10%

Fishing for sustainability

How the GEF IW portfolio promotes responsible fishing and enhances climate resilience in coastal communities

By IW:LEARN

November 28^th, 2023

The Arafura and Timor Seas. The Humboldt Current Large Marine Ecosystem (LME). Coastal fishing communities in Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Ecuador, Indonesia, Peru and Senegal. These are only some of the places in the world where the sustainability of marine fisheries faces mounting challenges due to overfishing, habitat destruction, climate change, and illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing practices. And in the face of these challenges, collaboration, traditional knowledge, innovation, and technological advancements offer hope to revert declining trends.

Marine fisheries are pivotal in sustaining global food security, economies, local livelihoods, and ecosystems. With over three billion people depending on seafood as a primary source of protein, marine fisheries have become an indispensable component of the world's food supply.

According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Review of Fisheries 2022, marine fisheries contribute immensely to the global economy, with an estimated worth of over $83 billion in 2020.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) reported that in 2020, fisheries and aquaculture provided direct employment to nearly 60 million people worldwide, with many more relying on related industries and activities for their livelihoods.

“The Arafura and Timor Seas (ATS) region faces several transboundary environmental threats, including overfishing, marine pollution, habitat degradation, and impacts from climate change. These four issues also impact regional fisheries,”

says Handoko Adi Susanto, Regional Project Manager of the GEF/UNDP/PEMSEA Implementation of the Arafura and Timor Seas Regional and National Strategic Action Programs (ATSEA-2). ATSEA-2 takes regional coordination and collaboration a step further with three primary components, namely: (1) Regional, National, and Local Governance for Large Marine Ecosystem (LME) Management; (2) Improving LME Carrying Capacity to Sustain Provisioning, Regulating, and Supporting Ecosystem Services; and (3) Knowledge Management.

Handoko continues noting the impact of climate change on both artisanal fishers and fisheries, with the coastal communities in the region being particularly vulnerable. Uncertain fishing seasons caused by changing ocean temperatures and rising sea levels disrupt traditional fish migration patterns and alter key fish species distribution. This directly impacts the catch and livelihood of the fishers depending on these resources.

Additionally, extreme weather events threaten coastal communities and fishing activities, by damaging boats, fishing infrastructure, and coastal homes. The rising sea level causes coastal erosion and submergence of fishing villages, presenting challenges for artisanal fishers such as displacement, loss of property, and reduced access to fishing grounds. These issues disrupt the fishing community's economic stability and way of life.

The impacts of climate change also include ocean acidification, an imbalance in the ocean’s chemistry that makes seawater more acidic because of excess CO2. This phenomenon harms coral reefs and other marine ecosystems, affecting critical habitats for fish and decreasing the productivity of these ecosystems for coastal livelihoods. This is a big threat to the fishing industry, especially the artisanal fisheries in the region.

In the Humboldt Current LME, which extends along the west coast of Chile and Peru, extreme weather has been triggering harmful algal blooms, rough water in the seas, and El Niño/La Niña events. These factors either prevent fishers from setting sail or make it harder or more expensive to find and catch fish.

Workers cleaning during a sea lettuce algal bloom event in Qingdao in 2015. Photo: Mirko Kuzmanovic/iStock

“Many fishers and fish workers from the six countries where we work – Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Ecuador, Indonesia, Peru, and Senegal – have noticed climate-related changes in their lifetimes’ work such as increasing salinity leading to thin, undernourished shrimp and rising water temperatures. A fisher in Senegal reports that “the wind and the waves are becoming more disruptive,”

shares Fatou Sock, Global Coordinator of the Coastal Fisheries Initiatives (CFI) of the GEF, implemented by FAO. She adds that the main challenge that the CFI tackles is how to make small-scale coastal fisheries socially, ecologically, and economically sustainable.

Small-scale artisanal fisheries and aquaculture: Small in scale, big in value

Small scale fishers produce at least 40% of the global fisheries catch.
Around 45 million women participate in small scale fisheries, or four in ten fishers.
Marine catch amounts to 68% of small-scale fisheries while 32% comes from inland waters.
492 million people depend at least partially on small-scale fisheries for their livelihoods.
Small-scale fishers and fish workers account for 90% of those working worldwide in global capture fisheries value chains.

Source: FAO.org

Photo: Srikanth Mannepuri/OceanImageBank

Solutions

“ATSEA-2 is addressing climate change’s impact on the artisanal fishers and the fisheries sector building coastal communities’ resilience through an Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) and Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM) where we work with concerned groups including national and local governments, as well as regional organizations, scientists, the business sector and local communities in finding solutions. We also help establish Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and try to find ways to sustain mechanisms that work and produce positive outcomes,” says Handoko. To enhance the climate adaptation capacity and resilience of coastal communities, ATSEA-2 actively engages with regional, national, and local partners, including the private sector, to help fishing communities find and create alternative livehoods. ATSEA-2 links fishing communities with potential buyers and consumers to help them generate incomes beyond traditional fishing practices.

