IYAFA: Interview with Ambassador Peter Thomson, UNSG’s Special Envoy for the Ocean, on the occasion of the 2022 UN Ocean Conference

We interviewed UNSG’s Special Envoy for the Ocean, ambassador Peter Thomson to understand more about the importance of including people in the discussions related to the ocean and why small-scale producers need to be included in decision-making processes.

The United Nations General Assembly declared 2022 the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture (IYAFA 2022) to raise awareness on the role of small-scale fisheries and aquaculture, strengthen science-policy interaction, to build new and strengthen existing partnerships, and increase efforts towards achieving SDG 14. How can the UN Ocean Conference (UNOC) help to amplify the celebrations of IYAFA 2022 and fully engage countries and empower the small-scale aquatic food industry stakeholders?

Engaging with and listening to the voices of small-scale fishers is essential, not only this year, but every year. Like the UN Ocean Conference, IYAFA 2022 is the beginning, not the end – it is an opportunity to spur action and create positive change in the years to come.

The UNOC is a chance for small-scale producers to be seen and heard. The Conference will give visibility to the issues impacting small-scale fishers and fish workers and help ensure these issues are appropriately reflected in national sector development plans.

The Conference is also an opportunity to highlight their role as resource stewards of the ocean. Finally, it will allow small-scale fisheries stakeholders to make the case for including traditional knowledge in decision-making processes, to promote sustainable development of small-scale aquatic food production systems, and to ultimately secure equitable livelihoods for fisheries communities.

Nearly half a billion people around the world depend, at least in part, on small-scale fisheries for their livelihoods. How will the deliberations and outcomes of the UN Ocean Conference support achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, and in particular SDG 14 and target SDG 14.b - Provide access of small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets?

The UN Oceans Conference is an opportunity to help further consolidate around agreed goals, share related knowledge and tools, and intensify the commitment to applying them - the Conference seeks to encourage participatory approaches and action-oriented commitments to achieving SDG 14 by governments and all stakeholders. By connecting different actors, the UN Ocean Conference can help amplify global efforts in relation to achieving the SDGs.

The Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines) are a good example in this context: they were approved in 2014 – since then, a lot has been learned on how to implement them, especially in relation SDG 14.b, “provide access of small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets”, but also many of the other SDGs such as SDG 5 on gender equity, SDG 1 on poverty reduction and SDG 2 on food security.

It will also increase recognition of the importance aquatic foods for livelihoods, nutrition, and food security of people all around world, and particularly in developing countries.

2022 has been called a ‘Super-Year’ for the ocean. What are some of the major ocean events taking place in 2022 and how can proponents of small-scale fisheries and aquaculture get involved in the context of promoting IYAFA 2022?

Yes, and it is a good thing that IYAFA is being celebrated this year because we cannot talk about the ocean without talking about people. IYAFA is raising awareness about the importance of small-scale producers among a vast array of stakeholders, from governments to the general public.

In addition to the UN Oceans Conference, in September this year, the Committee on Fisheries (COFI) will take place in Rome where governments are expected to come forward and make strong statements and commitments in support of IYAFA and implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines).

We will also have the 27th UN Climate Change Conference in Sharm El-Sheikh in late November, and the 15th Conference to the Convention on Biological Diversity in December. The ocean, and small-scale producers who depend on the ocean, are important stakeholders of both these processes.

The largest proportion of farmed aquatic products comes from the hard labor of small-scale aquaculturists (generally referred to as “fish farmers”, but these obviously include seaweed and shellfish farmers). Access to ocean space and to healthy/uncontaminated waters will be crucial to produce healthy aquatic foods to feed the growing human population. Do you expect that countries attending the UNOC will strengthen their support to aquatic farmers as rightful users of our water resources and provide for low-impact farming practices? And, how could any potential conflict over access to marine resources for small-scale fishers be addressed?

The UN Oceans Conference will raise awareness of the importance small-scale producers, not only as creators of livelihoods, and suppliers of nutritious food, but also as stewards of marine resources.

Current and future aquatic farmers are certainly among the rightful users of our ocean waters and space, thus, it is important for national authorities to set aside areas that provide the right conditions for aquatic farming practices based on current technologies, particularly if we want to see more food coming from the sea. It is important that these spaces are “protected” from external disturbances and that they are accessible to both large and small entrepreneurs.

Low-impact farming practices are needed to safeguard the water environment where our food is produced. To be able to do that, strong participatory planning/decision-making and management processes are key. These also need to take power imbalances into account and embrace the principles of free and informed consent and environmental, social and economic impact assessments prior to any decision. In many places, small-scale producers are the heart and soul of communities, so we need to make sure they continue to thrive by having their rights and their livelihoods protected.

Biography

Ambassador Peter Thomson has served as the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean since 2017, in which role he is driving the implementation of UN Sustainable Development Goal 14, to conserve and sustainably use the resources of the Ocean. He was elected to the serve as President of the General Assembly of the United Nations for its 2016-17 term. He was Fiji’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations from 2010 to 2016, during which time he was President of the Executive Board of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the United Nations Office of Project Services (UNOPS). He led the Fiji team of diplomats that in 2013 chaired the Group of 77 and China – the UN’s largest negotiating group, comprised of 133 developing countries. He was elected as President of the International Seabed Authority’s Assembly in 2011 and as President of its Council in 2015. Ambassador Peter Thomson is a founding Co-Chair of the Friends of Ocean Action and is a supporting member of the High-Level Panel for Sustainable Ocean Economy.