FAO

Policy-makers should be aware of the declining trend in fisheries production in the Caribbean region. The Scientific Advisory Group (SAG) of the Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission (WECAFC) calls for renewed attention from policy-makers to the declining trend in fish catches of some important commercial fisheries species stocks including the valuable Caribbean spiny lobster and several important reef species and urges action in support of the implementation of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries. WECAFC was established in 1973 under the constitution of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and currently has 35 member countries. It aims to promote the effective conservation, management and development of the living marine resources in the Wider Caribbean Region, in accordance with the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, and address common problems of fisheries management and development faced by members of the Commission. The fifth session of the WECAFC Scientific Advisory Group, which took place in Puerto Morelos, Mexico on 28-29 October, discussed the fisheries resource status in the Wider Caribbean Region, identified emerging and continuing issues of concern to fisheries stakeholders and produced a set of research-related priorities focusing on fisheries resource assessment and management, for consideration by WECAFC in February 2012. Working Groups of regional experts With the intention of increasing the effectiveness of WECAFC, the SAG made recommendations for reinforcing cooperation between different regional and sub-regional fishery bodies by forming joint working groups and strengthening the activities and functioning of various existing working groups composed of regional experts in their fields. These included, among others: the establishment of an OSPESCA /WECAFC/CRFM Working Group on Spiny Lobster and the strengthening of the CRFM/WECAFC Working Group on Flying Fish in the Eastern Caribbean. In relation to Queen Conch the SAG noted that good progress had been made in several countries in recent years in management of the Conch, aided by the involvement of CITES. Nevertheless, the situation needs to be carefully monitored and there is need for improvement in a number of countries in the region. Communication and harmonization The importance of fisheries and aquaculture in the region is not well-recognized. The SAG recommended that knowledge of the sector and the priority given to it should be raised -- public media could make a valuable contribution to this. Moreover, the WECAFC members were urged to pay attention to further development and harmonization of policy, management plans and legal frameworks in the region. Fisheries resource assessment and management The SAG drew the attention of WECAFC and its members to the following research priorities aimed at improving current fisheries resource assessment and management: • Comprehensive fisheries assessment • Building capacity for research, assessment and management • Aquaculture development and management • Incorporating social, economic and livelihood considerations • Impacts of climate change and variability on fisheries • Governance of marine resources incorporating ecosystem approaches The SAG meeting was hosted by the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GFCI) and was composed of fisheries experts from Barbados, Mexico, Panama and the United States of America, CRFM, CERMES, CLME Project, GCFI, NOAA, OSPESCA and FAO. More information about WECAFC and its SAG . Participant's photo

UN Agencies call on States and the international community for renewed commitment. UN agencies are launching today a plan to improve the management of oceans and coastal areas. The Blueprint for Ocean and Coastal Sustainability sounds the alarm about the health of the oceans, and explains how they influence our everyday life by regulating the climate, providing highly-nutritious food and by sustaining livelihoods and economies. It recalls that although the ocean accounts for 70 per cent of the surface of our planet, only one per cent of it is protected. Presented at UNESCO Headquarters during the 36th session of the General Conference, the Blueprint was prepared for consideration by the UN conference on sustainable development (Rio+20, June 2012).

Meeting documents

To mark the 150th birthday of Fridtjof Nansen -- celebrated Norwegian explorer, oceanographer, diplomat, national hero, institution builder, neurobiologist and marine biologist -- the EAF-Nansen Project meeting kicked-off with a seminar on The legacy of Nansen in marine research; relevance to development cooperation in fisheries. The EAF-Nansen Project is a partnership between the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad), FAO and the Institute of Marine Research (IMR) of Norway. The R/V Dr Fridtjof Nansen, the flagship of the EAF-Nansen project, was named after Nansen. The meeting was held in Oslo, Norway from 13 to 15 October 2011. Opening the seminar after a brief welcome note by Ms. Villa Kulild, Director General of Norad, Ms. Ingrid Fiskaa, State Secretary, Norway Ministry of Foreign Affairs , noted that the Norwegian government envisages that the EAF-Nansen Project will continue to contribute to responsible resource management for many years. Four presentations followed: Fridtjof Nansen as marine biologist and physical oceanographer: Is he still a source of inspiration? by Olav Sigurd Kjesbu of IMR, looked at the various aspects of the life of Fridtjof Nansen. He said that Nansen was, first of all, a unique research scientist, a “general specialist” regarded as one of the co-founders of the modern view of the nervous system and a pioneer in bridging physical oceanography and marine biology. The development of international marine research, with focus on the research on fish populations and fisheries management , presented by Poul Degnbol of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), remarked that after contributing to marine science through his own efforts, Nansen was instrumental in building national and international marine science and was key to establishing international cooperation in marine research. He concluded that “research (and common sense) in recent decades has demonstrated that it is failing institutions rather than failing science which has prevented fisheries management from delivering sustainable fisheries and gain legitimacy”. Global climate change and regional impacts on marine ecosystems , delivered by the IMR’s Svein Sundby, stated that long-term natural climate variability masks the effects and predictability of anthropogenic climate change. He pointed out that unlike climate change whose impact on marine ecosystems depends on critical physical and biological mechanisms, ocean acidification is rather the “dark horse” impacting negatively and uniformly across all marine ecosystems. Finally Kwame Koranteng, Coordinator of the EAF-Nansen Project, wrapped up with a talk on The modern relevance of Fridtjof Nansen’s values and ideals: Past, present and future role of the Nansen Programme in fisheries and development . He considered Nansen’s achievements an inspiration for international development and cooperation, including the concept of the Nansen Programme, and its contribution to fisheries management in developing countries. In closing, he asked whether the Programme has lived up to the Nansen spirit and adhered to his values as an adventurer, explorer and humanitarian, and also responded to the call to support scientifically weak nations in the area of fisheries management. EAF-Nansen Project

