Re-orienting Developing Country Fisheries Re-orienting Developing Country Fisheries Policies Towards Sustainability: A Role for Policies Towards Sustainability: A Role for

Subsidies?Subsidies?

Sebastian MathewSebastian MathewInternational Collective in Support of Fishworkers International Collective in Support of Fishworkers

(ICSF)(ICSF) Chennai, IndiaChennai, India

UNEP: UNEP: Promoting Development and Sustainability in Promoting Development and Sustainability in Fishery Fishery SSubsidiesubsidies DisciplineDiscipliness: An Informal Dialogue on : An Informal Dialogue on Select Technical Issues, Geneva,Select Technical Issues, Geneva, 30th June 2005 30th June 2005

FAO Review of the State of FAO Review of the State of World Marine Fishery Resources World Marine Fishery Resources 20052005

““Maximum potential of the world Maximum potential of the world marine capture fisheries has been marine capture fisheries has been reached with some stocks and reached with some stocks and areas being overfished and some areas being overfished and some stocks not producing their full stocks not producing their full expected long-term potential” expected long-term potential”

FAO Review of the State of FAO Review of the State of World Marine Fishery Resources World Marine Fishery Resources 20052005

““Of the 441 stock or species groups where Of the 441 stock or species groups where assessment information is available, about 3 assessment information is available, about 3 percent are under-exploited and 20 percent are percent are under-exploited and 20 percent are moderately exploited. An estimated 52 percent of moderately exploited. An estimated 52 percent of the world stocks are fully exploited, and are the world stocks are fully exploited, and are therefore producing catches that are already at or therefore producing catches that are already at or very close to their maximum sustainable production very close to their maximum sustainable production limit, with no room for further expansion, and even limit, with no room for further expansion, and even some some risk of decline if not properly managedrisk of decline if not properly managed. . From the remaining, 17 percent are over-exploited, From the remaining, 17 percent are over-exploited, 7 percent depleted and 1 percent recovering.”7 percent depleted and 1 percent recovering.”

FAO: State of World FAO: State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture Fisheries and Aquaculture 20042004

““From 1974 to the present, there From 1974 to the present, there has been a downward trend in the has been a downward trend in the proportion of the under-exploited proportion of the under-exploited and moderately exploited stocks”and moderately exploited stocks”

Share of Developing Share of Developing Countries in World Fish Countries in World Fish Production 1Production 1

68 per cent of inland capture and 90 per 68 per cent of inland capture and 90 per cent of aquaculture fish production comes cent of aquaculture fish production comes from developing countries, mostly Asianfrom developing countries, mostly Asian

All top ten inland capture fisheries All top ten inland capture fisheries producers are from developing countriesproducers are from developing countries

7 out of the top 10 producers in 7 out of the top 10 producers in aquaculture are from developing countriesaquaculture are from developing countries

Share of Developing Share of Developing Countries in World Fish Countries in World Fish Production 2Production 2

Developing countries contributed to over Developing countries contributed to over 67 % of total marine capture fisheries 67 % of total marine capture fisheries

production in 2003production in 2003 Six of the top ten marine capture fisheries Six of the top ten marine capture fisheries

producers in 2003 were developing countries producers in 2003 were developing countries including China, Peru, Chile, India and including China, Peru, Chile, India and ThailandThailand

Developing countries also contributed to 50% Developing countries also contributed to 50% in quantity and 48% in value of international in quantity and 48% in value of international trade in fish and fish productstrade in fish and fish products

  

Growing share of developing Growing share of developing countries in world marine countries in world marine capture fishery productioncapture fishery production

The share of developing countries The share of developing countries in total marine capture fishery in total marine capture fishery production in the 1960s and 1970s production in the 1960s and 1970s was around 40 per cent. In the was around 40 per cent. In the 1980s it increased to 50 per cent, 1980s it increased to 50 per cent, and to 60 per cent in the 1990s. and to 60 per cent in the 1990s. Now it is nearly 70 per cent.Now it is nearly 70 per cent.

1982 UNCLOS1982 UNCLOS Article 56: Sovereign rights for the Article 56: Sovereign rights for the

purpose of exploring and purpose of exploring and exploiting, conserving and exploiting, conserving and managing the natural resources, managing the natural resources, whether living or non-living…”whether living or non-living…”

S.N. Nandan. 1987. The Exclusive Economic S.N. Nandan. 1987. The Exclusive Economic Zone: A Historical Perspective. In Law and the Zone: A Historical Perspective. In Law and the Sea: FAO, RomeSea: FAO, Rome

““In the exclusive economic zone a coastal state has In the exclusive economic zone a coastal state has been given sovereign rights for the purpose of been given sovereign rights for the purpose of exploring and exploiting, conserving and managing exploring and exploiting, conserving and managing the natural resources.…The coastal state has been the natural resources.…The coastal state has been given considerable discretion in the management of given considerable discretion in the management of the zone; however, the Convention also imposes the zone; however, the Convention also imposes specific management responsibilities on the coastal specific management responsibilities on the coastal state, especially as concerns the living resources of state, especially as concerns the living resources of the zone. In the light of these management the zone. In the light of these management responsibilities, a coastal state which has claimed an responsibilities, a coastal state which has claimed an exclusive economic zone exclusive economic zone cannot pursue a policy of cannot pursue a policy of inaction with respect to its living resourcesinaction with respect to its living resources. “. “

