FAO

The FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department has published an audit of inland capture fishery statistics in Africa. This review is part of an initiative to refocus on inland capture fisheries after several years of relative neglect and to assess the current status of inland fishery resources of the continent. It also identifies critical issues emerging from the nominal catch statistics that affect understanding of the status of African inland capture fisheries and the capacity to manage them in the face of competing uses of water and the natural environment.

A new manual from the FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department, Fuel savings for small fishing vessels, provides practical advice to fishing boat owners and crews, boat builders and boat designers and fisheries administrators on ways to reduce fuel costs. With a focus on small fishing boats, it also serves as a guide for those involved with fuel savings for small vessels used in support of aquaculture activities. The manual provides information and diagrams to boat designers and boat builders on hull shape for low resistance and the selection of efficient propellers.

Sea cucumbers are exploited and traded in more than 70 countries worldwide. A new guide published by the FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department, Commercially important sea cucumbers of the world, provides identification information on 58 species of sea cucumbers that are commonly exploited in artisanal and industrial fisheries around the world. Not all exploited species are included. Intended for fishery managers, scientists, trade officers and industry workers, this book contains key information identification sheets allowing readers to distinguish each species from similar species, both in live and processed (dried) forms. Where available, the following information is included for each species: nomenclature together with FAO names and known common names used in different countries and regions; scientific illustrations of the body and ossicles; descriptions of ossicles present in different body parts; a colour photograph of live and dried specimens; basic information on size, habitat, biology, fisheries, human consumption, market value and trade; geographic distribution maps. The volume is fully indexed and contains an introduction, a glossary and bibliography. This field guidebook, part of the FAO Species Catalogue for Fishery Purposes collection and produced by FAO FishFinder , benefitted from the collaboration of sea cucumber scientists worldwide as well as FAO expertise.

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Webpage: http://www.fao.org/fishery/about/cofi/aquaculture

Mr Taconet, Marc ( marc.taconet@fao.org ) FIPS, FAO HQ, Rome Ms Sanders, Jessica ( jessica.sanders@fao.org ) FIPI, FAO HQ, Rome Mr Carocci, Fabio ( fabio.carocci@fao.org ) FIRF, FAO HQ, Rome Ms Labonté, Françoise( francoise.labonte@fao.org ) FIRF, FAO HQ, Rome Meeting location: GFCM - Palazzo Blumenstihl Via Vittoria Colonna 1 00193 Rome Italy Agenda Background Paper 1: Review of progress on implementation of the FAO international guidelines for the management of deep-sea fisheries in the high seas - experience of RFMO/As with identifying and protecting VMEs. By Jake Rice, DFO. Background Paper 2: Summary of the Moderator: Workshop to discuss implementation of paragraphs 80 and 83 to 87 of resolution 61/105 and paragraphs 117 and 119 to 127 of resolution 64/72 on sustainable fisheries, addressing the impacts of bottom fishing on vulnerable marine ecosystems and the long-term sustainability of deep sea fish stocks. Report Confirmed participants Prospectus

Meeting documents

Small-scale fisheries, although they do not land as much produce as commercial or large-scale fisheries, bear far more socioeconomic importance. They produce more fish for domestic human consumption, employ over 90% of the world’s estimated 35 million capture fishers and support another 85 million people employed in jobs associated with fish processing, distribution and marketing - especially women, who make up about half of those employed in small-scale fisheries. These fisherfolk are among the stakeholders invited to sit in discussions with regional and international fisheries experts, in addition to civil society organizations and policy-makers, as the region collaborates in providing input on new international guidelines. The International Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries (SSF Guidelines) are being developed and the negotiated final draft will be presented for adoption at the next session of the FAO Committee on Fisheries (COFI) in July 2014. As part of this consultative process, there will be a workshop for Caribbean countries in Kingston, Jamaica, from December 6-8, 2012. Participants will be asked to review and provide comments on the Zero Draft of the SSF Guidelines. The SSF meeting is one of five multi-agency fisheries meetings to be convened from 5-12 December 2012. On the heels of the SSF workshop will be another major meeting from 10-12 December aims to engage climate change and disaster risk management experts from the region, as they explore the ways in which this phenomenon could impact fisheries sectors across the CARICOM region. A performance review of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM), to be undertaken over the course of the 8 days, will pave the way for the CRFM Member States and collaborators to formulate a new eight-year strategic plan for the CRFM (2013-21). The events formally open at an official ceremony on December 6 where Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Roger Clarke will deliver the keynote address; CRFM Executive Director Milton Haughton will speak on behalf of the CRFM; and FAO Senior Fishery Officer Helga Josupeit for the FAO.Haughton said the meetings are an opportunity for the countries and stakeholders such as fisherfolk to engage in discussing issues of common interest as well as to actively participate in creating plans and programmes to secure their livelihoods. More information on the InternationalGuidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries The meetings are convened by the CRFM in collaboration with the FAO Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission (WECAFC), the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC), and the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), through funding and technical assistance provided by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The 19 participating countries: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and Turks & Caicos Islands. Some 100 participants are expected, including fisherfolk representatives from Chile, Costa Rica and South Africa and several regional and international organizations.

