Thumbnail Image

Technical and socio-economic characteristics of small-scale coastal fishing communities, and opportunities for poverty alleviation and empowerment

Year of publication 2016

Pages 136 p.

Author Uwe Tietze

Publisher FAO ;

Product type Book (stand-alone)

ISBN 978-92-5-109230-9

Series title FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Circular

Series number C1111

Edition 1

Synopsis (short abstract) The document provides an overview of the situation that small-scale fishers in developing countries face in terms of: financial and economic performance of fishery enterprises; vulnerabilities and poverty; adaptations to a changing environment including, climate variability and change; and access to technology, infrastructure, financial services and social protection schemes. It also gives due attention to the role of women and gender equality in small-scale fisheries (SSFs). The document also d iscusses SSF issues in a few selected developed countries, states and provinces in order to compare similar issues of importance in SSFs in developed and developing countries and to examine whether something can be learned from the comparison. Most of the studies reviewed show that SSFs are generally profitable. However, many of the studies also point out that this does not mean that the earnings from fishing alone are sufficient to sustain households at a level above the poverty line or above a country’s minimum wage level. Studies found that, particularly during bad fishing seasons and poor catches, households are very dependent on income from non-fishery-related activities and on government assistance.

Cite this content as:

FAO 2016. Technical and socio-economic characteristics of small-scale coastal fishing communities, and opportunities for poverty alleviation and empowerment, by Uwe Tietze. FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Circular No. 1111. Rome, Italy.

Language English

Also available in:
No results found.

Related items

Showing items related by metadata.

  • Thumbnail Image
    Book (stand-alone)
    A Sub-regional Analysis of the Socio-Economic situation of the Eastern Mediterranean Fisheries 2016
    Also available in:
    No results found.
    Within the framework of the FAO EastMed project, a Working Group on the socio-economic analysis of the fisheries sector in the Eastern Mediterranean was conducted in Athens, Greece from the 2-6 of November 2015. The goal of the working group was to contribute to the understanding of the socio-economic situation of fishing fleets in the Eastern Mediterranean countries, with a view to support economic advice in fisheries management. This report is the result of the working group and compares selec ted fisheries socio-economic indicators, including harvesting cost structure and profitability of main fleet segments. During the working group data was compiled from the Eastern Mediterranean, including Cyprus, Egypt, Palestine (Gaza Strip), Greece, Italy (Ionian Sea), Lebanon and Turkey. For the EU countries the data derived from the EU Data Collection Framework (2010/93/EU) was used, while for the non-EU areas the data was derived from the socio-economic surveys which are currently being co nducted within the framework of the FAO EastMed project. Data from Turkey was derived from the Turkish Statistical Institute. The data collected by both the EU and non-EU areas follow a comparable standard methodology, and using these data sets, socio-economic indicators were estimated and compared among countries and fleet segments in the region. The economic performance of 25 fleet segments from the seven areas mentioned above were analyzed and compared for the year 2012. The fisheries secto r in the region including the Black Sea Turkish production, produced a total of 581 thousand tons of seafood with an estimated value of $1.6 billion. The fishing fleet directly employed 80,017 people on a full-time basis working onboard 40,436 vessels. According to the data presented in this report, the value added generated by fisheries made up 0.05% of the total GDP generated in the region, employing less than 1% of the labour force. However, in the coastal communities of the region it repre sented an important source of employment, income and a highly valuable source of animal protein. In terms of profitability, the best performances were showed in Egypt, Lebanon and Italy, while the worst performance was found in Gaza Strip, where the activity was not profitable. In the vast majority of the fleet segments analysed, crew members are paid with a share system where the running costs are subtracted from the revenues before allocating the shares to the crew members and to the owner. Th e salary per fisher compared to the minimum wage of the manufacturing sector, was lower in Gaza and Lebanon, and higher in Egypt. The ratio of energy costs to operating costs showed the highest value in the fleets operating in Gaza, where energy costs are at an unsustainable level, which is detrimental with respect to the salaries of the workers and the remuneration of the investments. The fuel efficiency showed the highest values in Turkey, and the lowest in Italy where all the fleet segments s cored an extremely low value. The comparison of the breakdown of the cost factors showed that labour and energy were in general the primary costs associated with fishing, although their proportion varies among countries, depending on many factors, such as the fleet structure, the harvesting methods and the fuel subsidies/taxes. In general, vessels using active fishing gears (i.e. trawlers) are more dependent on fuel and have the energy costs accounting for a larger proportion of the operational costs while, for the artisanal vessels using passive gears, labour represents the larger proportion of the operational costs. Salaries can absorb as much as half of the total operating costs in small-scale fisheries, with the exceptions of Gaza and Turkey where the labour costs were below 20%.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Document
    Improving Social Responsibility in Small-scale Fisheries: How can the SSF Guidelines Help?
    Vigo Dialogue on Decent Work in Fisheries and Aquaculture, 02 October 2018 Vigo, Spain
    2018
    Also available in:
    No results found.
    Vigo Dialogue on decent work in fisheries and aquaculture Fish is one of the world’s most traded food commodities with millions of people depending on fisheries as a source of jobs, income and livelihoods. In 2016, FAO data indicates that 59 million people were directly engaged in the primary sector of capture fisheries and aquaculture. Numerous international and national initiatives are now calling for increased social responsibility and improvements of social and labour conditions in fisheries value chains. Such initiatives are increasingly supported by governments, non-governmental organizations, industry, certification schemes and international governmental organizations and agencies.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Brochure, flyer, fact-sheet
    Namibia socio-economic development considerations to strengthen the small-scale fisheries ecosystem 2024
    Also available in:
    No results found.
    This assessment complements Namibia's National Plan of Action for Small-Scale Fisheries (NPOA-SSF), emphasizing the sector's pivotal role in socio-economic development. Conducted alongside the NPOA-SSF formulation, it highlights the socio-economic landscape of Namibia's small-scale fisheries, emphasizing poverty reduction and food security. Through a comparison with small-holder agriculture, it advocates for equitable support for both sectors, calling for comprehensive strategies to maximize their socio-economic contributions to Namibia's development.
Show more

Users also downloaded

Showing related downloaded files

No results found.