The United Nations have declared 2022 the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture. In cooperation with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), UNA Germany invites you to an online event to discuss the importance of small-scale fisheries for sustainable development.

Sustainable fisheries and support for small-scale fishers relate to many of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including but not limited to Goal 14 ("Life below water") on the protection and sustainable use of the oceans, which includes several targets on fisheries. As the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) show, small-scale fisheries is not just about fish, but above all about people, their rights and development opportunities. This especially have to apply to women in small-scale fisheries, who often work in particularly poorly paid jobs e.g. in fish processing.

So, under what conditions can fisheries contribute to the implementation of the SDGs? How can the United Nations support small-scale fishers? And what needs to change, here in Europe and globally, so that fisheries can become more sustainable overall? On the occasion of the International Year of Small-Scale Fisheries and Aquaculture, we invite you to our expert discussion about these and other questions.

Register here 

More information [German]

More information [English]

First gathering of the Regional Advisory Group in Asia and the Pacific, Enhancing social movements perspectives to implement the SSF Voluntary Guidelines

From the 10th to the 12nd of May the members of the Regional Advisory Group (RAG) in the Asia and the Pacific region will meet face to face in Bangkok, Thailand, together with their regional allies. The meeting will be a crucial moment for IYAFA: the RAG will discuss the present status of the SSF Guidelines implementation in five Asian countries, and reinforce the network alliance in the region. At the meeting the first national assessments on the SSF Guidelines report will be presented and the attendees will be invited to share their experiences, views and expectations on the implementation of the SSF Voluntary Guidelines at their own local level. The meeting will also be the occasion to discuss the Human-centred participatory monitoring methodology drafted by the IPC Working Group on Fisheries. National governmental representatives and FAO Regional representatives will be invited to the event.

More information here

Please join us in the CARE-WWF Alliance’s next session of our webinar series! For this session, we will be examining the need for gender transformative approaches in coastal livelihoods. To date, many projects and interventions have been, at best, gender sensitive – where the different needs of women and men in coastal environments may be acknowledged. However, few interventions are genuinely seeking transformative change in the way gender relations and power structures are addressed.

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This webinar will describe what gender transformative approaches are and present a set of case examples, challenges, and models where participants will hear practical solutions to addressing the pervasive and restrictive norms and barriers that women in coastal ecosystems face. We will then be opening the floor to the amazing panel of practitioners from CARE, WWF, James Cook University, the Stockholm Environment Institute, and more! If there are any questions you have in advance, please submit them here. We will be taking questions during the session as well and look forward to a great discussion.



The CARE-WWF Alliance is excited to present this opportunity to deepen the connection of transformative gender approaches within coastal livelihood programming. The presentation will be in English and followed by a Q&A. Please feel free to pass along to your respective internal and external networks.

Attend webinar here

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Register here 

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Join the SSF Hub on March 22nd at 3:00 AM ET US / 7:00 AM UTC /12:30 PM Sri Lanka / 2:00 PM Thailand to hear from women fishers and fishing organization representatives from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Thailand on their contributions and involvement in the small-scale fishing sectors. 

Join the Webinar Meeting on March 22nd: https://edf.zoom.us/j/85956602128

Join the conversation! - SSF Hub Dialogue: Women in Small-Scale Fisheries 

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The SSF Hub Presents: Fisher Voices webinar series will continue in 2022, as a way to facilitate the exchange of stories, best practices, and actions needed to protect the lives and livelihoods of small-scale fishers worldwide. These webinars will highlight important topics, voiced by small-scale fishers and fish workers, to build increased awareness of the issues facing small-scale fishing communities and drive action to support them. 

To learn more about the webinar series and ways that you can participate and contribute, click here. 

Every day millions of people harvest fish – by boat, by foot, with nets, with cages, in inland waters and on the ocean. Some of it is for direct consumption locally, but most of their harvests provide the rest of the world with a wide variety of fish and aquatic plants that contribute to nutritious and healthy diets. The majority of these women and men - including youth - operate in the highly diverse small-scale artisanal sub-sector. Small-scale artisanal fishers, fish farmers and fish workers hold enormous potential to promote transformative changes in production, processing, distribution and consumption of fish and aquatic products. These artisanal fishers also contribute to healthy and diverse diets, livelihoods, community prosperity and traditional culture.

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In order to recognize the efforts of these millions of small-scale fishers worldwide, in the framework of IYAFA 2022, FAO in Oman hosts an exceptional event highlighting the role that small-scale fishers, fish farmers and fish workers play in food security and nutrition, poverty eradication and sustainable natural resource use.

Register here

In celebration of International Women’s Day 2022 this event will highlight the role of women in small-scale fisheries in Africa and feature actions to break the gender bias in small-scale fisheries. This event is timely, at the start of the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture 2022 and will set the scene for a series of events on gender and women’s empowerment throughout fisheries and aquaculture value chains.