The "Workshop to Validate the Review of Current Fisheries Management Performance and Conservation Measures in the Western Central Atlantic Region" was held in Jamaica on 8 December 2012. Preliminary findings point to concerns about the status of the legal processes in fisheries, particularly in the 16 countries that participated in the survey. It appears that many fisheries sector laws currently in place do not require fisheries managers to make decisions based on necessary scientific evidence. Only 56% of countries and territories surveyed had incorporated stock assessments requirements into their legislation. Moreover, social impact analyses, analysis by regional fisheries bodies and economic analyses were among those types of analyses least required by the national legislation for making management decisions in fisheries. Consequently, the legal framework for the implementation of fisheries management and conservation measures appears to be limited and non-specific in many of the countries in the region. This is in sharp contrast to the emergence and adoption of several international fisheries instruments by the countries concerned - international instruments that make specific provisions regarding preservation of resource health, biodiversity and the associated ecosystems, and hence which provide paradigms for sustainable fisheries management. The review also shows that many major fisheries are not tied to any formal management plans. Fisheries specific management plans have been developed for only 60% of commercial and small-scale fisheries and for very few recreational fisheries (14%). In cases where formal fisheries management plans do exist, overfishing is not defined which can hamper formal treatment of this problem, considered to be common. More findings from the study will be shared after discussion at the 11th CRFM Fisheries Forum meeting to be held in Barbados in May 2013. By then there will be additional findings on the management performance status in the region and recommendations for resolving the issues will be showing a way forward for the region. The “Review of the state of world marine capture fisheries management: WECAFC region” is carried out in partnership by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission (WECAFC) and the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM). Sixteen countries and territories are participating in the review. The findings will be published by FAO as a Fisheries and Aquaculture Technical Paper in 2013.