Soaring food prices, coupled with years of conflict and economic sanctions, have had a devastating impact on the livelihoods of Iraq’s people. To help mitigate the effects accompanying the outbreak of the avian flu, along with the rising prices of poultry, FAO sought to introduce an alternative source of protein to Iraqi household diets by helping increase fish production.

Meeting documents

Meeting documents

In 1997 the FAO Conference instituted the Margarita Lizárraga Medal to be awarded every two years to a person or organization that has served with distinction in the application of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries. The Medal pays tribute to Ms Margarita Lizárraga, Senior Fishery Liaison Officer, for her decisive role in promoting the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries for her productive work in the field of fisheries for almost forty years, for her great dedication to FAO and for her strong commitment towards fostering the promotion of the fisheries sector, especially in developing countries. Nominations are now open for candidates for the 2012-2013 Margarita Lizárraga Medal Award. Any person or organization may propose a person or organization that has diligently applied the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries. Winners are selected based on an outstanding, practical hands-on contribution to the application of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries demonstrating a tangible output; the activity should be a sustained effort, and not a one–off initiative; and the output should have the potential for a catalytic effect. Submissions must be made on the specific electronic nomination form which can be obtained from the FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Web site to the Secretary, Committee on Fisheries. Proposals for nominations should be submitted by 30 April 2012. The 2012-2013 Margarita Lizárraga Medal Award will be presented by the FAO Director-General at a special ceremony during the Thirty-eigth Session of the FAO Conference in June 2013.

Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (RLC) Meeting documents Web site

Women play a significant role in fisheries, yet lack of attention to gender roles and relations can result in policies or programmes failing to improve livelihoods or reduce vulnerability of fishing communities. The largely ‘invisible’ role of women in small-scale fisheries must be addressed if actions aimed at improving the livelihoods of small-scale fishers and their families are to be successful.To help promote gender equity and improve fisheries livelihoods, the Regional Fisheries Livelihoods Programme for South and Southeast Asia (RFLP) has developed a field handbook that gives guidance on taking gender into account in all phases of small-scale fisheries development projects.

FAO and the World Health Organisation (WHO) have published a report of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Consultation on the risks and benefits of fish consumption. The report recommends a framework for assessing the net health benefits or risks of fish consumption in order to provide guidance to national food safety authorities and the Codex Alimentarius Commission in their work on managing risks, taking into account the existing data on the benefits of eating fish.

The FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department has recently published a technical paper on beach seine fisheries, providing a global overview and identifying key issues for the responsible use of beach seines as they have been banned outright in some countries due to environmental damage. The work emphasizes the need to achieve both sustainable livelihoods for coastal communities and fisheries when beach seines are involved and also provides guidelines for fisheries managers. Fishing with beach seines draws on findings of case studies as well as a review of other relevant publications.

