Small-scale fisheries provide livelihoods and food security to millions of women and men around the word. They make important contribution to the local and national economy, as they embody diverse values, cultural identity and heritage of many coastal communities. The 2020 Ocean Conference in Lisbon, Portugal, was supposed to be a high impact platform for us working with small-scale fisheries and interested in supporting small-scale fisheries sustainability. It was a place to highlight the immense role small-scale fisheries have in achieving, not only Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14, which was the focus of the Lisbon Conference, but all other SDGs, given their connectedness and interdependence on land and sea, as well as their current and potential contribution to achieving other goals. The COVID-19 outbreak put a stop to the original plan of organizing an inperson, public forum on small-scale fisheries in Lisbon. And while the pandemic meant all in-person events had to be put on hold for a foreseeable future, an idea was soon born to mobilize the small-scale fisheries community, of research networks, government and non-governmental organizations, foundations, and community-based groups, and organize an online event for the World Oceans Day. Focused entirely on small-scale fisheries, this event would bring attention to the importance of the sector, celebrate their contributions, and contribute to a dialogue about inclusive, equitable and just development of the ocean, one that centers on the nature, characteristics and values of small-scale fisheries. The response to this initiative was positively overwhelming, with a great many individuals and organizations soon coming onboard. The result of these efforts was the ‘Small is bountiful – The contribution of smallscale fisheries to ocean sustainability and innovation’ event, held entirely virtually on June 1-8. TBTI, in partnership with a number of grassroots organizations as well as local, international and inter-governmental organizations, hosted a weeklong series of online webinars and panel discussions. Bringing to the table more than 70 speakers and moderators from 36 countries, the event featured five webinars and ten panel discussions that examined the current status of small-scale fisheries and showcased their important role for food security, poverty eradication, community wellbeing, and sustainable resource use. In addition, the sessions demonstrated not only how critical small-scale fisheries are for achieving the target SDG14.b but also how they are key connector with other SDGs that can help realize a much–needed integration of the sustainable goals. The event was also an opportunity to discuss what actions should be taken to secure the rights of small-scale fisheries and safeguard their access to fisheries resources, coastal and ocean space, and markets, bringing to the fore the importance of ‘Blue Justice’ for small-scale fisheries. The webinars and panels were the two formats used to enable deep dive into the topics as well as facilitate broad and engaged discussion. The webinars and panels were organized around five main topics, starting with the exploration of the impact of COVID-19 on small-scale fisheries. Through the COVID-related sessions, the speakers showcased the damaging impact of the pandemic on access to markets and resources, seen through the loss of domestic and international seafood markets, lower prices of fish products, increased IUU fishing, lack of proper inspection of fisheries products, changes of consumer behaviour, and many others. All over the world, small-scale fishers have either lost or reduced their daily earnings and processing workers are laid off or working for lower wages. Over and over again it was emphasized how women bear the brunt of these consequences. On the positive side, small-scale fishers have shown resilience, responding to these challenges through activities focused on innovation and re-localization. The next set of sessions focused on implementation of the SDG target 14.b. Applying the human rights lens, the speakers illustrated how human rights perspective can help identify challenges and opportunities when states implement measures to secure access of small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets. These sessions showcased how securing a better access for small-scale fisheries comes through a change in the governing systems. For this to happen, governments should facilitate fair and equitable allocation of resources. At the same time, certification and the traceability system should focus on socio-economic and cultural aspects, along with environmental elements. Conflicts, both at the local and national levels, should be addressed and solved. Moreover, access to the market and resources for small-scale fisheries should be clearly documented and integrated into the Blue Economy and regulations should be made for the Blue Justice of small-scale fisheries. The third topic of the event was the discussion about small-scale fisheries as a nexus of SDGs for ensuring “a future we want”. Covering different geographic regions and sectors, these sessions