Overfishing pressures in Overfishing pressures in Developing CountriesDeveloping Countries

Changing composition of catch, catching Changing composition of catch, catching of small-sized and juvenile fish; of small-sized and juvenile fish; decreasing size of fish; expanding fleet decreasing size of fish; expanding fleet size; use of large quantities of gear; size; use of large quantities of gear; decreasing catch per unit effort; decreasing catch per unit effort; decreasing mesh size; high by-catch ratesdecreasing mesh size; high by-catch rates

Problems of overfishing are reported from Problems of overfishing are reported from many developing countries: Eg: China, many developing countries: Eg: China, Thailand, India, Chile, Viet Nam, Sri Thailand, India, Chile, Viet Nam, Sri Lanka, Argentina, SenegalLanka, Argentina, Senegal

WFFP Fisheries Policy WFFP Fisheries Policy 20052005

“…“…advocates a global fisheries policy for advocates a global fisheries policy for governance, effective conservation and governance, effective conservation and management of fisheries resources and management of fisheries resources and fish habitats, responsible fishing fish habitats, responsible fishing operations, equitable sharing of resources operations, equitable sharing of resources across EEZs …responsible post harvest across EEZs …responsible post harvest practices, fish marketing and sustainable practices, fish marketing and sustainable fish trade for nutritional security, and wise fish trade for nutritional security, and wise use of inland, coastal and marine use of inland, coastal and marine biodiversity.”biodiversity.”

ITF Fisheries Policy 1991ITF Fisheries Policy 1991 ““The primary objective of the fishing The primary objective of the fishing

industry is to manage and conserve industry is to manage and conserve fish stocks efficiently. Regrettably, fish stocks efficiently. Regrettably, fish stocks have not been fish stocks have not been administered in a proper manner for administered in a proper manner for decades. Some stocks have become decades. Some stocks have become heavily depleted which has resulted heavily depleted which has resulted in a drop in fishermen’s earnings as in a drop in fishermen’s earnings as well as the loss of jobs.”well as the loss of jobs.”

Towards Capacity Building Towards Capacity Building for Fisheries Management for Fisheries Management 11

Register all fishing units; Introduce Register all fishing units; Introduce limited entry regimes; Reduce fishing limited entry regimes; Reduce fishing capacity; Introduce gear selectivity; capacity; Introduce gear selectivity; protect coastal and marine habitatsprotect coastal and marine habitats

Build up representative organizations of Build up representative organizations of fishers who can undertake fishers who can undertake management functions; Develop legal management functions; Develop legal regimes that are oriented towards regimes that are oriented towards managementmanagement

Towards Capacity Building Towards Capacity Building for Fisheries Management for Fisheries Management 22

Build up coordination between local, Build up coordination between local, provincial and national governments in provincial and national governments in conservation and management of conservation and management of fisheries resources as well as in fisheries resources as well as in protection of fish habitats protection of fish habitats

DDevelop coherent legal frameworks and evelop coherent legal frameworks and enforcement capacityenforcement capacity

Generate political will to implement Generate political will to implement fisheries management regimesfisheries management regimes

Develop social safety nets Develop social safety nets

How subsidies regime How subsidies regime should meaningfully be should meaningfully be employed?employed?

retraining fishers; retirement schemes and retraining fishers; retirement schemes and diversification; improving safety and working diversification; improving safety and working conditions; switching to more selective conditions; switching to more selective fishing techniques; scrapping vessels and fishing techniques; scrapping vessels and withdrawal of capacity; improving product withdrawal of capacity; improving product quality; research and development for better quality; research and development for better fisheries management and conservation fisheries management and conservation measures; and assistance to move towards measures; and assistance to move towards more energy-efficient propulsion techniques more energy-efficient propulsion techniques in fishing (e.g., to move from two-stroke to in fishing (e.g., to move from two-stroke to four-stroke obms).four-stroke obms).

Need for a paradigm shiftNeed for a paradigm shift Recognize the importance of moving from Recognize the importance of moving from

a ‘development of fisheries’ mode a ‘development of fisheries’ mode focusing only on increased fish production, focusing only on increased fish production, to a ‘fisheries management’ and ‘habitat to a ‘fisheries management’ and ‘habitat protection’ mode for sustainable protection’ mode for sustainable development of coastal communities, development of coastal communities, consistent with the UNCLOS, UNFSA, consistent with the UNCLOS, UNFSA, Agenda 21, CCRF, and IPOAs (Shark, Agenda 21, CCRF, and IPOAs (Shark, seabirds, capacity, and IUU fishing)seabirds, capacity, and IUU fishing)

Thank youThank you