New COFI Sub-Committee on Fisheries Management emphasize small-scale fisheries and sustainable fishing practices

©FAO-GMB Akash

26/01/2024

Rome – FAO Members and observers convened virtually from January 15 to 18 to exchange insights and strategies for enhancing fisheries management, considering ecological, social, economic, nutritional and gender objectives. The discussions were particularly geared towards improving practices in small-scale fisheries both inland and marine, fostering a holistic approach to sustainable management.

The Sub-Committee also shared experiences and needs on integrating climate change into national and multilateral fisheries governance and enhancing adaptive capacities, as stressed in chapter 9 of the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines).

Effective fisheries management is crucial for sustainability but is not always achieved due to challenges related to the characteristics of small-scale fisheries and often weak human, financial and technical capacities. Recognized in Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and in SSF Guidelines, small-scale fisheries play a vital role in safeguarding aquatic resources.

The European Union representative stressed the importance of involving small-scale coastal fishers in decision-making processes that may affect their lives and livelihoods; “their voice should be heard, starting with this sub-committee”. Climate change and biodiversity loss pose threats to small-scale fisheries, necessitating cross-sectoral solutions. The new Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework aims for better integration of biodiversity and sustainable use considerations.

A call for increased data collection on small-scale fisheries was echoed by members and observers. The African Confederation of Artisanal Fisheries Organizations (CAOPA) emphasized “the need to broaden current practices of fisheries management to include ecological, social, economic, nutritional and gender objectives” and underlined the need to “collect gender disaggregated data to highlight the contributions of small scale fisheries to food and nutrition security, livelihoods, conservation.”

The Illuminating Hidden Harvests global study was pointed as an important step towards shedding light into the subsector which, in many instances, remains overlooked. “We also recognize the need for regional cooperation on data/information sharing”, added The Philippines.

The new sub-committee

The COFI Sub-Committee on Fisheries Management’s main functions are to provide technical and policy guidance on fisheries management, identify global challenges and opportunities, and promote collective solutions to ensure the environmental, economic and social sustainability of a sector that is crucial for global food security and nutrition.

The COFI Sub-Committee on Fisheries Management's core functions include providing guidance, identifying challenges, and promoting collective solutions for global food security and nutrition. FAO Director-General QU Dongyu, in his address to the opening of the meeting’s virtual plenary session, emphasized the importance of improving global fisheries management to restore ecosystems and address issues such as illegal fishing, climate impact, and biodiversity degradation.

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