illustrated that, globally, small-scale fisheries exemplify the focus of the SDG aim to “leave no one behind”. Yet, as the speakers pointed out, while the SDGs have been described as the most comprehensive vision for development that the world has ever seen, discussions on fisheries and oceans are mostly focused on just the one goal – SDG 14: Life Below Water. Achieving the SDGs is a complex process, as the goals are interlinked, in turn creating synergies and trade-offs. SDGs have to be achieved through a holistic, equitable and inclusive process. Some of the practical examples of attaining this goal can be learned from SIDS and the agricultural sector, as well as by putting greater attention on fish-as-food, in particular its nutritional value. Next set of sessions focused on the SSF Guidelines and human rights for sustainable small-scale fisheries. The speakers discussed the human rightsbased approach (HRBA), which seeks to ensure the participation of small-scale fishing communities in non-discriminatory, transparent and accountable decision-making processes. These sessions explored how applying human rights standards can advance the implementation of the SSF Guidelines and what, overall, the HRBA means in the context of small-scale fisheries. Standing at the heart of the SSF Guidelines, HRBA was discussed as a conceptual framework that provides the SSF Guidelines with a level of legitimacy and a moral imperative that transcends their voluntary nature. The SSF Guidelines were highlighted as a powerful tool that should be used by small-scale fisheries actors to claim their rights, in both general and specific contexts, such as the COVID-19 pandemic with regard to access to health, social services, work, markets, among others. The final issue discussed was the concept of Blue Justice and what it means for small-scale fisheries. Blue Justice has at its core a set of governance principles that recognizes the need for small-scale fisheries to have equity, access, participation and rights in order for the blue economy to be of benefit to them. Calling for a critical examination of justice, as a concept and a practice, the sessions provided reflections on how small-scale fisheries are coping in the blue economy and whether they achieve justice relative to other ocean users. The discussions showcased that, in the current framing of the oceans as the new economic and development frontier, many development initiatives, promoted through Blue Growth and Blue Economy agenda, tend to ignore small-scale fisheries, excluding them from the discussion and putting them in disadvantaged situations. The speakers also highlighted the need to continue conceptualizing the concept, emphasising that everyone, including fishers, governments, non-government organizations, and academia has a role to play in addressing the injustices. All sessions were live-streamed and offered free of charge, allowing anyone with an interest in small-scale fisheries to actively participate and join in on the discussion. To accommodate time zone differences, panel discussion on June 8th, the World Ocean Day, was held around the clock, starting in the morning with a session focusing on Australia and Oceania and ending in the evening with a session run in Spanish for the Latin America and the Caribbean. Throughout the sessions, the audience was encouraged to share their knowledge about the impact of COVID-19 on small-scale fisheries, and add their voice to the discussion about securing access for small-scale fisheries and incorporating them in sustainable ocean economy and other SDGs. They were also invited to help envision innovative strategies needed for small-scale fisheries to advance in a post-COVID world. In addition to these more traditional formats of engagements, a virtual Art Festival was held as a way to celebrate and raise public awareness of small-scale fisheries by showcasing various forms of artistic expressions, including paintings, videos, dances, and others. These powerful art pieces create a multi-faceted portrayal of the relevance of small-scale fisheries, one that encompasses all of our senses and many of our daily experiences. All events have been recorded and posted to TBTI YouTube channel after the live stream. Based on the growing number of the views (10,000 views and counting), it is evident that small-scale fisheries are important topics that capture the attention of a broad range of people, not only people working with small-scale fisheries but also those interested in supporting them. These discussions will continue to be relevant and help raise the awareness and the visibility of small-scale fisheries. Through continued conversation and discussion, the importance and contribution of small-scale fisheries in fisheries and ocean sustainability, and in addressing the global concerns and challenges emphasized in the SDGs, will be highlighted and recognized, and along with it, proper measures and mechanisms to support and promote them. The input from the Small is Bountiful event will help shape the path towards the future Ocean Conferences and the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture in 2022.