“The strategy of Humboldt-2 Project is to work with the governments, scientists, and fishers to incorporate the EAFM. Particularly, we are pushing for benthic and seaweed fishery management plans in Peru, and an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management in the case of the anchovy shared stock,” says Mauricio Galvez Larach, Binational Coordinator of the Catalysing Implementation of a Strategic Action Programme for the Sustainable Management of Shared Living Marine Resources in the Humboldt Current System (HCS) Project, a followup phase of the GEF/UNDP Humboldt Current LME project (Humboldt 2).

“We are supporting both countries to develop capabilities and to carry out scientific models to understand how the environment and climate change influence the life cycle of anchovy,” he continues.

Humboldt-2 has a three-fold strategy to increase the resilience of the region's fishing industry and help artisanal fishers adapt to climate change while offering alternatives to fishing activities: (1) Encourage business opportunities by adding value to what already is caught; (2) Promote diversification towards gastronomy and tourism; and (3) Support fishing communities through small-scale aquaculture and fish re-stocking.

Similarly, “Our strategy to achieve sustainable coastal fisheries is holistic and ecosystem-based: we look at local communities, environments, and institutions together”, Fatou says.

“We support legal reform to promote good governance by implementing the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries (EAF), the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries (SSF Guidelines), gender equity and equality, and food safety norms,” she adds.

Fatou also mentions building the capacities fishers and fish workers to become responsible stewards with the knowledge and skills to co-manage their natural resources in partnership with governments. CFI is empowering women through training in leadership and entrepreneurship, among other skills.

She believes these elements are integral in building knowledgeable and empowered communities, knowing how to preserve their resources using the tools to do it, and with support from institutions so that the fisherfolk can achieve sustainable coastal fisheries.

Stronger together

“It is not uncommon for neighboring countries to have conflicting economic and political interests and sensitivities, especially in managing high-value marine resources in a transboundary context. Effective and clear coordination mechanisms and mutual agreements are important,” says Mauricio.

The GEF/UNDP Humboldt-2 Project serves as an intermediary that bridges actions toward the harmonious conservation of the rich marine ecosystem of the Humboldt Current LME shared by Chile and Peru. The project facilitates the establishment of enabling conditions for a scientific and political bilateral dialogue aimed at promoting the long-term sustainable management of the Humboldt Current LME and its rich marine resources.

“We are putting efforts in establishing a long-term coordinated and mutually agreed management of the shared living marine resources between Chile and Peru. This applies not only to fishery shared stocks like anchovy, but also to other marine resources like seabirds, whales, and other fauna that straddles from one country to another,” says Mauricio. “Our project facilitates exchanges among fishery management officers, marine researchers, and fishing communities of both countries. We are building the enabling conditions for a policy and scientific bilateral dialogue to identify sustainable marine resources management opportunities,” he continues.

Within the framework of the IV Chile-Peru Binational Cabinet, President Gabriel Boric and his Peruvian counterpart, Pedro Castillo, signed a joint work agreement, one of whose axes includes the fishing and aquaculture sectors. Photo: Humboldt Project-2.

The vast fishery of anchovy Humboldt Current LME supports employment and income for artisanal fisherfolk and is of significant economic value, generating goods and services valued at around $20 billion annually.

ATSEA-2’s active local, national, and regional engagement has already shown beneficial results. Coastal communities are better equipped to adapt to climate changes, handle challenges and diversify their income sources beyond fishing. Local communities have gained a deeper sense of ownership and commitment to conserve and sustainably use their marine resources. They are also more informed and prepared to respond to possible disasters. Working with governments has been very fruitful in improving marine resources and coastal management. It is especially important in sustaining effective measures to conserve and restore the region’s marine ecosystems.

Likewise, since the CFI programme started and training workshops have been held, stronger organizations of fishers and fish workers, associations, and cooperatives have been formed.

The first Regional Steering Committee (RSC) Meeting of ATSEA-2 Project held at the Swiss-Belresort Watu Jimbar, Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia on 19 November 2019. Photo: ATSEA-2 Project.

“These organizations are now engaging in participatory scientific research, setting up alternative livelihoods, creating their self-sustaining financial safety nets, joining forces with other similar groups, and engaging in responsible behaviours,” says Fatou.

“Communities are more aware, knowledgeable, motivated, and empowered, and we have opened spaces for dialogue between fisherfolk and institutions that were not there before.”

