Following on from the agreement reached in Agenda item 2, the EC reviewed the background document, section by section, to provide comment and discussion to be incorporated into the Technical Paper
Introduction
The content and intent of the introduction was outlined by the primary author of that section, and included:
1. The current status of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (CCRF) with respect to small-scale fisheries;
2. The lack of information and understanding of small-scale fisheries;
3. International agreements and changes in policy that had occurred since the CCRF was agreed;
4. The importance of small-scale fisheries to food security and poverty alleviation;
5. Justification for the Technical Paper;
6. Objectives of the Technical Paper;
7. Target audience for the Technical Paper; and
8. Structure of the document.
In reviewing the section, many helpful comments and additions were given to the authors. These included making the changes identified in Agenda item 2 concerning the objectives and target audience; restructuring the section to provide a more logical flow of ideas; and providing a short generic history on the development of small-scale fisheries.
Section 1: Definitions and concepts
The content and intent of the section was outlined by the primary author of that section, and included:
1. Characterizing small-scale fisheries;
2. Providing a framework to examine the concept of food security; and
3. Providing a framework to examine the concept of poverty.
The author explained that this had been done in a historical framework that noted the changing and evolving understanding of both the nature of small-scale fisheries and the two important concepts of poverty and food security.
In general, the EC felt that this was a very useful background section and suggested some relatively minor changes including: changing the order to consider poverty and then food security; ensuring consistency of the use of the terms throughout the document; introducing some diagrams to simplify presentation of the concepts; a re-analysis of the concept of “fish food security”; elaboration of the definition of poverty, including the issues of displaced populations; and a more balanced treatment of gender issues.
Section 2: Contribution, role and importance of small-scale fisheries in poverty alleviation and food security.
The authors introduced this section noting first the relevant Articles in the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries that make explicit reference to food security and poverty alleviation and to the contribution of small-scale fisheries, fishers and fishworkers. They then detailed the structure of this section, which addressed first the nutritional and food security relevance of fish and fishery products, the direct and indirect contribution of small-scale fisheries to food security at the individual and household levels, and the relationship between trade and food fish supplies and food security at national and global levels. The authors highlighted that this was followed by: an analysis of the contribution of small-scale fisheries to poverty alleviation at household, local and national levels; the safety net function provided by fisheries for the poor in general; the reasons why small-scale fisheries are especially vulnerable to poverty; the factors that have contributed to increasing vulnerability over time; and various coping strategies within and outside of the fisheries sector.
The main comments and suggestions made by the EC on this section were as follows:
Re-arrange the structure to present first the poverty alleviation contribution at (i) national, (ii) local and (iii) household levels, followed by the food security contribution in the same order.
Add other dimensions of the benefits of small-scale fisheries at the national level such as their comparative advantages vis-à-vis industrial fisheries. These advantages might include: higher returns on investment; the fact they are decentralized and geographically spread; greater equity; and other environmental, social, cultural and political benefits.
Make reference to the particular benefits emanating from the “cash crop” nature of fish at household and local/regional levels.
Amend and expand the factors resulting in increased vulnerability, including increasing pressure and conflict over coastal resources.
Include reference to negative coping strategies.
Some additional comments were also offered by the EC which will be considered in the drafting of the Technical Paper and development of the Technical Guidelines.