07
Aug
Small-scale fisheries provide livelihoods and food security to millions of women and men around the word. They make important contribution to the local and national economy, as they embody diverse values, cultural identity and heritage of many coastal communities. The 2020 Ocean Conference in Lisbon, Portugal, was supposed to be a high impact platform for us working with small-scale fisheries and interested in supporting small-scale fisheries sustainability. It was a place to highlight the immense role small-scale fisheries have in achieving, not only Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14, which was the focus of the Lisbon Conference, but all other SDGs, given their connectedness and interdependence on land and sea, as well as their current and potential contribution to achieving other goals. The COVID-19 outbreak put a stop to the original plan of organizing an inperson, public forum on small-scale fisheries in Lisbon. And while the pandemic meant all in-person events had to be put on hold for a foreseeable future, an idea was soon born to mobilize the small-scale fisheries community, of research networks, government and non-governmental organizations, foundations, and community-based groups, and organize an online event for the World Oceans Day. Focused entirely on small-scale fisheries, this event would bring attention to the importance of the sector, celebrate their contributions, and contribute to a dialogue about inclusive, equitable and just development of the ocean, one that centers on the nature, characteristics and values of small-scale fisheries. The response to this initiative was positively overwhelming, with a great many individuals and organizations soon coming onboard. The result of these efforts was the ‘Small is bountiful – The contribution of smallscale fisheries to ocean sustainability and innovation’ event, held entirely virtually on June 1-8. TBTI, in partnership with a number of grassroots organizations as well as local, international and inter-governmental organizations, hosted a weeklong series of online webinars and panel discussions. Bringing to the table more than 70 speakers and moderators from 36 countries, the event featured five webinars and ten panel discussions that examined the current status of small-scale fisheries and showcased their important role for food security, poverty eradication, community wellbeing, and sustainable resource use. In addition, the sessions demonstrated not only how critical small-scale fisheries are for achieving the target SDG14.b but also how they are key connector with other SDGs that can help realize a much–needed integration of the sustainable goals. The event was also an opportunity to discuss what actions should be taken to secure the rights of small-scale fisheries and safeguard their access to fisheries resources, coastal and ocean space, and markets, bringing to the fore the importance of ‘Blue Justice’ for small-scale fisheries. The webinars and panels were the two formats used to enable deep dive into the topics as well as facilitate broad and engaged discussion. The webinars and panels were organized around five main topics, starting with the exploration of the impact of COVID-19 on small-scale fisheries. Through the COVID-related sessions, the speakers showcased the damaging impact of the pandemic on access to markets and resources, seen through the loss of domestic and international seafood markets, lower prices of fish products, increased IUU fishing, lack of proper inspection of fisheries products, changes of consumer behaviour, and many others. All over the world, small-scale fishers have either lost or reduced their daily earnings and processing workers are laid off or working for lower wages. Over and over again it was emphasized how women bear the brunt of these consequences. On the positive side, small-scale fishers have shown resilience, responding to these challenges through activities focused on innovation and re-localization. The next set of sessions focused on implementation of the SDG target 14.b. Applying the human rights lens, the speakers illustrated how human rights perspective can help identify challenges and opportunities when states implement measures to secure access of small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets. These sessions showcased how securing a better access for small-scale fisheries comes through a change in the governing systems. For this to happen, governments should facilitate fair and equitable allocation of resources. At the same time, certification and the traceability system should focus on socio-economic and cultural aspects, along with environmental elements. Conflicts, both at the local and national levels, should be addressed and solved. Moreover, access to the market and resources for small-scale fisheries should be clearly documented and integrated into the Blue Economy and regulations should be made for the Blue Justice of small-scale fisheries. The third topic of the event was the discussion about small-scale fisheries as a nexus of SDGs for ensuring “a future we want”. Covering different geographic regions and sectors, these sessions