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OUR WORK

SSF Guidelines

Small-scale and artisanal fisheries contribute about half of global fish catches and employ millions of people. They are often rooted in local communities, providing food security and nutrition, reducing poverty. At a time of great environmental crises, small-scale fisheries provide hope. Yet their interests and contributions are often overlooked.

This gap was finally filled in 2014 in a watershed moment: the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) endorsed the ‘Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication’ (SSF Guidelines). It is the only international instrument dedicated to small-scale fisheries. This set of guidelines directs policy, from the local to the international levels, to support and promote the sub-sector.

The SSF Guidelines provide representation to the marginalized. For their secure tenure over fishing resources and space; for decent conditions of work; for the social development of fishing communities; gender equity and equality; for balancing universal human rights while respecting local conditions and traditions.

It resulted from a long-drawn democratic campaign. In the 1980s, small groups of fishers began voicing their concerns about the social and environmental crisis caused by industrial fishing across developing countries. They began collaborating. ICSF resulted from such partnerships.

The Rio declaration of 1992 had recognized the rights of traditional fishers and their contributions. In 1995 FAO adopted the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (CCRF). It recognized the contributions of artisanal fisheries, recommending their preferential access to fishing resources. FAO organized its first global conference of small-scale fisheries in Thailand in 2008.

Thereafter, several workshops hosted over 4,000 participants from 120 nations. In 2011, FAO’s Committee on Fisheries (COFI) recommended an international legal instrument to safeguard the rights of small-scale, artisanal fishers. The next two years were a participatory effort to create a consensus and agree on a final text. The SSF Guidelines were endorsed in June, 2014. The challenge now is for all stakeholders to implement the SSF Guidelines.

For more information, visit https://sites.google.com/site/ssfguidelines/home and https://sites.google.com/site/smallscalefisheries/

Current Programmes

Workshop on Sea Safety and Fisheries Management: Training and Capacity Development of Local Self-Governments, 01-02 March 2023, Kerala, India

The negotiated Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines) were endorsed by the Committee on Fisheries (COFI) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) at its Thirty-first Session in June 2014. The implementation of the SSF Guidelines is identified as a significant step for enhancing the contribution of small-scale fisheries to nutrition and food security. As part of the implementation process, International Collective in Support of Fishworkers (ICSF) Trust is organizing a sub-national capacity development workshop on fisheries management, social development and safety at sea—supported by FAO. The workshop will be held at Kerala Institute of Local Administration, Thrissur, Kerala, India in March 2023. Key representatives from panchayats, FWOs, CSOs and CBOs in Kerala are expected to attend. For more details, please visit: https://www.icsf.net/resources/lgs-workshop-icsf-kila-kerala-india/

Africa Workshop: IYAFA 2022-Celebrating Sustainable and Equitable Small-scale Fisheries, 15-18 February 2023

The Africa workshop will be held in Accra, Ghana from 15 to 18 February 2023. The overall goal of the workshop is to strengthen the recognition of small-scale fisheries’ crucial contributions to global food security and nutrition, the importance of access rights in the sector, social development and gender equality. The workshop is also an opportunity to take stock of how the SSF Guidelines are being implemented in Africa to eradicate poverty, ensure food security and nutrition, and promote the tenure rights of small-scale fishing communities. The workshop will include 40 participants from community-based organizations, national and international fishworker organizations, networks of women in fisheries, and civil society organizations from across Africa. For more details, please visit: https://www.icsf.net/resources/africa-workshop-iyafa-2023/

Resources

Thirty-fifth Session of the Committee on Fisheries (COFI) on Agenda Item 6: Supporting Small-scale and Artisanal Fisheries Statement by ICSF

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We notice that small-scale fisheries (SSF) have an important role in FAO’s Blue Transformation Programme Priority Area. Based on the FAO tool box, its guidance document on applying a human...

Thirty-fifth Session of the Committee on Fisheries (COFI) on Agenda Item 5: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Statement by ICSF

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We agree with the observation that the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies with the current focus on overfished stocks and IUU fishing will have a global positive impact on the...

Report on Asia Workshop – IYAFA 2022: Celebrating Sustainable and Equitable Small-scale Fisheries, 4 – 8 May, 2022, The Berkeley Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand

International collective in support of fishwokers (ICSF) in partnership with Sustainable Development Foundation (SDF) Thailand had organized an International Workshop titled “IYAFA 2022-Celebrating Sustainable and Equitable Small-scale Fisheries: Asia” from...

