security, livelihoods, and human health. They were faced with stressors such as the pollution by the effluents from the refinery and cement plant operating within the coastal space and pilling activities in the coastal waters. These made the fishermen highly vulnerable. Vulnerability is generally considered to be the degree to which a system is susceptible and unable to cope with, the adverse effect of a chronic or stochastic disturbance. To remain viable in the first and only major economic, and traditional enterprise of small-scale fishing, the cooperatives at great economic risks took the decisions to confront and overcome the challenges imposed on them by the recent activities. The research methodology was based on a qualitative research design which was done using interviews through interaction and supervisory activities. The fishermen’s efforts at deliberations and justice at different governance levels and with the developers did not yield the expected result nor meet their expectations. They pioneered and expanded their coping strategies by establishing a modern complex within their community that has a fish blasting freezer, cold storage powered by solar energy. They had to pursue these initiatives because their efforts at negotiations and demand for fair play failed. Their aspirations for support in operating ocean safe fishing trawlers to guarantee their safety to fish further away from the coast where the water is said to be polluted, did not also materialize.