illustrated that, globally, small-scale fisheries exemplify the focus of the SDG aim to “leave no one behind”. Yet, as the speakers pointed out, while the SDGs have been described as the most comprehensive vision for development that the world has ever seen, discussions on fisheries and oceans are mostly focused on just the one goal – SDG 14: Life Below Water. Achieving the SDGs is a complex process, as the goals are interlinked, in turn creating synergies and trade-offs. SDGs have to be achieved through a holistic, equitable and inclusive process. Some of the practical examples of attaining this goal can be learned from SIDS and the agricultural sector, as well as by putting greater attention on fish-as-food, in particular its nutritional value. Next set of sessions focused on the SSF Guidelines and human rights for sustainable small-scale fisheries. The speakers discussed the human rightsbased approach (HRBA), which seeks to ensure the participation of small-scale fishing communities in non-discriminatory, transparent and accountable decision-making processes. These sessions explored how applying human rights standards can advance the implementation of the SSF Guidelines and what, overall, the HRBA means in the context of small-scale fisheries. Standing at the heart of the SSF Guidelines, HRBA was discussed as a conceptual framework that provides the SSF Guidelines with a level of legitimacy and a moral imperative that transcends their voluntary nature. The SSF Guidelines were highlighted as a powerful tool that should be used by small-scale fisheries actors to claim their rights, in both general and specific contexts, such as the COVID-19 pandemic with regard to access to health, social services, work, markets, among others. The final issue discussed was the concept of Blue Justice and what it means for small-scale fisheries. Blue Justice has at its core a set of governance principles that recognizes the need for small-scale fisheries to have equity, access, participation and rights in order for the blue economy to be of benefit to them. Calling for a critical examination of justice, as a concept and a practice, the sessions provided reflections on how small-scale fisheries are coping in the blue economy and whether they achieve justice relative to other ocean users. The discussions showcased that, in the current framing of the oceans as the new economic and development frontier, many development initiatives, promoted through Blue Growth and Blue Economy agenda, tend to ignore small-scale fisheries, excluding them from the discussion and putting them in disadvantaged situations. The speakers also highlighted the need to continue conceptualizing the concept, emphasising that everyone, including fishers, governments, non-government organizations, and academia has a role to play in addressing the injustices. All sessions were live-streamed and offered free of charge, allowing anyone with an interest in small-scale fisheries to actively participate and join in on the discussion. To accommodate time zone differences, panel discussion on June 8th, the World Ocean Day, was held around the clock, starting in the morning with a session focusing on Australia and Oceania and ending in the evening with a session run in Spanish for the Latin America and the Caribbean. Throughout the sessions, the audience was encouraged to share their knowledge about the impact of COVID-19 on small-scale fisheries, and add their voice to the discussion about securing access for small-scale fisheries and incorporating them in sustainable ocean economy and other SDGs. They were also invited to help envision innovative strategies needed for small-scale fisheries to advance in a post-COVID world. In addition to these more traditional formats of engagements, a virtual Art Festival was held as a way to celebrate and raise public awareness of small-scale fisheries by showcasing various forms of artistic expressions, including paintings, videos, dances, and others. These powerful art pieces create a multi-faceted portrayal of the relevance of small-scale fisheries, one that encompasses all of our senses and many of our daily experiences. All events have been recorded and posted to TBTI YouTube channel after the live stream. Based on the growing number of the views (10,000 views and counting), it is evident that small-scale fisheries are important topics that capture the attention of a broad range of people, not only people working with small-scale fisheries but also those interested in supporting them. These discussions will continue to be relevant and help raise the awareness and the visibility of small-scale fisheries. Through continued conversation and discussion, the importance and contribution of small-scale fisheries in fisheries and ocean sustainability, and in addressing the global concerns and challenges emphasized in the SDGs, will be highlighted and recognized, and along with it, proper measures and mechanisms to support and promote them. The input from the Small is Bountiful event will help shape the path towards the future Ocean Conferences and the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture in 2022.
