LEGN publishes new Diagnostic Tool for implementing an Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries (available in English and in French)
February 2021: an ‘ecosystem approach to fisheries’ (EAF) is about balancing diverse societal objectives, the knowledge and uncertainties about human and natural systems and their interactions and applying an integrated, adaptive and holistic approach to fisheries. Implementing an EAF is challenging because it involves the effective collaboration of various sectoral stakeholders, from within fisheries, environment, maritime, coastal development and tourism, among others. This new Diagnostic Tool, developed by LEGN in collaboration with FAO’s Marine and Inland Fisheries Branch (NFIF) and the EAF-Nansen Programme, aims to facilitate the implementation of EAF through the development of appropriate policy and legal frameworks. It provides an EAF Legal Checklist to assess policy and legal instruments against 82 EAF legal requirements. A series of training workshops have been conducted in the past months on the use of this tool. The EAF Legal Diagnostic Tool is now available in English and French.