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Rome, 10 July 2024. Small-scale fisheries play a vital role in the lives of millions of people worldwide, contributing to the provision of nutritious food, income, culture, and livelihoods in both rural and coastal communities. This fisheries subsector represents 90% of the global fisheries workforce and 40% of global capture fisheries production, but tends to be overlooked by governments and societies. A landmark for small-scale fisheries was achieved with the endorsement, in June 2014, of the Voluntary Guidelines for Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines), by the 31^st session of the FAO Committee on Fisheries (COFI). Since then, FAO has been leading and facilitating major efforts toward advancing the guidelines’ implementation by FAO Members, including through national policy and legal frameworks.

Taking advantage of the momentum of the SSF Guidelines’ 10^th anniversary this year, the Development Law Service of the FAO Legal Office (LEGN) hosted an internal event during the 36^th session of the FAO COFI, to launch the new book Implementation of the Small-Scale Fisheries Guidelines: a legal and policy scan, edited by LEGN legal officer Dr. Julia Nakamura,[1] Prof. Ratana Chuenpagdee,[2] and Prof. Svein Jentoft.[3] The book adopts a transdisciplinary approach, bringing 82 contributors, including researchers and experts from academic institutions, government entities, non-governmental organizations, and civil society organizations, with expertise on a range of legal and non-legal domains related to fisheries. The book provides an in-depth analysis of the extent to which the assessed national policy and legal frameworks align with the the SSF Guidelines.

At the book launch event, Julia provided an overview of the book, which includes 15 country case studies from across the world, and a regional one in the Pacific Islands, developed based on a rapid assessment framework methodology[4] for assessing key legal issues relevant to small-scale fisheries (i.e., legal definition; tenure rights and labor rights; participation in fisheries management and conservation; partial, exclusive or preferential access; public financial mechanisms; gender; climate change, and; representation of small-scale fishers in institutional arrangements). Additional 13 case studies are available on the eBook 'Unlocking Legal and Policy Frameworks for SSF: Global Illustrations'. Ratana presented the key findings of the book, highlighting the progress made by countries in implementing the participatory principles under the SSF Guidelines, as reflected in national legislation that ensures fishers’ right to participate in fisheries management decision-making processes through co-management schemes. Svein recalled the need to walk the talk, acknowledging the role of academia in facilitating our understanding of the complex and highly political process of implementing the SSF Guidelines.

Blaise Kuemlangan, LEGN Chief, commended the editors and contributors for their work, noting: “This book is a good shot in the arm to boost focus on the work that we need to do as partners of the Sustainable Development Agenda to support fishers on the ground”. His work in the ‘Special Management Areas’ (SMAs) in Tonga, and the incorporation of the SMAs into the Tonga Fisheries Management Act No. 26 of 2002 highlighted the importance of involving fishers in the process, listening carefully to their perspectives, making the SMAs a Tonga-owned concept.

The event also provided the opportunity for the presentation of overviews and reflections on specific chapters, delivered by Watisoni Lalavanua and Hugh Govan (co-authors of chapter 11 on the Pacific Islands), Mele Tauati (co-author of chapter 20 on Tonga), Milena Schreiber (co-author of chapter 19 on Sweden) and Sisir Pradhan (co-author of chapter 14 on India).

During the questions and answers session, participants raised the importance of further exploring how legislation provides for and secures decent work and social protection in small-scale fisheries; the tendency of many governments to see small-scale fisheries negatively, thereby avoiding addressing small-scale fisheries issues, which are often associated with illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, and leading to continued marginalization.

Two other events provided the occasion for the launch of the book: during the Small-Scale Fisheries Regional Symposium for Europe, in Larnaca, Cyprus; and, at the Speakers Corner during FAO COFI36, in Rome, Italy.

Other initiatives relating to policy and legal frameworks that support the implementation of the SSF Guidelines include: the SSF-LEX,  legislative guide, a policy and legal diagnostic tool, eLearning course, and policy brief.

For more information, please contact: [email protected]