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Acknowledging the role women play in fisheries, and the deep-rooted challenges they face is essential to constructing gender-based approaches to management, allowing and incentivizing women to engage in responsibilities all along the value chains. Through the progressive implementation and use of relevant international instruments, guidance and the implementation of Gender Transformative Approaches, policies should aim to secure women’s access to, use of, voice in and tenure over resources, markets and leadership roles.

Register here

Growing evidence points to gender equality playing a key role in aquatic food systems’ crucial contributions to achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. However, despite recent progress in advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment, inequity and barriers still remain in most parts of the world.

In this upcoming Fish4Thought virtual event held in conjunction with International Women’s Day, WorldFish's research experts will come together to highlight gender-sensitive approaches that empower women actors and ensure gender-equal opportunities in food, nutrition and income security in aquatic food systems.

The presentations will focus on WorldFish’s years of research work in designing and implementing gender-inclusive innovations in response to climate and COVID-19 impacts. The panel of experts will also share regional innovations in aquatic food systems to increase the visibility, agency and leadership capabilities of women in small-scale, artisanal fisheries and aquaculture sectors in Asia, Africa and the Pacific. 

Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_6m2NB0ftR7KW0MPThrxwbg

To mark the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture, this event will showcase how the recent UK Government funded ASPIRE project worked towards increasing the adaptive capacity of coastal communities and small-scale fishers to climate change.

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The event will bring together organisations that have collaborated on the ASPIRE project, which aimed to build community resilience to climate change by strengthening the integration of sexual and reproductive health services with community-based conservation activities. This will be a unique opportunity to hear insights from actors in both conservation and sexual reproductive health sectors, as well as from experts in human-centred design.

Register here

20th Biennial Conference of the International Institute of Fisheries Economics and Trade (IIFET)

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The International Institute of Fisheries Economics & Trade (IIFET) is a global organization consisting 700+ members from over 65 countries around the world. IIFET provides an international forum for the exchange of research, information, and ideas on the economics of fisheries management, seafood trade, and aquaculture.

More information here 

Abstract submissions  (Accepted until February 15th, 2022)

Image the (Un)Imaginable: Revitalizing Small-Scale Fisheries In Europe

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Under the theme ‘Imagine the (Un)Imaginable’, the congress provides a platform for an open and forward-looking discussion about the options and opportunities for small-scale fisheries in Europe, including those that may seem unlikely or inconceivable. With many things working for and against small-scale fisheries in Europe nowadays, the latter includes, among others, declining fish stocks, competition for resource and markets, and the ageing population of fishers, it is imperative to foster an environment of cooperation among various stakeholder that enables envisioning prospective future for this vital sector. Building on the knowledge and experience about factors and conditions for viable small-scale fisheries in Europe, the congress offers an exceptional opportunity to co-create vison(s) of what small-scale fisheries in Europe could look like, share and exchange ideas about what it will take to get there, and discuss actions and priorities in national and regional governance that could lead to sustainable future for small-scale fisheries in Europe.

By facilitating knowledge exchange, strengthening collaboration among small-scale fisheries networks and organizations, and mobilizing support for the viability and sustainability of small-scale fisheries, the congress will also promote the development of strategies in support of the implementation of the SSF Guidelines and the incorporation of small-scale fisheries in SDGs. ​

The congress will be organized around six main topics:

• Imagine Blue Justice
• Imagine Gender Equity
• Imagine Good Subsidies
• Imagine Low-Impact Fishing
• Imagine SSF-centric Governance
• Imagine SSF in all SDGs

Contributions are invited from fishers and fishing communities, industry, government and intergovernmental organizations, civil society, and academia, interested in small-scale fisheries sustainability in Europe. Within and across the six themes, we welcome participants who are keen to share their experiences and lessons learned, who want to talk about what is already being done right and/or have ideas about prospects for what can be done better moving forward. Abstracts for individual papers or organized sessions (about 250 words) are accepted until February 15, 2022.

Submit Individual Abstract

Submit Session Proposal 

IYAFA 2022 is coming, stay tuned! 

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The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2022 the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture (IYAFA). IYAFA  aims to raise awareness on the role of small-scale fisheries and aquaculture, strengthen science-policy interaction, empower stakeholders to take action, and to build new and strengthen existing partnerships. As lead agency, FAO will host the launch event on November 19th, make sure to save your place and register now. 

Register here 

Discover IYAFA

This summer, new research titled “Advancing social equity in and through marine conservation” published in Frontiers in Marine Science explored how to operationalize social equity in and through the pursuit of marine conservation, and called for steps for improving social equity in ocean conservation efforts.

Please join on 21 October at 11am EST for a discussion with four of the 21 co-authors, Nathan Bennett, Laure Katz, Ana Spalding, and Angelo Villagomez, around this work and its implications for our ocean conservation community’s work ahead. 

To join the event, please register here.

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Hello everyone! We invite you to watch this short documentary on Madame Kokoly, a traditional Vezo fisherwoman living in the Velondriake region of southwest Madagascar. This video is hosted in the SSF Hub Resource Library and is available in several languages, which can be selected underneath the “Information about Resource” tab on the right side of the screen.

