Thumbnail Image

Governing for transformation towards sustainable small-scale fisheries











Berkes, F. & Franz, N. eds. 2025. Governing for transformation towards sustainable small-scale fisheries. Rome, FAO. 




Also available in:
No results found.

Related items

Showing items related by metadata.

  • Thumbnail Image
    Book (stand-alone)
    Small-scale fisheries governance
    A handbook in support of the implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication
    2024
    Also available in:
    No results found.

    The small-scale fisheries subsector is a crucial provider of livelihoods, nutrition, and food security to millions of people all over the world. However, small-scale fishers, fishworkers and their communities face many challenges, including lack of recognition, limited participation in decision-making, unsustainable use of aquatic resources, climate change impacts and conflicting interests with other sectors.The Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines) are the first international instrument entirely dedicated to small-scale fisheries and provide guidance on how to address existing challenges in the subsector. One of the key areas discussed in the SSF Guidelines is the need for an enabling environment that promotes good governance.This publication, Small-scale fisheries governance – A handbook in support of the implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication, was based on a number of training courses on governance in small-scale fisheries. It offers an overview of the SSF Guidelines and guidance on their implementation in particular with regard to good governance and the enabling environment needed.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Book (stand-alone)
    Restoration of productive aquatic ecosystems by small-scale fisheries and aquaculture communities in Asia
    Good practices, innovations and success stories
    2022
    Also available in:
    No results found.

    This report showcases examples of actions taken by small-scale fishers and aquaculture farmers in Asia to restore the productivity of aquatic ecosystems. Small-scale fishers and fish farmers include some of the world’s most marginalized and impoverished people groups, yet their harvests account for over half of the world’s aquatic food production. The marine, coastal and freshwater ecosystems their livelihoods depend upon are degraded from human impacts and further at risk from climate change. Ecosystem restoration actions by fisherfolk communities can revitalize the socio-ecological services and sustain progress over time. Both passive and active restoration approaches are being employed across Asia’s marine, coastal and inland waterways. Fishers, fish farmers, and fishworkers’ restorative actions are focused on increasing the sustainability of their operations. Common approaches include eliminating destructive fishing, reducing overfishing through gear changes and effort control, restoring connectivity of floodplains and fish migration pathways, integrated aquaculture and rice-farming practices, re-stocking of native fisheries, and actively rehabilitating and / or re-establishing habitats. Progress is measurable through a diverse array of environmental, socio-economic and governance related metrics. Changes in fisheries catches, ecological connectivity, water quality, habitat diversity and structure, and fish consumption provide important measures of biodiversity gains (or losses). Common enablers of success include economic incentives, co-management and legal recognition of fishing rights, highly engaged fisherfolk cooperatives or community groups, women’s leadership and development, and community partnerships with stakeholders that focus on enabling fisherfolk’s own goals for sustainable livelihoods. Ecosystem restoration activities have not lasted when these enablers are insufficiently attended to and when environmental aspects of project feasibility, such as the choice of rehabilitation locations and / or species, are poorly planned. Successes in ecosystem restoration by fisherfolk can and are being scaled out to neighbouring communities and countries. Key to this is the sharing of stories, lessons learned and tools through south-south partnerships, learning exchanges, and women’s groups. Simple, low-cost tools and actions have enabled long-term engagement by small-scale fishers in sustainable operations. More complex actions, such as the uptake of integrated aquaculture systems, are also enabling stepwise changes in ecosystem restoration. By sharing stories from different ecosystems, fisheries, and geographies, this report seeks to help fisherfolk and their partners glean from one another and achieve faster progress in ecosystem restoration.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Book (stand-alone)
    Towards the implementation of the SSF Guidelines. Proceedings of the Workshop on the Development of a Global Assistance Programme in Support of the Implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication, 8-11 December 2014, Rome, Italy 2015
    Also available in:
    No results found.

    Following the endorsement of the SSF Guidelines by the FAO Committee on Fisheries (COFI) in June 2014, FAO is now engaging in implementation planning through a participatory process and in accordance with COFI recommendations. COFI proposed the establishment of an SSF Guidelines Global Assistance Programme (GAP) and an outline of this GAP was presented to COFI The workshop was an important step in terms of guidance for consolidating the overall implementation approach for the SSF Guidelines. It is evident that there is an overall willingness to work towards a coherent, coordinated implementation by all stakeholders, based on the guiding principles of the SSF Guidelines themselves. It was confirmed that FAO has an important role to play in terms of supporting and facilitating the implementation, but also in providing technical support and project implementation, based on demand. FAO is looking forward to continuing working on the development of the GAP framework, based on commitment and professionalism and in close collaboration with partners and stakeholders.  

Users also downloaded

Showing related downloaded files

No results found.