Committee on Fisheries concerns about Secure Sustainable Small Scale Fisheries

Twenty-Ninth Session of the Committee of Fisheries [COFI} a subsidiary body of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Rome 31st January – 4th February 2011.
The Committee presently constitutes the only intergovernmental forum where major international fisheries and aquaculture problems and issues are examined and recommendations addressed to governments, regional fishery bodies, NGO’s, fishworkers, FAO and international community, periodically on a worldwide basis. COFI is where as a forum global agreements and non-binding instruments are negotiated. Representing the world’s small-scale fish harvesters within this U.N. body, it had taken ten years of struggle, to get to this point where recognition of the rights of the Small-scale fishers were to be conferred upon. Such was the importance of this most crucial meet that being a participant carried a heavy burden on one’s shoulders not only for our own local fishers but for the fishing communities of the world. Stemming from civil society at the FAO Global Conference on Small-scale Fisheries [4SSF] in Bangkok 2008 and the subsequent regional conferences held in Maputo [Africa], Costa Rica [Americas] and Bangkok [Asia] in 2010 the call was for an international instrument on small-scale fisheries that was human rights based. All three regional conferences resolutions all brought to the fore the same message of equity, genuine democracy both participatory and representative, sustainability, recognition, non-discrimination and the protection against human rights abuses. The fisher people had spoken and it was our job to call for everything they wanted and attempt to get it implemented and not to settle for “better than nothing” or to gather the crumbs from the table. The outcome after four days of caucusing, side events, meetings with African Union and Nepad and presentations was a meritorious achievement and a triumph. Even though the committee approved the development of a new international instrument on small-scale fisheries that should draw on relevant existing instruments that compliments the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, this was not altogether an outright victory as the work to implement the guidelines and to clarify “who are we”? ranks as our next biggest challenge.

THE OUTCOME at COFI; GOOD PRACTICES IN THE GOVERNANCE OF SMALL-SCALE FISHERIES; SHARING OF EXPERIENCES AND LESSONS LEARNED IN RESPONSIBLE FOSHERIES FOR SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT [ITEM 10]

51 The committee welcomed the conclusions and recommendations stemming from an extensive process of consultation, including three regional workshops, with the effective participation.

52. The committee agreed on the important role played by the small-scale fisheries sector particularly for developing countries in the context of food security and poverty alleviation. The Committee noted that often this importance was not recognized and due attention given to the needs of small-scale fishers and their communities. The Committee further agreed that FAO should continue to give high priority to small-scale fisheries and ensure adequate visibility for them, particularly in relevant international fora which dealt directly or indirectly with these fisheries.

53. The Committee recognized the need to take account of the heterogeneity, diversity and complexity of the small-scale fisheries sector, including it’s cross-sectoral and gender dimensions, when defining policies and measures. The Committee noted the concern about the need for clarification of the term “small-scale fisheries”.

54. Consistent with the conclusions and recommendations of the regional workshops, the Committee approved the development of a new international instrument on small-scale fisheries that would draw on relevant existing instruments, complementing the Code. The Committee agreed that the new instrument should be voluntary in nature, address both inland and marine fisheries and focus on the needs of developing countries. The Committee indicated some preliminary issues to be addressed in this instrument, recommending that all stakeholders should be associated, as appropriate with this development.

55. The Committee agreed that the new instrument should take the form of international guidelines rather than an international plan of action or a new Code article.

56. The Committee noted the proposal made by some Members to establish a COFI Sub-Committee on Small-scale Fisheries, but no agreement was reached on that matter.

57. The Committee agreed on the need to strengthen the conditions of safety at sea in particular with regard to small-scale fisheries.

58. The Committee agreed to the establishment and implementation of a global assistance programme along thematic areas proposed.

Thanks to Andrew Johnston, Artisanal Fishers Association of South Africa for his contribution on COFI 2011.