The 29th session of the Committee on Fisheries (COFI) of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, held in February 2011, approved the development of a new international instrument, in the form of guidelines, on small-scale fisheries that would draw on relevant existing instruments, complementing the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (CCRF).
This decision was widely welcomed by civil society organizations (CSOs). The need for such guidelines and for other interventions to support small-scale fisheries has long been a demand.
After all, small-scale fisheries contribute over half of the world’s marine and inland fish catch, almost all of which is destined for direct human consumption. The sub-sector employs more than 90 per cent of the world’s 35 mn capture fishers and livelihoods of about 357 mn people are directly affected by small-scale fisheries (FAO,2012). Almost half of the people employed in the primary and secondary sectors associated with small-scale fisheries are women.
Though small-scale fisheries are so important from an economic, social and cultural perspective, and from the perspective of sustainable use of resources, their communities often face precarious living and working conditions due to various reasons. including insecure rights to land and fisheries resources, inadequate returns to their labour, poor access to markets and basic services, and vulnerability to natural disaster and climate change.
Increasingly, the livelihoods of marine and inland fishing communities are being challenged by other sectors, competing for use of aquatic habitats and oceanic spaces. There is urgent need to address the myriad of issues facing small-scale fisheries and their communities, if their livelihoods, as well as their important contribution to food security, employment, poverty alleviation and cultural values, is to be secured.
The development and adoption of the small-scale fisheries (SSF) Guidelines could play a role in addressing these issues, using a human rights-based approach.
This sub-site of ICSF provides various information resources linked to the small-scale fisheries (SSF) Guideline process, including about CSO engagement with this process.
The Technical Consultation on International Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-scale Fisheries, organized by the FAO, is now taking place in Rome.
ICSF is an international NGO that works towards the establishment of equitable, gender-just,self-reliant and sustainable fisheries, particularly in the small-scale, artisanal sector.
For more, please visit www.icsf.net
2013 ICSF