Taking the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries to the grassroots: adaptation and dissemina

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Taking the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible
Fisheries to the grassroots adaptation and
dissemination

• Chandrika Sharma
• International Collective in Support of
  Fishworkers (ICSF)

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Why CCRF?

• Realization that fisheries resources are
  finite--cannot sustain rapid and uncontrolled
  exploitation and development
• Clear signs of overexploitation of fish stocks,
  ecosystem modifications, significant economic
  losses, conflicts on management and fish trade
  threatening long-term sustainability of fisheries
  and contribution of fisheries to food supply.
  True of Bay of Bengal countries .
• Agreement on need to maintain fisheries and
  aquaculture as a vital source of food,
  employment, recreation, trade and economic
  well-being of people, including future
  generations.

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The CCRF

• The Code provides principles and standards
  applicable to the conservation, management and
  development of all fisheries.
• It covers the capture, processing and trade of
  fish and fishery products, fishing operations,
  aquaculture, fisheries research and the
  integration of fisheries into coastal area
  management.
• The Code recognizes the nutritional, economic,
  social, environmental and cultural importance of
  fisheries and the interests of all those
  concerned with the fishery sector.
• Four IPOAs and 12 Technical Guidelines under the
  CCRF. Also Strategy for Improving Information on
  Status and Trends of Capture Fisheries and the
  Compliance Agreement.

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The CCRF
The Code is global in scope, and is directed
toward members and non-members of FAO, fishing
entities, sub regional, regional and global
organizations, whether governmental or
non-governmental, and all persons concerned with
the conservation of fishery resources and
management and development of fisheries, such as
fishers, those engaged in processing and
marketing of fish and fishery products and other
users of the aquatic environment in relation to
fisheries (Art. 1.2)
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Disseminating the Code

• States and users of living aquatic resources
  should conserve aquatic eco-systems. The right to
  fish carries with it the obligation to do so in a
  responsible manner so as to ensure effective
  conservation and management of the living aquatic
  resources (Art 6.1).
• The Code explicitly recognizes that responsible
  fisheries can only be achieved if all those
  concerned with the fisheries sector collaborate
  in the fulfillment and implementation of the
  objectives and principles contained in the Code.
• The Code assumes that the State will take the
  leadership role in bringing all stakeholders
  together to achieve responsible fisheriesonus on
  the State.

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Disseminating the Code

• States and international organizations, whether
  governmental or non-governmental, should promote
  the understanding of the Code among those
  involved in fisheries (Article 4.4)
• States should ensure that fishers and fishfarmers
  are involved in the policy formulation and
  implementation process, also with a view to
  facilitating the implementation of the Code
  (Article 6.16).

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Disseminating the Code

• The Code is not cast in stone. It outlines the
  broad objectives and principles for responsible
  fisheries. It has to be adapted to local
  realities, to foster greater national
  implementation.
• Popular participation in adapting the Code to
  suit national conditions will lead to enhanced
  acceptance of the Code.

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Disseminating the Code

• The Code needs to be simplified translated and
  disseminated through various ways.
• This process of dissemination is not an end in
  itselfit is a means to an end, the end being to
  stimulate dialogue, consultative processes and
  participation in policy making and legislation to
  achieve responsible fisheries.

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Disseminating the Code

• The outcomes of consultation (on measures needed
  for responsible fisheries) need to be fed back
  into policy and legislationthis will ensure
  better ownership and implementation of measures
  proposed, and improved fisheries management.
• The most effective implementation of the Code
  can only be through a viable partnership between
  the government, industry and the civil society.

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Disseminating the Code

• Small-scale fishworkers constitute the vast
  majority of those in the fisheries in Bay of
  Bengal countries. Special focus on this
  sub-sector, seeking their ownership of the Code,
  and their participation in its implementation, is
  paramount.
• The need to focus on fisheries (not fishing),
  including on post-harvest sector, and on all
  stakeholders, including women in the sector, is
  essential.

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Disseminating the Code

• Lack of essential information in Bay of Bengal
  countries is a major constraint to the
  implementation of the Code.
• There is need to draw on wide range of
  information to facilitate informed decision
  makingon traditional knowledge systems and on
  best available scientific informationand to
  encourage research on information gaps.
• Not only the Code, but also information essential
  for its implementation, needs to be widely
  disseminated (TG 12 on Information and Knowledge
  Sharing).
• .

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Disseminating the Code

• Several examples of disseminating the Code, and
  related essential information
• Regional workshops, for example on safety at sea
  and IPOA shark (BOBP-IGO), on Asserting rights,
  defining responsibilities - perspectives from
  small-scale fishing communities on coastal and
  fisheries management in Asia and on legal
  instruments relevant to fisheries (ICSF)

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Disseminating the Code

• Several examples of disseminating the Code, and
  related essential information
• National level meetings/ workshops/ training
  programmes, for example, on ILO Convention,
  fisheries management, safety at sea, women in
  fisheries, for fishworker organizations in India
  and Sri Lanka (ICSF, NFF, SIFFS, NAFSO), for
  fishworker representative and cooperative
  (governments of Sri Lanka and Maldives,
  BOBP-IGO), organization of fisherfolk weeks
  (BOBP-IGO)

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Disseminating the Code

• Several examples of disseminating the Code, and
  related essential information
• Translation of code of conduct Sinhala (NAFSO)
  Divehi, Bangla, Tamil and other Indian regional
  languages, in both brief and simplified format,
  and complete text (governments, BOBP)
• Pamphlets, posters, comics, calenders, case
  studies/reports, publications (governments,
  BOBP), newsletters/Journals (SAMUDRA Report,
  Yemaya, BOBP Newsletter).
• Audio-visual Radio programmes, street
  plays, videos/films (governments, BOBP)

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Disseminating the Code

• Several examples of disseminating the Code, and
  related essential information
• Integration into the educational curriculum
  (Government of Maldives)
• Village information centres in India (MSSRF)
• Projects Co-management projects (ICLARM, FAO-
  Bangladesh co-management project in Tamil Nadu
  and Kerala (SIFFS/UNTRIS/FAO Project), Safety at
  sea project (Bangladesh), Shrimp seal of quality
  programme (NACA, initiated in Bangladesh)

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Disseminating the Code

• Many more such initiatives to reach the
  grassroots, are needed. We are still a long way
  from realizing responsible fisheries!

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THANK YOU