Strengthening Capabilities of Individuals and Communities Through a Small-Scale Fisheries Academy

Abstract

AbstractWe build on a basic understanding that change towards Blue Justice and responsive governance requires the evolution of perceptions and attitudes of small-scale fisheries and empowerment for collective action of the men and women in small-scale fisheries themselves. We briefly point to sources of evidence that show the role of small-scale fisheries in global fisheries and their potential as a pillar for sustainable fisheries. Our case study about the Small-Scale Fisheries Academy, Senegal, explores the development and adaptation of inclusive empowerment methods based on the Gender Action Learning System (GALS) to enable agency at individual and collective levels through inclusive and active learning entailing real-life applications. Such empowerment is key to creating a more level playing field, enabling active participation of small-scale fisheries in zoning and other policy processes. Propelled by the Blue Justice concept and experiential visual learning that engages women and men who tend to be otherwise excluded from such processes, small-scale fisheries could become a key component of fisheries sustainability within inclusive, interdisciplinary approaches and policies that transcend narrow, technical, and instrumental thinking and practice. We seek to promote the development of the Small-Scale Fisheries Academy elsewhere to ensure that such approaches support the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Voluntary Guidelines for Ensuring Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries and are scalable and robust as part of a Blue Economy in tune with the interdependent SDGs. This chapter constitutes a contribution towards justice at the first governance order and positive change in people’s daily lives.KeywordsSmall-Scale Fisheries Academy Gender Action Learning System (GALS) Voluntary Guidelines for Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries Visual thinking Graphic facilitation Blue Justice