The hurricane season just ended and, with the trail of death and destruction carved out by Hurricane Sandy in October, has left many with a reminder of just how devastating natural disasters can be. Climate change is a compounding factor that regional fisheries managers cannot ignore. Over 90 collaborators from across the region will be focusing on these issues as they convene the Workshop on Formulation of a Strategy, Action Plan and Programme Proposal on Disaster Risk Management (DRM), Climate Change Adaptation in Fisheries and Aquaculture in the CARICOM Region in Jamaica from 10-12 December. “The Caribbean is said to be one of the most disaster-prone regions in the world based on the frequency and severity of hazard impacts, as well as the significant damage, destruction and social and economic losses experienced. We are very mindful of the potential devastating impact of both man-made and natural hazards such as tropical storms, hurricanes, floods, droughts, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes and tsunamis. Over the past 2-3 decades, these hazards have had devastating impacts on the people, their property and livelihoods, and on the social and economic development of our countries,” said Executive Director of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM), Milton Haughton. Haughton noted that fishers, fish farmers and fishing communities, particularly those in coastal areas, are vulnerable. “It is not surprising, therefore, that the subject of climate change and disaster risk management has been recognized as a fundamental development challenge in the Caribbean requiring special attention by policy makers,” he added. At the request of the CRFM, FAO has provided support to assist countries in the region with the development of a Regional Strategy, Action Plan and Programme Proposal on Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change Adaptation in Fisheries and Aquaculture, in an effort to implement adaptation and mitigation. It is in this vein that government officials responsible for fisheries, climate change and disaster risk management, along with fisherfolk and civil society representatives, are meeting. “This should help us as a region to better understand the impacts of climate change on the fisheries and marine ecosystem, and implement adaptation and mitigation measures to protect food security and the livelihoods of coastal communities in the region,” Haughton elaborated. He urged that, “We need to act now to climate-proof and protect the vulnerable coastal fishing communities and their livelihoods, and build ecosystem resilience into our aquaculture and fisheries management policies.” Days earlier, the regional collaborators met to provide input on the Zero Draft of the International Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries (SSF Guidelines), which will be presented for adoption at the FAO Committee on Fisheries (COFI) in July 2014. “The preparation of the SSF Guidelines is expected to contribute to policy development at the national and regional levels,” said FAO Senior Fishery Officer Helga Josupeit. “In addition, both the process and the final product are expected to have considerable impact on guiding policies and practices for securing small-scale fisheries and creating benefits, especially in terms of food security and poverty reduction.” Josupeit explained that small-scale fishers, fish workers and their communities across the world should feel a sense of ownership of the SSF guidelines, thus contributing to the process of turning resource users into resource stewards. Participants also undertook a performance review of the CRFM and provided input into a new 8-year strategic plan for 2013-2021.

FAO has recently published a field guide The living marine resources of Kenya covering the major resource groups likely to be encountered in the fisheries of Kenya. The guide includes shrimps, lobsters, crabs, bivalves, gastropods, cephalopods, sea cucumbers, sharks, batoid fishes, bony fishes, and sea turtles. It contains general information, as well as technical and scientific terms accompanied by illustrations, diagnostic features and further literature. The field guide is part of the FAO FishFinder programme

Over 100 stakeholders from government and grassroots agencies, as well as regional and international organizations, will be gathering next week in Kingston, Jamaica, for a series of five multi-agency fisheries meetings from December 5-12. Speaking of the significance of the meetings, Milton Haughton, Executive Director of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) said: "It is an opportunity for the countries and stakeholders, meaning government representatives as well as fisherfolk and other stakeholders – including non-government organizations and civil society organizations – to get together to discuss issues of common interest and to come up with plans and programs for a brighter future." The meetings are convened by the CRFM in collaboration with the FAO Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission (WECAFC), the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) and the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), through funding and technical assistance provided by FAO. Haughton said that the performance of the CRFM as an organization will be assessed during the course of the meetings. "We've been in operations now for almost 8 years, so we are stopping and taking stock of our performance over the last few years..." he said. The review will pave the way for the CRFM Member States and collaborators to formulate a new eight-year strategic plan for the CRFM (2013 -2021). Whereas the first two meetings will be focused on administrative work, the remaining three will focus on driving major fisheries initiatives forward, as we seek to transform, modernize and improve the aquaculture and fisheries sector. These meetings are aimed at ensuring a more secure future for those persons who depend upon fisheries and aquaculture resources for their livelihoods, particularly small-scale fishers and their families. The third meeting, the FAO/CRFM/WECAFC Regional Small-Scale Fisheries Workshop, will center around small-scale fisheries development, more specifically, the development of international guidelines for securing sustainable small-scale fisheries, while the fourth is geared towards developing a strategy and action plan to respond to climate change and disaster risk management in fisheries and aquaculture across the Caribbean. Haughton said they will be breaking new ground with the degree of intersectoral, interdisciplinary and participatory approaches that they are taking. "It is the first time that fisheries, disaster risk management and climate change officials will be meeting together with representatives of fisherfolk organizations, civil society organizations, academic institutions, and international and regional development partners, to come up with collective plans and programs, and identify strategic directions to move the sector towards higher levels of outputs and sustainable development," he explained. Haughton elaborated that participants will be meeting to develop integrated plans across traditional sectoral lines that would address important areas of need within the fisheries and aquaculture sector. Jamaica's Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Roger Clarke will deliver the feature address at the official opening ceremony, which will take place on Thursday, December 6, followed by a press conference. Background document on Summary of Workshops video

Timor-Leste has completed its first ever national census of fishing vessels, an achievement which will greatly facilitate the sustainable management of the nation's fisheries resources. Between October 2011 and October 2012, a Mobile Licensing Service visited 192 fishing centers in all 11 districts throughout the country. A total of 2 865 boats were registered during the process, of which 1 324 were issued licenses. This activity is part of the Spanish-funded Regional Fisheries Livelihoods Programme for South and Southeast Asia (RFLP) which is executed by FAO.

