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Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries

in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication

FAO and the Caribbean Network of Fisherfolk Organisations (CNFO) promote the implementation of the SSF Guidelines in the Caribbean Region

06/02/2023

The Caribbean Network of Fisherfolk Organisations (CNFO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) collaborated with the Anguilla Fisher Folk Association (AFA), Jamaica Fishermen Co-operative Union (JFCU), and the National Fisher-folk Organization of St. Kitts and Nevis to implement a project entitled, “Promoting fisher-led implementation of SSF Guidelines in the Caribbean Region”. The project covered national workshops in three countries – Anguilla, Jamaica, and St Kitts and Nevis – to:

  • Build awareness and understanding of regional and global fisheries policy, namely the Caribbean Community Common Fisheries Policy (CCCFP), and the Voluntary Guidelines on Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF).
  • Develop draft advocacy plans for fishers, to address major concerns
  • Develop draft plans for fisher-led implementation of the SSF guidelines
  • Build awareness of the CNFO’s Regional Code of Conduct

The national workshops was held in 2022 and brought together men and women from the small-scale fisheries sector:

  • In Anguilla, the 3-day workshop were held in March 2022 with 15 participants (14 men and 1 woman). 
  • In Jamaica, the 3-day workshop were held in June with 21 participants (12 men and 9 women). 
  • In St. Kitts and Nevis, the 3-day workshop were held in August/September 2022 with 16 participants (14 men and 2 women).

Additionally, Mitchell Lay, CNFO Program Coordinator of Antigua and Barbuda, and Nadine Nembhard, CNFO Administrative Officer of Belize, attended and facilitated the sessions via Zoom. 

A 10-question survey was developed, distributed, and completed by fisherfolk prior to the workshops.  A total of 43 fisherfolk who would be invited participated in the survey.  The results were used to adapt the workshop modules as it showed that only 5 out of the 43 respondents were aware of the SSF Guidelines: in Anguilla only 1 fisher out of the 9 respondents; in Jamaica, 2 fishers of the 18 surveyed and in St. Kitts and Nevis only 2 fishers of the 16. In St. Kitts and Nevis, one fisher commented the information came from the Fisheries Department and the other that it was from a documentary. 

Accordingly, there is a need to increase the awareness of the SSF Guidelines among fisherfolk in the region. In addition to the national workshops held, it is hoped that CNFO members will use the recently created in-house quick reference card as a tool to learn about and share information on the content of the SSF Guidelines.  The card was distributed to participants in the national workshop, and it will also be printed and laminated in the future by CNFO members for further distribution.