The International Ocean Institute (IOI) - Canada Celebrates the 10th Anniversary of the Small-Scale Fisheries Guidelines

The evening of Friday, 25th October 2024, marked a remarkable way to end the week for the staff, non-staff, students, researchers, and the community friends of the ocean in Halifax to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries, a global instrument adopted by the FAO Member States, with ongoing implementation around the world. The celebration was inspired by the Elisabeth Mann Borgese (EMB) Ocean Lecture Series, organized annually to commemorate and celebrate the life and work of EMB, founder of the International Ocean Institute. It aims to create dialogue and stimulate discussion about global ocean issues and the implications for the future of the oceans

As 2024 marks the 10th Anniversary of the SSF guidelines, it also marks the 18th Annual Elisabeth Mann Borgese (EMB) Ocean Lecture, which focused on Small-Scale Fisheries: Food Security, Social Justice and Biodiversity. The lecture was organized by IOI-Canada in partnership with TBTI Global and Ocean Frontier Institute (OFI Module I), with support from the Bay of Fundy Ecosystem Partnership and Marine Affairs Program, Dalhousie University. 

The event brought in Editrudith Lukanga, Founder & Executive Director, Environmental Management and Economic Development Organization, Evan Andrews, Postdoctoral Fellow, Ocean Frontier Institute, and Anthony Charles, Director, School of the Environment, Saint Mary's University as panelists together with Ratana Chuenpagdee (moderator), Director, TBTI Global. They shared their experience and perspectives on the SSF guidelines, addressing key issues in different small-scale fisheries in Canada and internationally. The order of the presentation was based on the flow of the event, which started with Editrudith on the SSF Guidelines, with examples from Tanzania, followed by Evan on the Canada SSF stories, and then Tony to broaden the conversation to the global level at the end. Despite being a Friday evening, the public event about SSF at Dalhousie in Halifax drew a reasonable crowd to the 90-minute Lecture.

The event was kicked off by an introductory remark from Michael Butler, the Director of the IOI-Canada, who gave a historical perspective of the Elisabeth Mann Borgese Ocean Lecture (EMB) Series, which aims to commemorate and celebrate the life and work of Elisabeth Mann Borgese, founder of the International Ocean Institute. Launched in 2005 to mark the 25th anniversary of the IOI Training Programme in Halifax, the lecture series aim to encourage the debate on oceans issues which was so dear to Elisabeth, by inviting internationally renowned speakers to discuss important and timely ocean-related topics. The lecture series is geared to generate awareness among stakeholders, academics, students, and the general public about important ocean issues. He also expressed his appreciation to have the speakers of the day sharing their experiences with regards to the implementation of the small scale fisheries guidelines.

Before sharing the Tanzanian Experience in implementing the SSF guidelines, Editrudith Lukanga gave a brief perspective on the importance of the instrument. The adoption of the (SSF Guidelines) on June 9, 2014, by the Committee on Fisheries (COFI) was hailed as a historical event and a turning point for millions of small-scale fisheries worldwide (Svein 2014). This recognition stemmed from the unprecedented acknowledgment of the crucial role that small-scale fisheries play in global food security, poverty alleviation, and sustainable development. The guidelines marked a significant shift in international fisheries policy by emphasizing small-scale fisheries' social, cultural, and economic importance, which had long been overlooked in global policy discussions. The SSF Guidelines focus on human rights, social justice, and equity, particularly for vulnerable and marginalized communities, and they have been established as a powerful tool for advancing the rights and livelihoods of small-scale fishers. The adoption of the SSF Guidelines demonstrated a commitment to inclusivity and participatory governance, offering a framework that could catalyze transformative changes in the lives of millions of people dependent on small-scale fisheries.

She then opened up to the Tanzanian process of developing the National Plan of Action for implementing the SSF guidelines (NPoA-SSF), which she described as an awareness-raising and capacity-empowering process to stakeholders in the government, academia, research, NGOs, communities as well as fishers and fish workers both male and female.
She finished her presentation by making a public call that, there is still a lot of work to do to fully realize the potential of the SSF Guidelines. Robust governance frameworks, capacity-building initiatives, and adapting global principles to local contexts are needed. The SSF Guidelines are vital for the future of global fisheries, serving as a cornerstone for ensuring a sustainable and equitable future for all stakeholders involved. Continued commitment to their implementation will be crucial in addressing the challenges faced by small-scale fisheries and in achieving the broader goals of sustainability and social justice in the fisheries sector.

Dr. Evan Andrews, the national coordinator of the Canadian hub of Too Big To Ignore: A Global Partnership for Small Scale Fisheries, was the 2nd speaker whose intervention circled around an E-book: Thinking Big about Small-Scale Fisheries in Canada. He shared his experience on the development of the e-book, and he referred to it as an exceptionally comprehensive exploration of small-scale fisheries in Canada. It includes a tapestry of narratives, perspectives, and research that spans across the country and along its coasts. The diverse voices in this volume illuminate the profound impact of Canadian small-scale fisheries on the social, cultural, and economic fabric of inshore and coastal communities and their pivotal role as key stewards of Canada’s aquatic ecosystems. 

Given these contributions, the e-book highlights how Canadian small-scale fisheries are key to advance Canada’s commitments to sustainability, equity, conservation, and Truth and Reconciliation. By doing so, this volume envisions a new era of support that seeks to amplify Canadian small-scale fisheries, and emerges as a catalyst to fostering a deeper understanding and commitment to the flourishing of small-scale fisheries in Canada and the inland and coastal communities that depend on them. Among others, the chapters explore solutions for social justice and adaptation solutions for and from Canadian small-scale fisheries, delve into collaborative solutions, discuss solutions for decent work in small-scale fisheries, and find ways to navigate complexities for small-scale fisheries. By broadening the lens for small-scale fisheries in Canada, the chapters showcase that small-scale fisheries offer key solutions for a range of issues challenging the governance of aquatic systems across this country.

As the final speaker, before embarking on the Q&A session, Prof. Tony Charles focused his intervention on environmental stewardship by small-scale fisheries, a project that he has been managing for years. He emphasized that, small scale fisheries, including fishers, fish workers and their communities and organizations are effective contributors to safeguarding the aquatic resources and environments.

The Small-Scale Fisheries Stewardship is an initiatives of small-scale fishers and fishing organizations in caring for the natural environment and fishery resources, supporting fishing livelihoods around the world. In small-scale fisheries around the world, fishing communities and organizations are actively involved in a wide range of environmental conservation and stewardship activities. This key role of small-scale fisheries can be essential to the health and livelihoods of fishing communities and the environment and economy broadly, but it is not always widely known and appreciated. To improve this situation, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Saint Mary’s University (Canada), in cooperation with global fisher organizations, are engaging with small-scale fisher organizations and fishing communities to document their experiences with environmental conservation and stewardship. Environmental conservation and stewardship comes in many different forms. This includes activities within fisheries, such as management measures to ensure sustainable use of resources and ecosystems, as well as those with other goals, such as maintaining or restoring local environments.

Disclaimer: The information, views, and opinions expressed in the following content are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policies or position of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Any content provided by non-FAO contributors is intended solely for informational purposes and does not constitute endorsement by FAO of the information presented or the individuals involved.