Report of the Expert Workshop on Aquaculture Co-management

Book excerpt: The FAO Expert Workshop on Aquaculture Co-management gathered global experience and knowledge relevant to the definition and characterization of aquaculture co-management. The main objectives of the workshop were to: elucidate the concept of aquaculture co-management in terms of definition, rationale, scope, objective and underlying principles; discuss the effective implementation of aquaculture co-management; draft a methodology and the main steps to guide a successful implementation of co-management systems in aquaculture; and reflect on future sector developments and the role of co-management in aquaculture. The workshop took place in hybrid mode from 8 to 11 June 2022 in Kigali, Rwanda. Eighteen experts attended the workshop, with eleven attending in person and seven joining online. The main topics discussed included: (i) overview of the background document on Aquaculture Co-management; (ii) presentation of the concept and application scope, requirements and characteristics of aquaculture co-management; (iii) the models and practices to guide a successful implementation of co-management system in aquaculture; (iv) future sector developments and the role of co-management; (v) the monitoring and evaluation of aquaculture co-management; and (vi) the main steps to guide a successful implementation of aquaculture co-management. During the workshop, participants were presented with a draft rationale, a definition, principles and models of aquaculture co-management as outlined in a background document which was shared ahead of the event. They were then invited to provide advice on these elements of aquaculture co-management to establish a shared understanding of the concept and define a pathway for its further development. The expert input will be used to develop a methodology, produce a guidebook to establish aquaculture co-management systems, write case studies and conduct outreach activities.