Voluntary Guidelines for a sustainable small- scale fisheries.
Our organization the Artisanal Fishers Association of South Africa is a regional community based organization which has been the attention of many a researcher/academic and media because of the manner of which without any funding or offices, operated, organized and managed. It was basically a type of beach gang operation that was born from resistance to the racially oppression of the Apartheid system that marginalized us with the introduction of the ITQ fishing system. We rejected the unjust quota system of the government and worked outside of their laws until we "supposedly " gained our freedom in 1994. Our vision was to stop the unjust fishing policy and to regain and retain our traditional fishing rights. Our banners which we carried with pride, was our objectives in our struggle - Reasserting Fishers Rights, -We Speak for the Silent Sea and You, - We Don't Want To Be Rich We just Want Access To The Sea.
We have been participants at F.A.O. over a period of ten years through being members of WFFP on fishing issues and by the invitation of FIAN, working on the guidelines on the right to food.
The question of participation and capacity building is problematic as although consultive framework exists and is carried out, participation in final policy decision- making is terribly flawed. Many of the average fishing communities especially community based organizations are feeling estranged from the international political bodies, as BINGOS (big international non-governmental organizations) and academics easily shape the results according to their agendas that sometimes are contrary to problems that behest the poorer fishing communities. The argument that we must speak on the behalf of the fishers is non- sensical hogwash as I can proudly say that the fishers inputs at our parliamentary meeting, (thanks to the work of Musifundise), the Philippines guidelines meeting, and other local meets makes a mockery of this theory. The bedrock for the guidelines should be democracy, freedom in all aspects and to improve of the quality of life of the vulnerable and marginalized fishing communities worldwide so that they can live with dignity, fulfillment and happiness. The greatest threat to achieving a democratic process is that even though the participants ignore it, bigotry, prejudice and racial and religious hatred exists. Pigeonholed by this, the views tend to focus mainly around their own agendas and objectives. As I wrote in my review of the last COFI meet the quest for equality of one group should not lead to the equality of another. Consultative and participation in the pursuit of meaningful democracy has to be within a framework of a participatory integrated policy that ensures active, free, effective and meaningful and informed participation of all small scale fishing peoples, without prejudice in all aspects of governance, taking into consideration the power imbalances, patronage of the funders and political forces that exists in the various regions and countries. The practice of religious faith are important to many worldwide in providing family righteous living and relationships therefore the acceptance of religious beliefs and traditions within the guidelines should be undertaken into consideration with a great deal of sensitivity.
What are the realities of problems facing the small- small scale fishing communities that are having a profound detrimental effect on the fishing communities; Privatization,-non-recognition, - prejudice and hate,- racism,- drug and alcoholic abuse,-health problems,-economic oppression,-anti-social behavior,- sea and land grabbing,- ecological degradation,- economic and trade enslavement.,- social and economic inequalities,- non-active participation,- culture jamming.,- denial of livelihoods,- marginalization,- corruption,- jailing of fishers through trans -border crossings,- habitat destruction, - bad fishing policies,- undemocratic participatory governance,- uncaring certification and labeling schemes,- bad management,- illegal fishing, -trawler encroachment,- overfishing, - high technology,-weather conditions,- bad science and scientific data,- , joint ventures with developed countries,- poverty,-food insecurity,- poor prices,- conflict,- poor living conditions, - sea safety conditions,-, access rights, - destruction of family life and values, - non development, -access to education, -.production of fish for export rather than for local food needs (globalization), - xenophobia, - disregard for critical discussion. The irresponsible beliefs that the killing of children for "muti" must be stopped, especially in the East African countries that are using the body parts of albino children to make catches fruitful and enrich the fishers, is barbaric and must be condemned. Also we are being cheated by unscrupulous merchants, elites, self instituted leaders and politicians who are disempowering the poor vulnerable small- scale fishers and fishing workers.
These are the important issues that behest the fishers and has been well articulated at most of our conferences and meetings, and the question is does the Guidelines substantially address these difficulties that the small-scale fisher face? The world is steadily deteriorating because of dismantling of human and family values and the depletion of our natural resources and promotion of materialistic profit-making consumerism. Sustainable development, sustainable living and a sustainable society require not only a human rights objective but a value system. Human values are seen to be non-existent where some leaders and politicians live a lie, but we live in hope that there is empathy in the world and that there is some in power who do really care. There is a bond between enduring human values and a sustainable society, the depletion of resources but also the depletion of human values is what seem to be lacking. Although we cannot have it in the guidelines we should not lose sight that these invisible objectives of honesty, respect, love, violence, solidarity, truthfulness and democracy are extremely important in creating a sustainable society.
The acceptance that each country can establish their own interpretation of small –scale fisheries, is controversial and can create ineffectiveness of the guidelines, it is not an all embracing international version but will become merely a willy-nilly local paperback. We are identified in the various countries under the term of as artisanal, traditional, indigenous, native, and small-scale or subsistence fishers. We should take note of the defining characteristics of small-scale fishing that makes particular importance to their way of life; They are dispersed along coastlines and because they depend mainly on marine eco-systems that are situated close to their homes near their harvesting activities and have small scale capital commitments, levels of production and produce supply mainly to the sub-sector economy chain. The size of the vessel, power and technology depends on the sea and weather conditions in the various countries, but the question should rather be “what we are not”.
We do not harvest huge quantities of fish through use of large scale operations of mechanized gear and trawl nets, use high- tech technology, chase fish with large sophisticated ships far into the deep sea, not involved in processing plants, the scale of operations are not capital intensive, target fish that produces by-catches, harvested specie for the globalized or export market and employ many personal on a formal basis. We function as home based micro-enterprise operators , normally near-shore , use passive gear to harvest provide food directly mostly daily to the communities for local consumption to nearby villages or towns, have traditional and customary management arrangements with each other and make a valuable positive economic and social benefit to their communities. It is a labour intensive thus helping in the fight against unemployment and food insecurity.
These voluntary guideline is of crucial importance to have and we should strive to get it to be accepted internationally by all. These guidelines are not the end because in the future things will change and some will tend to ignore it and thus our struggle will continue.
Andrew Johnston.
We are impressed with Odusina Olawaseum of Nigeria input and congratulate him on his work.
Andrew Johnston