SSF Guidelines Research Articles

The economic displacement of thousands of fishers in the Pantanal, Brazil: A telling story of small‐scale fisheries marginalization worldwide.

AbstractA new policy in the Pantanal wetland, Brazil, aims to economically displace thousands of artisanal fishers from one‐third of the region. The legislation disregards several FAO Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainability in Small‐Scale Fisheries' guiding principles (SSF guidelines). Considering that 2024 marks the 10th anniversary of these guidelines, this policy represents a significant setback for fish and fisheries worldwide. In this paper, we show that the legislation is part of long‐term agenda against small‐scale fishers in the Pantanal, aiming to use narratives around overfishing to justify physical and economic displacements—albeit no empirical evidence showing impact on fish stocks. We also show that, as in many other small‐scale fisheries worldwide, overfishing narratives are, in fact, used to open space for industrial activities and large infrastructure projects. The Pantanal is a telling story of that, since the new legislation will likely open space for the construction of over 50 small hydroelectric dams in the Pantanal and surrounding area. We argue that, first, it is urgent to abolish the new legislation and promote a pro‐fishers agenda in the Pantanal to protect the region. However, since this is not unique for the region, it is critical to implement international programmes that celebrate and support local fisheries worlwide and avoid physical and economic displacements. Stands out turning SSF guidelines into international agreements, implementing citizens science programmes and expanding the fisher's tenure rights through innovative mechanizes of ownership. By better protecting local small‐scale fishers in the Pantanal and worldwide we are more likely to guarantee a sustainable future for ecosystems and its peoples.

Capacities and gaps in Caribbean fisherfolk organization leadership

Organizational leadership is one of the most important roles for both women and men in the fishing industry. Empowerment of fisherfolk organization and strengthening or development of their capacity, especially in relation to leadership, is important to the successful implementation of the 2014 Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines) and the realization of sustainable fisheries and stewardship. Leadership is a challenging and relatively recent fisheries research topic, and gender is poorly documented in Caribbean fisheries. The deficiency of knowledge on leadership and gender was addressed through fisherfolk organization leader assessments to assist in understanding capacities and gaps in Caribbean fisherfolk organization leadership for informing gender and other aspects of overall SSF Guidelines implementation. Our work contributes to a baseline of knowledge on fisher organization leaders in the region. It confirms some already known information on fisherfolk organizations, documenting this and new information. Dimensions such as decision-making, gender, participation, governance, education and assets relevant to fisherfolk leadership are covered in the leadership profile developed. We discuss the implications of this preliminary and exploratory applied research for Caribbean fisheries in the context of the SSF Guidelines, and a way forward.

Fisheries Cooperatives as a Platform to Address Multi-stakeholder Issues in South Sri Lanka: Incorporating SSF Voluntary Guidelines into the ICZM Process

Coastal resources are used by multiple stakeholders with diverse interests, whose actions often give rise to conflicts, showing the need for integrated coastal management where resource use decisions are made with the participation of all. While all relevant state actors operate along the coastal belt, there hardly exists any coordination among them, revealing the absence of integrated efforts in coastal resource management. This study was undertaken in this context, aiming at finding out the potential lead role, a community based organisation could play in initiating an integrated coastal management platform. Since the recently developed SSF Guidelines have important implications for such a platform, the study examined the extent to which fisheries cooperatives qualify for such a task. Rekawa of Southern Sri Lanka was selected for the study. The methodology involved a Focus Group Discussion with representatives of all coastal resource users, and a questionnaire survey. Results revealed that, conflicts among stakeholders were pervasive but remained latent. They have been resolved mainly through private negotiations. Among the three community organisations in operation, the marine fisheries cooperative ranked first in respect of providing livelihood capitals and, in its potential to adopt key concerns highlighted in SSF guidelines, but ranked low in resource management. Holistic, integrated, inclusive approaches to management with the participation of all relevant parties and, improving the socio-economic conditions, were accredited as the most pertinent SSF guidelines towards conflict resolution. The study showed that fisheries cooperatives could play an important role in the process of integrated coastal zone management, providing a formidable platform to address multiple stakeholder issues.

