Report of the Workshop on Creating an Enabling Envrionment for Securing Sustainable Small-scale Fisheries

Book excerpt: The project “Creating an enabling environment for securing sustainable small-scale fisheries” (GCP/GLO/965/SWE), funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), supports the implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines). [Author] It does so by, inter alia, improving relevant legal frameworks applicable to small-scale fisheries and reducing marginalization of small-scale fisheries stakeholders in decision-making processes. [Author] The project works with a wide range of stakeholders, ranging from small-scale fishing communities and organizations, to governments, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and academia, in both marine and inland waters. [Author] The project, initiated in December 2018, was designed under the FAO Umbrella Programme for the Promotion and Application of the SSF Guidelines (PGM/MUL/2015-2020/SSF) – Enhancing the contribution of small-scale fisheries to food security and sustainable livelihoods. [Author] Activities under the project first started in Cabo Verde, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Madagascar, Myanmar, Namibia, Oman, Philippines, Senegal and United Republic of Tanzania. [Author] In subsequent phases of the project, support was further extended upon ad hoc requests to other countries, such as Mozambique, and to a number of small-scale fisheries organizations, civil society orgranizations (CSOs) and NGOs. [Author] The project fosters synergies with the project implementing the SSF Guidelines for gender-equitable and climate resilient food systems and livelihoods’ supported through the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad). [Author] A workshop on this project with project countries and partners brought together people to share experiences and lessons learned from the project. [Author] The workshop, which took place in Rome, Italy, from 14 to 16 November 2023, hosted discussions on the additional followup support that is required to further facilitate the implementation of the SSF Guidelines at national, regional and global level, hence contributing to a more sustainable small-scale fisheries sector. [Author]