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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

State-Level Capacity Development Training Workshop on the SSF Guidelines, Andhra Pradesh (Visakhapatnam), 12 November 2022

  State-Level Capacity Development Training Workshop on the SSF Guidelines, Andhra Pradesh (Visakhapatnam), 12 November 2022     The state-level training workshop on the SSF Guidelines was held in Visakhapatnam...

National Training of Trainers (TOT) Workshop (Marine Fisheries) on the SSF Guidelines, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 13-15 October 2022

National Training of Trainers (TOT) Workshop (Marine Fisheries) on the SSF Guidelines Asha Nivas, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 13-15 October, 2022 The negotiated Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in...

Asia Workshop: IYAFA 2022-Celebrating Sustainable and Equitable Small-scale Fisheries, 5 to 8 May 2022, Bangkok, Thailand

Asia Workshop: IYAFA 2022-Celebrating Sustainable and Equitable Small-scale Fisheries, 5 to 8 May 2022, Bangkok, Thailand Organized by ICSF and SDF   The Asia workshop is to strengthen the recognition...

National Workshop: SSF Guidelines and Women in Fisheries, India, Asha Nivas, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 8 to 10 April 2022

National Workshop: SSF Guidelines and Women in Fisheries, India, Asha Nivas, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 8 to 10 April 2022 The negotiated Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the...

Déclaration de Felicito Núñez, au nom de l’ICSF et des signataires de l’Appel à l’action sur le point n°10 “Intégrer la biodiversité dans la pêche et l’aquaculture

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Je m’appelle Felicito Núñez, et je vais m’exprimer au nom du Collectif international de soutien aux travailleurs de la pêche (ICSF) et des signataires de l’Appel à l’action de la...

Comité de Pesca: trigésimo quinto período de sesiones Punto 6 del orden del día: Apoyo a la pesca artesanal y en pequeña escala – Declaración by Colectivo Internacional de Apoyo a la Pesca Artesanal (CIAPA)

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Observamos que la pesca en pequeña escala (PPE) ocupa un lugar destacado en el Área Prioritaria que la FAO dedica a su Programa de Transformación Azul. De acuerdo con los...

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...

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...

Latin American and Caribbean Parliament Model Law on Small-Scale Fisheries

This publication of the Model Law on Small-Scale Fisheries of the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament was prepared with support from the Mesoamerica Hunger-Free program sponsored by the Food and...

A policy and legal diagnostic tool for sustainable small-scale fisheries – In support of the implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication

This diagnostic tool advances the implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines) through policy and legal...

Legislating for Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries – A guide and considerations for implementing aspects of the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication in national legislation

The Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines) are the first international instrument dedicated entirely to the small-scale fisheries sector....

Vital Fisheries: Setting pathways for the implementation of International Guidelines for Small-Scale Fisheries in Brazil: Final Report of the National Seminar on Capacity-building for the Implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines for Small-scale Fisheries By Leopoldo Cavaleri Gerhardinger and Daniele Vila-Nova, 2016

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The seminar had the objective of divulging and stimulating discussions and learning about values, norms and principles contained therein and to enable support for its implementation in Brazil. Its appropriation,...