Translating SSF Guidelines Into Practice With the Small-Scale Fisheries Academy

The Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines) have been adopted by FAO’s Committee of Fisheries in 2014. In this short research report, we present action research with self-selected men and women in small-scale fisheries in Senegal, a country with a large and dynamic SSF, which suffers, however, from diminishing profitability as a result of multiple pressures. We report ongoing work on the principles and approaches of the Small-Scale Fisheries Academy as a way to support the implementation of these Guidelines. The first phase of developing the SSF Academy focuses on testing learning methods aimed at developing critical thinking, planning and action. Respectful dialogue in the secure space of the Academy made academy learners, particularly women and younger participants, gradually more confident, articulate, and active. They started harvesting the results of enacted planning. We cautiously argue that it would be useful to expand these tests combining dialogue, the art of hosting communication and visual thinking to different places in Senegal and elsewhere. They provide an opportunity to address sensitive social issues like gender equity and intra-household violence and open perspectives on other societal challenges that hamper the implementation of the Guidelines. Despite the difficult conditions of the pandemic and given the rather limited work during the pilot phase before, the Academy’s participatory and inclusive learning and empowerment approach had an impact on the individual learners and the group and thus contributed to the implementation of the SSF Guidelines.

When hazards become disasters: coastal fishing communities in Bangladesh

ABSTRACT Using the DPSIR (Drivers, Pressures, States, Impacts, and Responses) framework as an analytical lens, this study elucidates how climate-related hazards, coupled with other drivers and pressures, create vulnerability to disasters for coastal fishing communities in Bangladesh. Primary data has been collected through fieldwork in four communities in the Southern Region, consisting of individual interviews, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews. The study reveals that coastal fishing communities in Bangladesh face recurrent hazards that, coupled with other natural and anthropogenic drivers and pressures, have disastrous consequences on human well-being and the environment. Disaster impacts on coastal communities vary and differ by the capacities, situations, experiences, and capitals of households. In response to disasters’ adverse impacts, affected communities adopt various coping strategies, which produce both beneficial and harmful impacts. To include those impacts into long-term development goals of coastal communities, the study calls for the implementation of the Small-Scale Fisheries Guidelines (SSF Guidelines), which could help in the immediate relief phase, as well as the rehabilitation, reconstruction, and recovery after disasters and reduce vulnerabilities of small-scale fishers.

Climate Change Impacts on a Tropical Fishery Ecosystem: Implications and Societal Responses

The present study aimed to map out the current threats and anticipated impacts of climate change on the most important hilsa shad (Tenualosa ilisha) fishery and the associated fishing communities based on fieldwork in six coastal fishing communities. To collect empirical data, individual interviews, focus group discussions, oral history, and key informant interviews were conducted. To supplement the empirical findings, time-series data of cyclones and sea-borne depressions in the Bay of Bengal were also analyzed. Analysis of secondary data regarding climate change-induced events and regional studies suggested that the biophysical conditions of the Bay of Bengal are likely to be aggravated in the future, potentially causing more frequent extreme events and affecting the livelihoods of coastal fishing communities in Bangladesh. The fisher respondents revealed that the main target hilsa shad fishery is particularly vulnerable to climate change in terms of alterations to migration patterns and breeding and growth performance. The fishers reported constant climate-related risks because they live in seafront locations, exposed to extreme events, and their occupation entails risky sea fishing. Fishers claimed that they often need return to the coast due to unsuitable weather conditions related to cyclones and frequent tropical depressions, which can cause financial losses or even causalities. Such events negatively affect fishers’ livelihoods, and wellbeing. To cope with the impacts of climate change the fishers have adopted various strategies at both sea fishing and household levels. However, these strategies only support the fishers in terms of immediate survival; they are not enough for long-term resilience. To improve the resilience of the hilsa fishers, the study argues for the implementation the Small-Scale Fisheries Guidelines (SSF Guidelines), which call for longer-term development goals, including in the immediate relief phase, and rehabilitation, reconstruction, and recovery to reduce vulnerabilities to climate and anthropogenic risks.

