An innovative, global project launches website to share knowledge and learning alongside people on the coast.

Coastal fisheries – a sector that contains the last wild resources on our planet. Unfortunately, too often it is a sector we hear about declining, with resources exploited at or beyond their biological limits. It is important to remember that it is not only the fish that are being affected. Indeed, many coastal communities that have depended on coastal fisheries for their livelihood have in turn been characterized by poverty due to the dwindling resources. More so, it is these very same communities that are too often marginalized from decision-making and sustainable development.

To address all of these multi-faceted and interlinked challenges, a systematic approach must be taken. Enter the Coastal Fisheries Initiative (CFI), an innovative partnership of six organizations (CI, FAO, UNDP, UNEP, World Bank and WWF) funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) that aims to address the issues facing coastal fisheries by taking a holistic and integrated approach. The CFI approach takes into account key areas of biodiversity conservation, the economic potential of the sector, the respect for human rights and the need for livelihood security and effective governance.

The CFI consists of national and sub-regional projects covering three geographically focused projects in Indonesia, Latin America (Ecuador and Peru) and West Africa (Cabo Verde, Côte d'Ivoire and Senegal), focusing on fisheries carried out within the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of coastal states. The CFI acts at all levels - global, regional, national and local levels and will work closely with national governments, regional organizations concerned with coastal fisheries, with private sector operators from both the small-scale and larger-scale sub-sectors, and with actors from the entire fisheries value chain.

Importantly, the CFI provides a global knowledge management mechanism for sharing experiences and furthering effective fisheries management globally. The CFI's new website (launched through a press release on 22 March) is one of the first vital steps in this knowledge sharing process.

As a global, large-scale project carried out in diverse settings, the website provides an easy way to read details about the project and learn alongside the people on the coast. Read more about the projects within different regions, follow along the news stream with relevant information on coastal fishery challenges and videos of project consultations or stay up to date with upcoming events related to the CFI.

 You can also follow the project on Twitter @FAOfish using #CFIgef