Please feel free to share your reactions to the video in the discussion section (here), pose a question to other members of the SSF Hub, or respond to one of the following discussion questions:

1. Was there anything you saw in the film that you can relate to?
2. Kokoly learned many of her skills from her father when she was young. What sort of knowledge or skills related to fishing are passed down from generation to generation in your community?
3. Many members of Kokoly’s community depend on her to provide them with food from her catch. How do fishers in your community support the lives and nutritional needs of their family, friends, and neighbors?
4. In order to supplement her income, Kokoly began farming seaweed. Do local fishworkers in your community engage in alternative livelihoods to supplement their income? If so, what do they do?
5. How do women contribute to food security in your communities? Are their contributions similar or different from the contributions of men?
6. How do you think Kokoly’s community will change as there are fewer and fewer fish in the sea? What would a better future look like for her community?
7. What do you think of Kokoly’s quote: “Everything, once it's worth something, you won't see it anymore.” How does it relate to your life or the lives of your community members?

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The Global People’s Food Systems Summit will gather a broad audience of rural peoples, people’s organizations, CFOs, local farmers, and Indigenous Peoples to accelerate progress towards creating more just equitable, and sustainable food systems to support those who depend on them the most. As a counter-movement to the UN Food Systems Summit, the Global People’s Summit on Food Systems aims to put the voices of the marginalized at the forefront of agenda-setting for transforming our food systems. This Summit is open to all who share its vision of transforming our world into one with zero hunger without sacrificing the health of our planet. More information can be found at https://peoplessummit.foodsov.org.

Register here. 

View schedule of events here.

The IUCN Congress will be held in Marseille from 3 to 11 September 2021.

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Taking into account the current health situation, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has decided to organise a “hybrid” IUCN World Conservation Congress, thus allowing people not able to physically attend the event to follow and participate in some parts of the Congress remotely.

The French government reaffirms that it is very pleased to host this IUCN Congress on its territory, while doing its utmost to ensure that this is done under the conditions desired by IUCN and in accordance with the health protocols in force at the time of the event. 

Information on Congress preparations
Register Here 

Part of the 2021 APFIC Webinar Series

This webinar presents the findings of a joint FAO-AIT desk study on gender in small-scale fisheries and aquaculture in Asia. Both desk studies look at the division of labour between women and men in specific small-scale fisheries and aquaculture commodities supply chain, the differences with respect to their access to assets, resources and entitlements, the drivers of such differences, as well as the critical entry points and opportunities for addressing inequalities and discriminatory practices.

Register Here

Cubambiente 2021 - XIII Convención Internacional Sobre Medio Ambiente Y Desarrollo

Ciencia y Conciencia - Por la sostenibilidad del medio ambiente

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Invitación

Estimados colegas: 

La Agencia de Medio Ambiente del Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología y Medio Ambiente de la República de Cuba, de conjunto con otras entidades y organizaciones, tiene el gusto de convocar  a investigadores, autoridades, educadores, especialistas, gestores, empresarios, profesionales, productores y demás personas de todo el mundo que trabajan por la sostenibilidad de nuestro planeta, a participar en  la XIII Convención Internacional sobre  Medio Ambiente y Desarrollo que se realizará entre el 5 al 9 de julio del 2021 en el Palacio de Convenciones de La Habana. En esta ocasión, se estará participando en la modalidad presencial y virtual, respetando las medidas sanitarias de distanciamiento. 

Las  ediciones precedentes de este cónclave han logrado una participación de más de 10 400 personas, de los cuales aproximadamente el 50% corresponden a visitantes pertenecientes a más de 60 países de los 5 continentes. 

Esta edición promoverá la cooperación entre los países, el intercambio de experiencias y prácticas sostenibles y la transferencia de conocimientos, así como el crecimiento económico sostenido e inclusivo, el desarrollo social participativo, la protección del medio ambiente y la dignidad del ser humano. 

La Convención estará organizada en varios eventos que cubrirán temas de gran vigencia: XIII Congreso de Educación Ambiental para el Desarrollo Sostenible, XII Congreso de Áreas Protegidas, X Congreso de Gestión Ambiental, VIII Congreso sobre manejo de Ecosistemas y Biodiversidad, VII  Congreso sobre Cambio Climático, V Congreso de Política, Justicia y derecho Ambiental y I Congreso Ciencias Geoespaciales y Riesgo de Desastre.. Además, se presenta, al igual que en años anteriores, una Feria Expositiva Asociada de Tecnologías, Proyectos y Experiencias Ambientales. 

El Comité Organizador de la Convención se complace en enviarles esta convocatoria seguro de que   sus contribuciones profesionales permitirán alcanzar  los objetivos comunes en un clima de amistad y solidaridad. 

Esperamos contar con su presencia.

Atentamente

Dra. Maritza García García

Presidenta Ejecutiva Comité Organizador

Registro