IYAFA 2022 | Small-Scale Fisheries (SSF) Summit, 2-4 September 2022

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The International Collective in Support of Fishworkers (ICSF) with support from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) will be conducting a sesson at the Small-Scale Fisheries...

Fisheries Sector Support Schemes in India 2016-2017

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Fisheries Sector Support Schemes in India 2016-2017 compiled by ICSF https://www.icsf.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Fisheries_Schemes_2016_Compiled_ICSF.pdf

Fisheries Sector Support Schemes in India 2019-2020

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Fisheries Sector Support Schemes in India 2019-2020 – Compiled by ICSF https://www.icsf.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Fisheries_Support_Schemes_2018-2019.pdf

FAO – ICSF’s SSF Guidelines implementation project 2018-2019

FAO – ICSF’s SSF Guidelines implementation project 2018-2019 Brazil, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam and Global Products Support the social, economic and environmental transformation of the...

Report on workshop on enhancing capacities of women fishworkers in India for the implementation of the SSF Guidelines, 21–23 November 2016, Ashoka Hall, Asha Nivas Social Service Centre, Chennai, India By ICSF, 2016

The workshop was proposed as a follow-up to the 2010 workshop, keeping in mind the opportunities presented with the Tenure and SSF Guidelines, changes in the last half decade for...

Preparatory workshops for VG-SSF Guidelines: Reports and statements compilation by ICSF – Volume 2

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Historic Day for Small Scale Fisheries: First ever international instrument dedicated to promoting and defending small scale fisheries adopted by 143 Member States of FAO’s Committee on Fisheries (COFI). Rome, Italy,...

Preparatory workshops for VG-SSF Guidelines: Reports and statements compilation by ICSF – Volume 1

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Historic Day for Small Scale Fisheries: First ever international instrument dedicated to promoting and defending small scale fisheries adopted by 143 Member States of FAO’s Committee on Fisheries (COFI). Rome,...

Report of the Eleventh Session of the COFI Sub-Committee on Aquaculture, 24-27 May 2022

The Eleventh Session of the Sub-Committee on Aquaculture of the FAO Committee on Fisheries was held virtually in Rome, Italy, from 24 to 27 May 2022. The Sub-Committee commended FAO’s...

FAO’S contribution of fisheries and aquaculture towards achieving the 2030 agenda for sustainable development: Thirty-fifth session Committee on Fisheries, 5–9 September 2022

This document provides an overview of the contribution of fisheries and aquaculture towards achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The progress and challenges in this regard are discussed, with...

The International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture (IYAFA) 2022: Thirty-fifth Session Committee on Fisheries, 5–9 September 2022

This document summarizes the objectives, governance, celebrations, and achievements of the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture (IYAFA) 2022. It complements documents COFI/2022/4 and COFI/2022/Inf.9 on supporting small-scale and...

Bibliography of FAO resources in support of the implementation of the SSF Guidelines

This paper provides a list of the papers and reports published by FAO and partners in the context of implementing the SSF Guidelines since the Committee’s Thirty-fourth Session in February...

Supporting small-scale and artisanal fisheries: Thirty-fifth session Committee on Fisheries, 5–9 September 2022

This document provides additional information in relation to documents COFI/2022/4 and COFI/2022/4.1 on “Supporting Small-scale and Artisanal Fisheries” and the “International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture (IYAFA) ” respectively,...

Safety at sea, social protection and decent work in fisheries and aquaculture: Thirty-fifth Session Committee on Fisheries, 5–9 September 2022

This document provides a summary of recent FAO activities that support the implementation of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries with regard to safety at sea, social protection and...

Resources in support of the implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication: Thirty-fifth Session Committee on Fisheries, 5–9 September 2022

This document summarizes achievements of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Division to support sustainable marine and inland small-scale and artisanal fisheries governance and development. It reports on progress in implementing the...

Supporting Small-Scale and Artisanal Fisheries, Thirty-fifth Session of Committee on Fisheries, 5-9 September 2022

This document summarizes achievements of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Division to support sustainable marine and inland small-scale and artisanal fisheries governance and development. It reports on progress in implementing the...

The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2022: Towards blue transformation by FAO

The 2022 edition of The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture coincides with the launch of the Decade of Action to deliver the Global Goals, the United Nations Decade of...

Voluntary Guidelines on the Marking of Fishing Gear

The Voluntary Guidelines on the Marking of Fishing Gear are a tool to contribute to sustainable fisheries, to improve the state of the marine environment, and to enhance safety at...