World Ocean Summit Advancer

Ahead of the World Ocean Summit, the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) called for the recognition of the importance of small-scale artisanal fisheries and aquaculture, which are “a critical part of fisheries,” according to a senior FAO official.

Ahead of the World Ocean Summit, the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) called for the recognition of the importance of small-scale artisanal fisheries and aquaculture, which are “a critical part of fisheries,” according to a senior FAO official.

Oceans make up 70 percent of the planet’s surface and support the livelihoods for millions of people around the world. Despite their important role, numerous threats such as overfishing, destructive fishing practices, marine pollution and climate change are threatening the ability of the oceans to continue providing vital ecosystem services and essential food resources.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is working with small-scale fishers to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.

In Cameroon FAO aims to ensure the shrimp sector, the country’s main fish and seafood export product, is more environmentally sustainable through better stock management and a reduction in by-catch. At the same time FAO is focused on creating new jobs, enhancing working conditions and improving food and nutritional security of small-scale fishers.

The project is part of the global initiative called FISH4ACP, an innovative programme, devised with the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), funded by the European Union and Germany and implemented by FAO.

SOUNDBITE (French) Anastasie Obama, Cooperative Desfuscam: “When I got married, I came here. I used to cut wood at home and do the smoking. I was selling in the village, I was distributing. It was small. I did not even have an oven. My husband liked it very much. He always encouraged me”.

Almost all fishers of the country are men, while women make up most of the processing and retailing workforce. Anastasie Obama is president of the board of Cooperative Desfuscam, in Yaoundé, Cameroon. The cooperative makes smoked shrimp and other shrimps derived products that before the COVID-19 pandemic were mainly exported.

SOUNDBITE (French) Anastasie Obama, Cooperative Desfuscam: “Our shrimp, our fish was going abroad. People came to eat here and we were sending it everywhere”.

The shrimp sector has an estimated value of USD 3 millions in Cameroon, with a production of 400 tonnes per year and exports, in 2019, for almost 40 percent of the product, with Asian countries making up the biggest share of the market. But COVID-19 had a very negative impact on exports, because the borders were closed.

SOUNDBITE (French) Anastasie Obama, Cooperative Desfuscam: “With the little means we have, we sell and make a little profit to cover our cost. It’s not enough but we make do”.

Small-scale artisanal fisheries and aquaculture are an important part of global food systems and can play a crucial role in protecting oceans, however, they are not recognized or well-understood.

FISH4ACP initiative is active in twelve countries, among them the Dominican Republic where FAO aims to improve mahi-mahi artisanal fishery, while ensuring that economic growth goes hand in hand with environmental sustainability and social inclusiveness.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish) José Tejeda Dumé, artisanal fisher: “Certain sectors neglect us. They don't see that a fisherman gets up at 4 in the morning to get soaked in storms and rains. He has to go to sea to provide for his children.”

FAO is committed to strengthening artisanal fishing activities, ensuring that the people involved in this sector receive the right support and recognition.

SOUNDBITE (English) Vera Agostini, Deputy Director of FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Division: “Small-scale artisanal fisheries and aquaculture are under recognized they're critically important. If we just look at some of these numbers that can help you understand, can help us all understand that 90 percent of those involved in fisheries are those that are small-scale fishers, 60 million people and 40 percent of those are women. So, they are really a critical part of fisheries, but they are under recognized and undervalued. We need to really get the word out on how important they are, and we need to help policy and decision makers recognize that and take action”.

FAO will participate to the World Ocean Summit (1-4 March), an event that will bring together a diversity of stakeholders, academia, government, civil society and private industry to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda.

FAO will be contributing to the Summit on two panels, one on aquaculture and one on small-scale fisheries and aquaculture, two important areas that are at the center of the Organization’s Blue Transformation agenda aiming to achieve a balance between the need for positive societal outcomes and ecological sustainability in food production from the blue economy.

SOUNDBITE (English) Vera Agostini, Deputy Director of FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Division: “FAO believes that aquatic food systems are a critical part of global food systems. Why? Because they improve diets, especially for the most vulnerable, they are an important part of economic growth, and they offer solutions that lower the environmental footprint of food systems. So, this summit is a really important opportunity to bring that blue transformation agenda and engage in conversations with a diverse set of stakeholders that will be there”.

The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2022 the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture (IYAFA 2022). FAO is the lead agency for celebrating the year in collaboration with other relevant organizations and bodies of the United Nations system.

IYAFA 2022 aims to raise awareness on the role of small-scale fisheries and aquaculture, strengthen science-policy interaction, empower stakeholders to take action, and to build new and strengthen existing partnerships.

FISH4ACP is an initiative of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) aimed at making fisheries and aquaculture value chains in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific more sustainable. FISH4ACP is implemented by FAO and partners with funding from the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).