SSF Hub Partner Reflections: Small-Scale Fisheries Summit 2022

In advance of the 35th FAO Committee on Fisheries (COFI) meeting, the IPC Working Group on Fisheries, General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM), SSF Hub with support from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) coorganized the first ever SSF Summit. You can find details, photos and a report from the SSF Summit at the event web site. The aim of the Summit was to provide a space for dialogue among small-scale fishers and fish workers, key partners and decision-makers in advance of COFI35. Many members and partner NGOs of SSF Hub were present at the Summit and they provided reflections on behalf of the partner NGOs during the closing session. You can read their statement here: 

Many of the partner and collaborating NGOs that are present here: Conservation International, Environmental Defense Fund, Fauna & Flora International, Oceana, Rare, Wildlife Conservation Society, and World Wide Fund for Nature, represent part of the SSF Hub. The SSF Hub is an online multilingual platform with the aim of supporting the implementation of the SSF guidelines and meant to create a virtual space for ongoing dialogue and sharing of experiences from small-scale fishers and others working closely with fishing communities to advance sustainable and equitable SSF.  We, at our respective organizations, and through the Hub, also work closely with fishers and their organizations to facilitate participation from the sector at regional and international events like this.

Speaking on behalf of the SSF Hub, and as point people representing our respective organizations’ work with SSF globally, we offer a reflection on what we’ve heard and learned from small-scale fishers and their representative organizations during the SSF Summit and celebration of IYAFA this weekend, and beyond.

First, we have heard that SSF organizations want to lead on the implementation of the SFF Guidelines, as creators and owners of the Guidelines, but with full support from their governments as the primary duty bearers for upholding human rights and embedding the SSF Guidelines within national legislation, and by working with NGOs, like us - but that we must fully embrace using a human rights-based approach in these efforts, and must not leave behind Indigenous People, women, and youth.

Second, we have heard that development and conservation activities that many of our organizations are engaged in like Blue Economy, 30x30, and the commodification of nature as a means for protection, can be exclusionary and threaten the fundamental human and tenure rights of SSF and their communities.

So here’s what we’re doing with what we heard:

First, we fully commit to continue listening to and working with you, SSF rights holders, and your local, provincial and national governments to implement the Guidelines to secure equitable, just and sustainable SSF. We are also committed to do so using the very human rights-based approach that underpins the Guidelines. 

Second, we acknowledge that some our organizations have not always upheld the rights of SSF, and so we commit to advocating for and catalysing change within our organizations, specifically by ensuring that our colleagues apply a human rights-based approach, not only in our work with SSF, but also in all activities that could impact SSF. We have heard, and taken to heart, the clear call of the rights holders - nothing about us without us.

Each of our organizations works hand in hand with small scale fishers around the world in projects that embody the vision of the Guidelines. We hope the wider SSF community here can engage us as allies for further elevating both SSF and the associated social movements. We invite honest and inclusive dialogue, and we welcome your suggestions, criticisms, and formal grievances - if they should arise - so we can resolve them together, and achieve much more, the realization of the Guidelines.

We offer up the SSF Hub as a platform to continue our conversations beyond this event. Please also find us at the reception if you want to talk more. We will circulate the contact information for each of the point people in our organizations, and share with you a list of the countries where we are working with fishing communities. We sincerely hope this marks the beginning of an honest dialogue, and open collaboration – beginning right now. Thank you so much. 

Contact information