How has organization benefited women in the Barbados flyingfish fishery? A look from within

Collective action and the diversity of forms it may take in fisherfolk organizing is complex. Efforts to implement the 2014 Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines) have resulted in increasing global to local attention on fisherfolk organizations, their strengthening and governance. These include women’s roles and participation in them, both as members and as leaders. There is limited literature on women in fisherfolk organizations in Barbados. Women in the flyingfish postharvest sector are conspicuous, but how some work through their fisherfolk organization is undocumented. The Central Fish Processors Association (CFPA) formed to address challenges small fish processors were experiencing in their livelihoods. Through group interviews and document analysis, benefits to the women from participation in this all-woman organization, and the challenges they face, were explored by examining the links between collective action, organization and gender. We document the collective action of these women in preparing to make practical interventions for improvements to their working and domestic lives. It is the first research focused on organized women in the Barbados flyingfish fishery, deviating from the typical focus on men in its harvest sector.

Reconciling human rights and customary law: legal pluralism in the governance of small-scale fisheries*

The Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries (SSF Guidelines) introduce a human rights framework for fisheries management and development, suggesting an inclusive approach that embraces a range of rights, regimes and interests. These reflect diverse systems of law, values and norms, straddling both customary and statutory systems of governance and tenure. The interface between these different systems poses questions about the extent to which they are reconcilable with a human rights-based approach. The latter originates in the domain of transnational law, which has been increasing in scope and importance in recent decades. How transnational law interacts with and affects various law systems is an empirical question, to which much scholarly attention has gone. The normative question that emerges, however, is how to balance the recognition of universal human rights with respect for historically-evolved and locally legitimate, customary law in case of conflicts between them. This paper investigates some of the tensions and opportunities that arise in the meeting of the SSF Guidelines and customary socio-legal systems, paying special attention to four important fields of overlap and possibly contention: tenure, gender, child labour and markets. Co-management platforms are suggested to be the ideal meeting ground for negotiating acceptable hybrids and designing so-called interlegalities.

Aligning the sustainable development goals to the small-scale fisheries guidelines: A case for EU fisheries governance

Since the launch of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015, several countries, funding organizations, environmental groups and research communities have pledged support and made commitment to help achieve these goals. SDG14: Life Below Water, for instance, has been embraced as the global goal for conservation and sustainable uses of the oceans, seas and marine resources. Among its many targets, SDG14b speaks directly to small-scale fisheries, calling for secured access to resources and markets for this sector. We argue that achieving SDG 14b requires a holistic approach encompassing several SDGs, including livelihoods, economic growth, community sustainability, strong institutions and partnerships. It is also important to align the SDG targets with the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries (SSF Guidelines), as the mutuality that exists between the scope and nature of the two instruments can help guide the formulation of appropriate governance tools. Yet, the alignment of these two instruments alone does not guarantee sustainability of small-scale fisheries, especially without an official mandate from the governments. The case in point is the European Union where small-scale fisheries are not sufficiently recognized within the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), despite being the largest sector (75% of the fleet). Through an examination of the CFP in the context of the SSF Guidelines and the SDGs, we discuss options and possibilities for inclusive consideration of small-scale fisheries in the upcoming policy reform, which might then lead to both achieving fisheries sustainability and the SDGs in the EU.

Taking stock of the status of implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-scale Fisheries: A country-level assessment framework

With the growing recognition of the significance of small-scale fisheries, the FAO working member states developed the Voluntary Guidelines on Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines). In order to increase awareness and catalyze the uptake of the guidelines by national governments, a simpler framework and process was developed and tested in two countries for use by governments to assess their progress in meeting the guidelines. These SSF Guidelines were re-structured into an assessment framework to enable a country-level assessment of the status of implementation and to inform development programming and project design. The assessment process consisted of a combination of desk reviews, expert consultations, and workshops. The SSF assessment framework and process provides a step forward to increase awareness and application of the SSF Guidelines in support of sustainable small-scale fisheries.

Too big to fail: An essay about Svein Jentoft’s engagement in small-scale fisheries research and development of the interactive governance theory

The Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries (SSF Guidelines) adopted in 2014 marked a special moment for small-scale fisheries worldwide. It is the first global instrument that is designed “by” and “for” small-scale fisheries. The emphasis on food security and poverty alleviation may be interpreted to mean that the SSF Guidelines aim only at developing countries. However, as argued by Prof. Svein Jentoft, who has been instrumental in the drafting of the Guidelines’ text as well as in the official adoption process, the SSF Guidelines are relevant for small-scale fisheries in the north in the same way that small-scale fisheries are important to many developed countries. A fundamental question is how to make use of the SSF Guidelines in enabling the sustainability of small-scale fisheries. This essay presents some of the arguments made by Prof. Jentoft’s work on small-scale fisheries and fisheries governance, that the implementation of the SSF Guidelines requires changes in all governing orders. Specifically, multiple case studies research is necessary at the first order to illuminate the diversity and complexity of small-scale fisheries and the multifaceted issues and challenges they face. This is imperative for the new design and re-arrangement of institutions in the second-order to allow for flexibility and adaptation to deal with the dynamics in small-scale fisheries and the changing environment. Finally, at the meta-order, new images for small-scale fisheries governance are required. The essay concludes with some discussion about moving forward, reflecting on the influence of Prof. Jentoft’s work in shaping research and governance for small-scale fisheries sustainability.

O SOCIAL COMO PRIORIDADE NA PESCA ARTESANAL: DIRETRIZES INTERNACIONAIS PARA A PESCA ARTESANAL SUSTENTÁVEL

As Diretrizes Voluntárias para assegurar a Pesca artesanal sustentável no contexto da Segurança Alimentar e Erradicação da Pobreza (Diretrizes da Pesca Artesanal) foram aprovadas em 2014 no âmbito da Organização das Nações Unidas para a Agricultura e Alimentação (FAO). Este artigo discute seu processo de criação e analisa os principais temas de conflito e mudanças ocorridas durante as consultas técnicas de elaboração do texto, realizadas pela FAO. As diretrizes da pesca mostram que a pesca artesanal envolve a interdisciplinaridade e exige governança em: garantia ao território, saúde, educação, segurança do trabalho e resolução de conflitos com outras atividades estão além da gestão da própria atividade pesqueira.

Transforming the governance of small-scale fisheries

Despite their contribution to employment, food security, poverty eradication, and community well-being, small-scale fisheries often find themselves in a disadvantageous position globally relative to large-scale fisheries and other industries competing for marine space, resources, and government attention. By and large, small-scale fisheries are marginalized in every sense of the word: culturally, socially, economically, geographically, legally, and politically. Their unfavorable status is frequently perceived to be both a cause and effect of overfishing, unsustainable fishing practices, and governance failure; thus, their potential to modernize while participating in and delivering on sustainable development goals is less than optimal. Given that the majority of the world’s fisheries are small-scale, it is imperative that major changes take place in the conditions that determine the predicament of small-scale fisheries. For these reasons, in 2014, FAO member states endorsed the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines), with the aim of encouraging states and civil society organizations to take steps to bring about the changes needed to improve the sustainability and viability of small-scale fisheries. The SSF Guidelines call for broad and complex governance interventions; however, as much as they can help create transformation within small-scale fisheries, governance systems themselves must also be transformed before real change can take place. Based on the analysis of 34 case studies of small-scale fisheries’ governance around the world, our synthesis reveals that small-scale fisheries’ governance is indeed undergoing different types of transformation and can take place in all governing modes. Further, these transformations occur at the operational, institutional, and the meta-levels of governance, which, from the perspective of the SSF Guidelines, is encouraging.

Building the Barbados National Union of Fisherfolk Organisations

The Barbados National Union of Fisherfolk Organisations was formed in 1999 under a fisherfolk organisation development project. The aim was for this national body in fisherfolk governance to strengthen the capacities of its local level organisation members. Its evolution from origin to the present illustrates the complexities of capacity development at organisation and individual levels. The former concerns building organisational resilience while the latter is about sustaining livelihoods. Poverty strictly in terms of income, food security and nutrition are not major issues in Barbados, but the fisheries sector lacks an effective collective voice. Hence, fishery workers report feeling less recognised and entitled than workers in other economic sectors. Poverty has evolved conceptually to also consider self-organisation and collective action, consistent with resilience thinking. These new dimensions are important in Barbados. In participatory action research comprising mostly workshops and interviews, the organisation was investigated using an integrated framework for analysing aspects of governance, livelihoods and organisational resilience. The evolution of the Barbados National Union of Fisherfolk Organisations was not linear, and it was impacted by factors favouring both its success and failure to become a resilient fisherfolk organisation. Implementing the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines) is the current focus for the organisation’s capacity development. Examining fisherfolk perspectives on how they will go about developing capacity for and through the SSF Guidelines provided further insight into organisational resilience. Lessons learned from this case are applicable to similar Caribbean fisherfolk organisations.