Today marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Fridtjof Nansen, one of Europe’s great pioneers and humanitarians and an inspiration to FAO’s work in fisheries development. Born in Norway on 10 October 1861, Nansen excelled in sciences and drawing and studied zoology. His scientific curiosity, matched with athletic prowess, led to brilliant achievements and international fame. In 1882 Nansen sailed to Greenland which resulted in a book of observations and keen interest in the world of sea and ice. In 1888, after completing university, Nansen organized a trip to cross Greenland where he survived temperatures of -45° C, climbed to 2750 meters and mastered dangerous ice , to bring new information on Greenland’s interior. As curator of the University of Oslo’s Zootomical Institute , Nansen planned an exploratory trip to the Arctic. His ship, the Fram (meaning ‘Forward’), sailed from Siberia in September 1893, emerging in northern Norway 35 months later in August 1896. But half the time Nansen was not aboard. Realizing that the ship would not pass over the North Pole, Nansen and a companion, with 100 days' rations, set out on a 640 kilometere dash to the Pole in March 1895. In 23 days they traveled 225 kilometers over oceans of ice, getting closer to the Pole than anyone had previously been. Nansen was appointed professor of oceanography in 1908 and continued to break new ground, leading several expeditions into Polar regions. But when World War I broke, exploration halted and Nansen became increasingly interested in international affairs. Beginning with his involvement for Norway’s independence, Nansen served his country in many capacities, from minister to Great Britain to the League of Nations representative. His many actions included repatriating prisoners of war and negotiating food aid shipments. In June 1921 Nansen headed the new High Commission for Refugees where he created the «Nansen Passport», an identification document recognized by 52 governments. Nansen was awarded the 1922 Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his outstanding humanitarian actions. He died on 13 May 13 1930 and buried on May 17, Norway's Constitution Day. Nansen’s legacy of scientific exploration and research live on in the Nansen Programme. FAO has been collaborating with the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) and the Institute of Marine Research (IMR) of Bergen, Norway for nearly 35 years for the successful implementation of the Nansen Programme and now the EAF-Nansen Project. From 1975 the Programme carried out fisheries resources and environment surveys in developing countries using the vessel R/V Dr Fridtjof Nansen operated by the IMR. Early phases focused on exploring fisheries resources for development and later engaged in resource assessments and monitoring. The R/V Dr Fridtjof Nansen has become a symbol for the sustainable development of fisheries. The Programme has assembled the longest ever, and in most cases, uninterrupted time series of valuable fisheries and marine environmental data from the Large Marine Ecoregions of Africa. The EAF-Nansen Project also gives support to developing countries in fisheries research and management and to adopt and implement the ecosystem approach in the management of their fisheries. Through the project FAO is assisting its developing member States to achieve the Millennium Development Goal related to eradication of poverty and hunger while simultaneously ensuring environmental sustainability. "It was apropriate that a Norwegian fisheries programme to support developing countries was associated with Fridtjof Nansen’s ideals – innovative, bold and adventurous," said Árni M. Mathiesen, FAO’s Assistant Director General for Fisheries and Aquaculture. EAF-Nansen Website

Meeting documents

The Report of the 29th session of the FAO Committee on Fisheries (COFI) which took place earlier this year is now online and available in all official languages. For more information on COFI , click here.

Asian Ministerial Meeting on Aquaculture held in Sri Lanka in July 2011. Fisheries and aquaculture is a major source of food and livelihoods in Asia. Not only does the region have the highest average food fish consumption rate - estimated at 29 kg per person per year – but it has the highest contribution to global aquaculture, over 80%. In order to maintain at least the current level of consumption, and taking into consideration the growing world population, Asia will require an additional 20 million tonnes of fish per year by 2030, which will have to come from aquaculture. This is a major task for the region and there will be hurdles on the road to success. The Asia Regional Ministerial Meeting on Aquaculture for Food Security, Nutrition and Economic Development was convened in Colombo on 28-29 July, organized jointly by FAO and NACA and hosted by the Government of Sri Lanka to discuss issues pertaining to aquaculture and regional cooperation in improving the contribution of aquaculture to food security and economic development. This important international and high-level ministerial event was attended by delegations from seventeen countries in the region, namely, Bangladesh Cambodia, China, Fiji, India, Indonesia, DPR Korea, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor Leste and Viet Nam. The keynote address was delivered by His Excellency, the Hon. Mahinda Rajapaksa, President of Sri Lanka. Opening remarks were delivered by Mr. Árni M. Mathiesen, Assistant Director-General of FAO; Prof. Sena De Silva, Director General of NACA; and Dr Rajitha Senaratne, Hon. Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development, Sri Lanka. The opening ceremony was followed by ministerial statements concerning aquaculture, food security, nutrition and economic development. The two-day meeting concluded with the "Colombo Declaration" , a political commitment to regional cooperation in aquaculture development for food security, nutrition and economic development. The declaration provides a policy framework for Asian governments to collaborate in pursuing these common goals, to share experience and build on each other’s strengths for the benefit of all. FAO was proud to be a partner in the meeting and hopes it will facilitate the region to reinforce its role and meet the global demand for aquatic food in the coming years. Photos of the Asia Regional Ministerial Meeting on Aquaculture

Meeting location: Institut National de Pesca (INP) Letamendi 102 y la Ría Guayaquil, Ecuador Local contact: Ms Isledys Fernández ifernandez@inp.gob.ec (Tel: 011 593 4 2401773 ext. 121) and Mr Nikita Gaibor ngabor@inp.gob.ec (Tel: 011 593 88942145) ASFA Website

For further information and documentation click here

For further information and documentation click here

APFIC Website