“Also, we have driven the reforestation, regeneration, and placement under protected status of 700 hectares of mangrove forests in Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal in partnership with local communities, and small-scale fisher organizations are successfully co-managing extensive mangrove forests in Ecuador and Peru.”

To eat or not to eat fish

“If we consider the important role played by fishery and aquaculture products in food security and nutrition, this option does not seem viable. In fact, these products, in addition to their important nutritional role, represent 17% of animal protein intake globally and up to 50% for certain countries in Africa and Asia,” Fatou notes.

She adds that

“stopping the consumption of seafood would further endanger the most vulnerable populations who depend on these products for their diet. Rather, sustainable resource management, co-management, and innovative methods to restore ecosystems and regenerate fish stocks should be promoted.”

Mauricio agrees saying it’s neither a viable nor a positive option. Instead, we must find a balance to harvest the seas so that its other components would live in ecological balance.

“In my perspective, consuming seafood is totally no problem. It is actually recommended and beneficial for one's health. Consuming seafood is not an issue as long as we know that the seafood we eat comes from sustainable fishing practices, such as consuming a good size, using ecosystem-friendly fishing gear, or certified seafood products. I believe that promoting sustainability and responsible consumption represents a more balanced and practical approach to achieve the objectives of preserving marine resources and supporting coastal communities instead of stopping consuming seafood,” Handoko echoes.

He further encourages everyone to take practical actions to support sustainable fisheries, including choosing sustainable seafood, becoming educated on the topic, minimizing waste, supporting local fishers, and reducing plastic use.

Mauricio advises consumers to ensure that the fish they eat is legally caught, prefer low/medium tropic level seafood, and source seafood locally from artisanal or environmentally friendly industrial fishers. Reducing the fish supply chain can lead to fairer prices for and alleviate pressure on fish stocks.”

Fatou recommends for consumers to choose sustainably caught fish by looking for certifications such as the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and/or Fair Trade. While that ‘can’ of tuna might cost slightly more, consumers can be sure that they are supporting the sustainable livelihoods of very hardworking communities who make great efforts to fish responsibly.

The GEF International Waters portfolio work on fisheries

The International Waters portfolio of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) promotes sustainable fishing and ecosystem stewardship on a regional level, with most of its investments in fisheries management being made through the LME portfolio. The GEF’s investments support the move from exploited fisheries to sustainable practices by contributing building blocks to collaborative measures among countries that are crucial to combating illegal fishing practices and enforcing regulations effectively. The GEF also invests in improving the management of high seas fisheries, particularly tuna, through the Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ) program. Check out some of GEF-supported fisheries projects: https://iwlearn.net/iw-projects/list?f=1&q=fish&pc=500&pg=1.

Meet our featured GEF IW managers and experts

Handoko Adi Susanto, D.Sc, is a coastal and marine resource management specialist with over 20 years of experience working in USAID projects and international NGOs such as Rare, The Nature Conservancy, and the Wildlife Conservation Society. He received his Doctor of Science degree from Kyushu University, Japan in 2009 with full support from the Japan Wildlife Research Center, where he has also dedicated his time mentoring post-graduate students.

Fatou Sock is an engineer and project management specialist with an MSc in Food Engineering and Food Science (Grandes Écoles, France). As an official in Senegal’s Ministry of Fisheries, she managed projects to improve the quality of exported fish products. She also served as a food safety expert with the EU Better Training for Safer Food initiative, training quality control officers in the African Union Member States on compliance with EU food safety regulations. As a FAO officer for the past eight years, she served as a food safety expert in Senegal and then as a fishery officer at FAO in Rome, where she is the Coastal Fisheries Initiative Global Coordinator.

Mauricio Galvez Larach is a fisheries and marine conservation specialist with over 26 years of experience. He is very passionate about fishery management because of its ever evolving and diverse landscape and its complex layers. He has worked for WWF, in the Undersecretariat of Fisheries and Aquaculture of Chile, was a member of the Group of Experts for the third cycle of the Regular Process, and is one of the experts for the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy Group of Experts. When not busy managing fisheries projects, he enjoys sailing out with his kayak.

From left: Handoko Adi Susanto of ATSEA-2 Project, Fatou Sock of the Coastal Fisheries Initiative, and Mauricio Galvez Larach of Humboldt-2 Project.

Footnotes

Text by: Khristine Gudczinski, with contributions from Stefania Fumo, Mauricio Galvez Larach, Fatou Sock, and Handoko Adi Susanto. Cover photo: Erik Lukas/Ocean Image Bank

Button Label

FootNotes

Text by: Khristine Gudczinski, with contributions from Stefania Fumo, Mauricio Galvez Larach, Fatou Sock, and Handoko Adi Susanto. Cover photo: Erik Lukas/Ocean Image Bank