TBTI Small is Bountiful Proceedings
Small-scale fisheries provide livelihoods and food security to millions of women and men around the word. They make important contribution to the local and national economy, as they embody diverse values, cultural identity and heritage of many coastal communities. The 2020 Ocean Conference in Lisbon, Portugal, was supposed to be a high impact platform for us working with small-scale fisheries and interested in supporting small-scale fisheries sustainability. It was a place to highlight the immense role small-scale fisheries have in achieving, not only Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14, which was the focus of the Lisbon Conference, but all other SDGs, given their connectedness and interdependence on land and sea, as well as their current and potential contribution to achieving other goals. The COVID-19 outbreak put a stop to the original plan of organizing an inperson, public forum on small-scale fisheries in Lisbon. And while the pandemic meant all in-person events had to be put on hold for a foreseeable future, an idea was soon born to mobilize the small-scale fisheries community, of research networks, government and non-governmental organizations, foundations, and community-based groups, and organize an online event for the World Oceans Day. Focused entirely on small-scale fisheries, this event would bring attention to the importance of the sector, celebrate their contributions, and contribute to a dialogue about inclusive, equitable and just development of the ocean, one that centers on the nature, characteristics and values of small-scale fisheries. The response to this initiative was positively overwhelming, with a great many individuals and organizations soon coming onboard. The result of these efforts was the ‘Small is bountiful – The contribution of smallscale fisheries to ocean sustainability and innovation’ event, held entirely virtually on June 1-8. TBTI, in partnership with a number of grassroots organizations as well as local, international and inter-governmental organizations, hosted a weeklong series of online webinars and panel discussions. Bringing to the table more than 70 speakers and moderators from 36 countries, the event featured five webinars and ten panel discussions that examined the current status of small-scale fisheries and showcased their important role for food security, poverty eradication, community wellbeing, and sustainable resource use. In addition, the sessions demonstrated not only how critical small-scale fisheries are for achieving the target SDG14.b but also how they are key connector with other SDGs that can help realize a much–needed integration of the sustainable goals. The event was also an opportunity to discuss what actions should be taken to secure the rights of small-scale fisheries and safeguard their access to fisheries resources, coastal and ocean space, and markets, bringing to the fore the importance of ‘Blue Justice’ for small-scale fisheries. The webinars and panels were the two formats used to enable deep dive into the topics as well as facilitate broad and engaged discussion. The webinars and panels were organized around five main topics, starting with the exploration of the impact of COVID-19 on small-scale fisheries. Through the COVID-related sessions, the speakers showcased the damaging impact of the pandemic on access to markets and resources, seen through the loss of domestic and international seafood markets, lower prices of fish products, increased IUU fishing, lack of proper inspection of fisheries products, changes of consumer behaviour, and many others. All over the world, small-scale fishers have either lost or reduced their daily earnings and processing workers are laid off or working for lower wages. Over and over again it was emphasized how women bear the brunt of these consequences. On the positive side, small-scale fishers have shown resilience, responding to these challenges through activities focused on innovation and re-localization. The next set of sessions focused on implementation of the SDG target 14.b. Applying the human rights lens, the speakers illustrated how human rights perspective can help identify challenges and opportunities when states implement measures to secure access of small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets. These sessions showcased how securing a better access for small-scale fisheries comes through a change in the governing systems. For this to happen, governments should facilitate fair and equitable allocation of resources. At the same time, certification and the traceability system should focus on socio-economic and cultural aspects, along with environmental elements. Conflicts, both at the local and national levels, should be addressed and solved. Moreover, access to the market and resources for small-scale fisheries should be clearly documented and integrated into the Blue Economy and regulations should be made for the Blue Justice of small-scale fisheries. The third topic of the event was the discussion about small-scale fisheries as a nexus of SDGs for ensuring “a future we want”. Covering different geographic regions and