Resource rent is of overriding importance in fisheries exploitation. Depending on the institutional arrangements in a fishery, it may be the driving force leading to overexploitation in its two main forms (overcapacity and overfishing) or it may be the basis for the generation of sustainable wealth and revenue. Fiscal arrangements, and hence their reform, are important in at least two ways. First, fishery management systems are gradually beginning to emerge that allow resource rent to be generated on a sustainable basis. Fiscal conditions will determine the sharing of this wealth between different stakeholders. Second, fiscal arrangements may themselves constitute an important management measure, usually supporting other management instruments and helping to control exploitation levels.
In this context, the Support unit for International Fisheries and Aquatic Research (SIFAR) conceived and organized an international workshop on fiscal reform for fisheries, which was hosted by FAO from 13 to 15 October 2003 in Rome, Italy. Financial support for the workshop was provided by DFID (the UK Department for International Development).
A key goal of the workshop was to facilitate discussion between participants, drawing on their varied backgrounds, on the central theme of how best to use fiscal methods to achieve both fisheries policy objectives, and broader economic, social and environmental objectives.
This supplement to the Report of the Workshop and Exchange of Views on Fiscal Reforms for Fisheries - to Promote Growth, Poverty Eradication and Sustainable Management No. 732 presents a series of case study papers prepared by participants at the workshop - all key policy-makers from ministries of finance and fisheries, and researchers in their respective countries of origin. The country papers requested information based both on personal experience and secondary material, and an overview of the following:
experience with fishery fiscal reforms focusing on international and national levels of fisheries policy and governance; experience of fisheries access agreements within effective fiscal policy and management regimes; challenges facing implementation of fiscal reform and how these may have been tackled including the need for more information; areas where improvements can be made.
Country papers presented in this Supplement rovided the basis for discussions at the Workshop.
This document was compiled and edited by Stephen Cunningham and Tim Bostock, respectively Consultant from the Institut du développement durable et des ressources aquatiques (IDDRA) to SIFAR/FAO and Executive Secretary of SIFAR.
Distribution:
Workshop participants
Directors of Fisheriesirectors
FAO
Fisheries Department
FAO Members