The overall purpose of the workshop is to contribute to strengthening regional and national inter sectoral cooperation and the development of capacity to address climate change impacts and disasters in the fisheries and aquaculture sector. The expected outputs are: Assessment study on the impact of climate change and disasters on the fisheries and aquaculture sector in the CARICOM region Strategy and action plan for integrating disaster risk management, climate change adaptation and fisheries and aquaculture, with a focus on small-scale fisheries and small-scale aquaculture. Results-based programme proposal with supporting project concept notes towards implementation and resource mobilization. The workshop is organised by FAO and CRFM with the support from Sweden through the FMM FAO Multidonor Mechanism (FMM/GLO/003/MUL) and Japan (GCP /INT/253/JPN). The workshop is being organized in collaboration with CDEMA, CCCCC, WECAFC and other members of the Agriculture Sub-Sector Committee/Technical Management Advisory Committee (ASSC/TMAC). Prospectus and Agenda

FAO has just released a new proceedings of a commission workshop, Climate change implications for fishing communities in the Lake Chad Basin: What have we learned and what can we do better?, which also includes the full report and background paper. Discussions largely focused on: hydrology and climate trends of the Lake Chad basin, national perspectives on impacts and adaptations of climate change, current natural resources projects in the Lake Chad Basin and recommendations for actions to increase adaptability and resilience to be carried out.

FAO has just released a new proceedings of a workshop, Climate change implications for fisheries of the Benguela current region: Making the best of change. The Workshop looked at ways to reduce vulnerability and increase adaptive capacity of the social-ecological fisheries systems of the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem. The main topics covered include national contexts of climate variability and change and fisheries and a vulnerability assessment of the region's fisheries. Discussions focused on: aspects of developing a methodology for vulnerability assessment; definition of vulnerability in a fisheries context; potential climate change impacts on, and vulnerability levels of, the different fisheries in the region; and potential short- and medium-term adaptation actions.

The WECAFC/OSPESCA/CRFM/CFMC Working Group* on Recreational Fisheries concluded its first major activity. An Expert Workshop held in Santa Marta, Colombia earlier this month reviewed and finalized a Manual on economic impact assessment of recreational fisheries in the Wider Caribbean Region which will be tested in 2013. The Working Group members consider the manual a very useful tool for assessing the level of expenditures and associated economic impacts related to recreational fishing in the region. Application of the manual will: a) increase awareness and understanding among decision makers and the general public about the economic importance of recreational fisheries to their countries and b) assist fisheries managers to contribute better to public policy discussions affecting fisheries management, conservation and economic policy. After a test phase in 2013, the manual will be distributed widely in English, Spanish and French throughout the region. The Expert Workshop was attended by 29 experts from 8 countries and territories**. The Expert Workshop was co-organized by the Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission (WECAFC) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and The Billfish Foundation (TBF). The Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI) facilitated the workshop arrangements. More information on the meeting and its outcomes can be obtained from the WECAFC:WECAFC-Secretariat@fao.org. Read the workshop conclusions and recommendations * This is a joint Working Group of the Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission (WECAFC), Organization for the Fisheries and Aquaculture Sector of the Central American Isthmus (OSPESCA), the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM), and the Caribbean Fisheries Management Council (CFMC). ** Participating countries and territories included: Caribbean Netherlands, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, France (Martinique), Trinidad and Tobago, United States of America (including Puerto Rico) and Venezuela. CRFM, CFMC, TBF, ICCAT, IGFA, GCFI, World Bank and FAO were represented as well.

FAO Sub-regional Office for Central Asia (SEC) - Ankara, Turkey ( CACFish-Secretariat@fao.org ) Information to participants (in Russian) Meeting documents