sectors, these sessions illustrated that, globally, small-scale fisheries exemplify the focus of the SDG aim to “leave no one behind”. Yet, as the speakers pointed out, while the SDGs have been described as the most comprehensive vision for development that the world has ever seen, discussions on fisheries and oceans are mostly focused on just the one goal – SDG 14: Life Below Water. Achieving the SDGs is a complex process, as the goals are interlinked, in turn creating synergies and trade-offs. SDGs have to be achieved through a holistic, equitable and inclusive process. Some of the practical examples of attaining this goal can be learned from SIDS and the agricultural sector, as well as by putting greater attention on fish-as-food, in particular its nutritional value. Next set of sessions focused on the SSF Guidelines and human rights for sustainable small-scale fisheries. The speakers discussed the human rightsbased approach (HRBA), which seeks to ensure the participation of small-scale fishing communities in non-discriminatory, transparent and accountable decision-making processes. These sessions explored how applying human rights standards can advance the implementation of the SSF Guidelines and what, overall, the HRBA means in the context of small-scale fisheries. Standing at the heart of the SSF Guidelines, HRBA was discussed as a conceptual framework that provides the SSF Guidelines with a level of legitimacy and a moral imperative that transcends their voluntary nature. The SSF Guidelines were highlighted as a powerful tool that should be used by small-scale fisheries actors to claim their rights, in both general and specific contexts, such as the COVID-19 pandemic with regard to access to health, social services, work, markets, among others. The final issue discussed was the concept of Blue Justice and what it means for small-scale fisheries. Blue Justice has at its core a set of governance principles that recognizes the need for small-scale fisheries to have equity, access, participation and rights in order for the blue economy to be of benefit to them. Calling for a critical examination of justice, as a concept and a practice, the sessions provided reflections on how small-scale fisheries are coping in the blue economy and whether they achieve justice relative to other ocean users. The discussions showcased that, in the current framing of the oceans as the new economic and development frontier, many development initiatives, promoted through Blue Growth and Blue Economy agenda, tend to ignore small-scale fisheries, excluding them from the discussion and putting them in disadvantaged situations. The speakers also highlighted the need to continue conceptualizing the concept, emphasising that everyone, including fishers, governments, non-government organizations, and academia has a role to play in addressing the injustices. All sessions were live-streamed and offered free of charge, allowing anyone with an interest in small-scale fisheries to actively participate and join in on the discussion. To accommodate time zone differences, panel discussion on June 8th, the World Ocean Day, was held around the clock, starting in the morning with a session focusing on Australia and Oceania and ending in the evening with a session run in Spanish for the Latin America and the Caribbean. Throughout the sessions, the audience was encouraged to share their knowledge about the impact of COVID-19 on small-scale fisheries, and add their voice to the discussion about securing access for small-scale fisheries and incorporating them in sustainable ocean economy and other SDGs. They were also invited to help envision innovative strategies needed for small-scale fisheries to advance in a post-COVID world. In addition to these more traditional formats of engagements, a virtual Art Festival was held as a way to celebrate and raise public awareness of small-scale fisheries by showcasing various forms of artistic expressions, including paintings, videos, dances, and others. These powerful art pieces create a multi-faceted portrayal of the relevance of small-scale fisheries, one that encompasses all of our senses and many of our daily experiences. All events have been recorded and posted to TBTI YouTube channel after the live stream. Based on the growing number of the views (10,000 views and counting), it is evident that small-scale fisheries are important topics that capture the attention of a broad range of people, not only people working with small-scale fisheries but also those interested in supporting them. These discussions will continue to be relevant and help raise the awareness and the visibility of small-scale fisheries. Through continued conversation and discussion, the importance and contribution of small-scale fisheries in fisheries and ocean sustainability, and in addressing the global concerns and challenges emphasized in the SDGs, will be highlighted and recognized, and along with it, proper measures and mechanisms to support and promote them. The input from the Small is Bountiful event will help shape the path towards the future Ocean Conferences and the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture in 2022.