Special efforts are presently being made by national governments and international organizations in connection with the implementation of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, to reduce and adjust, where appropriate, the capacity of fishing fleets and to diversify fishing away from overexploited fisheries resources to less exploited ones.
These efforts are being pursued in order to use and conserve both fisheries resources and coastal environment in a sustainable manner, at the same time consolidating income and employment in the fisheries sector. This important source of animal protein, particularly for poorer sections of the population, and fundamental guarantor of food security is thus safeguarded and sustained foreign exchange earnings are guaranteed for many countries. It is unlikely that environmental and natural resource issues can be addressed successfully without taking social and economic concerns into consideration.
As part of this objective, information has been collected on the biological, technological, social, economic and financial aspects of fishing operations in order to help decision-makers to adjust and diversify fishing effort at the national, regional and global level.
It is in this context that the Fishery Industries Division of FAO, in cooperation with national fisheries administrations and research institutions has carried out a study on costs and earnings of "typical" fishing craft and gear combinations in selected countries of Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe.
As part of this study, between 1995 and 1997 information was compiled and analysed through empirical studies and compilation and interpretation of secondary data, on the financial viability of the most important and 'typical' segments of national fishing fleets, fish production and catch rates, fishing grounds, species fished and levels of exploitation, technical dimensions and particulars of fishing craft and gear, generation of employment and income, and other aspects.
The need for the study should be seen in the following context:
· In most developing countries, primary information on costs and earnings of capture fisheries is not collected on a regular basis and up-to-date information is not available. This was confirmed when countries were contacted for inclusion in the study and during library searches on the topic.The countries contacted in the course of the study expressed strong interest in generating up-to-date information on the cost and earnings of fish harvesting, at present not available in most developing countries. Fisheries administrators in these countrties are well aware that the economic and social implications of fisheries management measures cannot be properly assessed without this information and that realistic and meaningful policies and regulations for fisheries management can be neither designed nor implemented.· A number of changes have recently taken place, such as technological changes; the degree of exploitation of aquatic resources; macro-economic and micro-economic changes, including liberalization of markets and privatization of fishery enterprises, infrastructure and financial services; the role of subsidies as related to capital investments and to the cost of fishing operations.
The information generated by the study and from the discussions and deliberations of the Workshop aims to provide guidance to both fishers and their organizations, and to fishery enterprises and fisheries administrations in the sustainable use of fisheries resources. Advice and guidance for investors and financial institutions on how to support the necessary changes through investment and credit programmes is also needed.
