This week, FAO took part in the 6th Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour, held in Marrakech, Morocco. The conference, which opened on 11 February, featured a dedicated side event titled Transforming fisheries and aquaculture: new tools to eliminate child labour. 

Fisheries management is not just about stocks. It’s about people. Social dimensions need to be embedded in fisheries governance and management to achieve fisheries that are ecologically sustainable and socially equitable.

During the week of 11 to 13 February 2026, the Government of Morocco will host the 6th Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour. Led by the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Conference is a pivotal moment to accelerate global action towards ending child labour in all its forms.

Every year on 21 November, the world celebrates World Fisheries Day to recognize the crucial contribution of fishers and fish workers to food security, employment, and sustainable development. The day serves as a reminder of the urgent need to protect their human and labour rights, ensuring fair, safe, and dignified working conditions across the sector.

On World Food Day, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) launched a new Policy Guidance on the Elimination of Child Labour in Fisheries and Aquaculture. The publication aims to help governments, employers, workers, civil society and other partners tackle the root causes of child labour in aquatic food supplychains. 

Child labour continues to affect millions of children globally, with 61% involved in agriculture, including fisheries and aquaculture. This session moves from awareness to action, spotlighting real-world solutions to eliminate child labour in aquatic food systems. Join youth leaders and FAO partners as they tackle root causes and unveil the new FAO-ILO Guidance, paving the way for safer, more sustainable livelihoods.

To celebrate its 80th anniversary, FAO has launched a recognition initiative for individuals or entities that have made significant contributions to sustainable fisheries and aquaculture. Applications are open until June 2025.

An international training course aimed at strengthening labour conditions in the fisheries sector concluded in Isla Cristina, Spain. The five-day event brought together more than 30 participants including managers of fisheries administrations, labour inspectors, technical advisors and specialists from 19 countries for a series of technical sessions, practical activities, and inter-institutional exchanges. 

From 19 to 23 May 2025, the Isla Cristina National Maritime Training Centre (CNFM) in Huelva, Spain, hosted the International Advanced Course on “Promoting Decent Working Conditions in Fisheries”, jointly organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM). The course was held with the support of the Social Marine Institute in Spain (ISM) and in collaboration with the Spanish National Institute for Safety and Health at Work (INSST).

In Cabo Verde, more than 1 500 women known as peixeiras, work daily to sell fish, sustaining their families and feeding their communities. They are resilient women who face multiple challenges to keep alive an activity that is vital for the country's food security.

A new inter-institutional working group has been created in Cabo Verde to support the development of inclusive social protection measures and strengthen the resilience of fishers and fish workers in the face of climate change and economic shocks.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Monterey Bay Aquarium launched activities in Tunisia to prepare for the execution of a new project that aims to strengthen social protection for small-scale fishers.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Monterey Bay Aquarium today inked a deal that will kick off a collaboration to improve social protection for small-scale fishers in Tunisia.

Join this seminar to explore together a cross-sectoral approach to social protection and fisheries. The presenters will provide an overview of the new “Blue Social Protection Handbook” which offers practical knowledge to those who are working at country level on the social protection and fisheries sectors in search of innovative ways to promote sustainable fisheries while reducing human vulnerability. You will also be provided with an overview of the World Bank’s as well as partners´ emerging country engagements in this area.

Welcome to this newsletter showcasing key activities, workshops, and events from this year. Notably, we are celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries, along with important highlights on advancing social protection initiatives for the small-scale fisheries sector.

FAO and ILO organized a two-day workshop to update their Guidance on addressing child labour in fisheries and aquaculture, a key, comprehensive document designed to provide policymakers, fisher organizations, sectoral institutions, and the private sector with recommendations and practical solutions to combat child labour in the sector. 

For one day and a half, experts from government authorities, FAO, the International Labour Organization (ILO), regional intergovernmental organizations, and a range of non-state actors (workers’ organizations, employers’ organizations, small-scale fishers’ organizations, non-governmental organizations, and academia)  discussed and deepened the understanding of international and regional standards for decent work in marine fisheries, fostered collaboration among agencies, and exchanged country experiences on that topic.

This event provided a platform to reflect on the achievements, challenges and lessons learned of the SocPro4Fish project and explored future directions for social protection in the fishing sector. 

This article summarizes how small-scale fisheries and the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication.