Fisheries for Sustainable Fishers: Caribbean Fishers Leading the Way

In November the 64th annual meeting of the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI) took place in Cancun, Mexico. This event is the largest annual gathering of scientists, researchers, fishers and natural resource managers in the wider Caribbean region, with over 300 participants from 38 countries or island groups. The meeting served as a unique opportunity for fishers, conservationists and scientists to come together to exchange current information on the use and management of marine resources in the Gulf and Caribbean region and to work in partnership to develop effective solutions to the many challenges they face.

Acknowledging the invaluable leadership role fishers play in successful management of fisheries resources, the GCFI and other partners developed the Gladding Memorial Award (GMA) in 2004 to annually recognize fishers who demonstrate, through word and action, their commitment to the sustainable use and conservation of marine resources. Named in honor of patriarch Florida Keys fisherman Peter Gladding, the award is part of GCFI’s larger Fisheries for Fishers Initiative which also includes the Fishers Forum and the Small Grants fund for Fisher Exchanges and Alternative Livelihoods for Fishers. This year, Martha Gongora from Cozumel, Mexico was the recipient of the award.

The Fisheries for Fishers Initiative or F4F is founded on the principle that fishers must be engaged and empowered to be part of the process of managing marine resources. Mitchell Lay, the Chairman of the GMA committee and a fisher from Antigua, put it this way: “The Fisheries for Fishers Initiative represents a regionwide opportunity for us, the fishers, to be able to shape policy so that we can ensure that our livelihoods and fishery resources remain sustainable for future generations.”

This year’s F4F focus in Cancun was the involvement of fishers in fisheries governance (highlighting case studies from Guatemala, Belize and the Lesser Antilles) and the continued development and capacity-building of leading individuals and communities within the fishing sector committed to sustainable use of their resources. An annual activity valued by all, the F4F field trip took a group of about 30 fishers and managers to visit the Quintana Roo Federation of Fishing Co-operatives so that the visiting fishers could learn from their Mexican counterparts about how they manage their lobster, conch and reef fish fisheries. The next day a smaller group of attending fishers met to take decisions on priority issues and actions raised at the Fishers Forum general session and in support of the wider F4F objectives. Fishers also actively participated in research and management sessions on lionfish and conch and lobster.

The GCFI F4F program represented a unique forum for Gulf and Caribbean fishers to influence and drive sustainable fishery activities and foster efforts within the fishing community to think, act and educate peers towards more sustainable fishing practices. Now in its fifth year, F4F participants are leading the way in ensuring a future for the region’s fisheries and its fishers.

This year’s F4F activities were made possible with funding from the Regional Activities Center of the United Nations Environment Programme, GCFI, FAO Subregional Office for the Caribbean, CRFM and The Nature Conservancy.

For additional information on the Fishers Forum, the GMA and the 64th Annual Meeting of the GCFI, please contact Mitchell Lay at mitch.lay@gcfi.org or visit www.gcfi.org.

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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World Fisheries Day

World Fisheries day is celebrated every year on November 21 throughout the world by fisherfolk communities. Fishing communities worldwide celebrate this day through rallies, workshops, public meetings, cultural programs, dramas, exhibition, music show, and demonstrations to highlight the importance of maintaining the world's fisheries.

World Fisheries Day celebrations serve as an important reminder that we must focus on changing the way the world manages global fisheries to ensure sustainable stocks and healthy oceans ecosystems. Just last month the United Nations General Assembly called on countries that have not yet done so to become a party to the Law of the Sea regarding jurisdiction over national and international waters, as well as the seabed, and to maintain sustainable fisheries.

A recent United Nations study reported that more than two-thirds of the world's fisheries have been overfished or are fully harvested and more than one third are in a state of decline because of factors such as the loss of essential fish habitats, pollution, and global warming.

According to the report by the UN Environment Program (UNEP).Greener policies would still grow economies while reducing the ecological footprint by nearly 50 percent in the next 40 years, but some jobs would be lost as a result in sectors such as fisheries, according to the U.N. Environment Program (UNEP) report. The report indicates that government subsidies in the fishing industry amount to about $27 billion a year and have created excess capacity and depleted fish stocks globally.

The World Fisheries Day helps in highlighting the critical importance to human lives, of water and the lives it sustains. Water forms a continuum, whether contained in rivers, lakes, and ocean.

Besides the importance of water for survival and as a means of transportation, it is also an important source of fish and aquatic protein. Fish forms an important part of the diets of people around the world, particularly those that live near rivers, coasts and other bodies of water. A number of traditional societies and communities depend on fishing.

This is why a majority of human settlements, whether small villages or mega cities, are situated in close proximity to water bodies. However, these communities will be dramatically effected by coastal flooding due to global warming.

This proximity has also lead to severe ocean and coastal pollution from run-off and from domestic and industrial activities. This has led to depletion of fish stocks in the immediate vicinity, requiring fishermen to fish farther and farther away from their traditional grounds.

Mechanization has also resulted in a crisis as fish sticks are being depleted with the help of 'factory' vessels, bottom trawling, and other means of unsustainable fishing.

We must work together to find sustainable means of maintaining fish stocks. World Fisheries Day helps to highlight the problems, and encourage movement towards finding solutions to the increasingly inter-connected problems we face. 

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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Seven Ways to Save the Seas

A special report in the May 2011 edition of Popular Science reviewed seven ways of saving our oceans from the current path of rapid degeneration.

Reducing Fertilizer Used in Farming

There are many types of ocean pollution but the most devastating pollutants are the nitrogen and phosphorus found in our fertilizer and sewage. When it washes downstream, coastal waters become choked with heavily fertilized algae, which then dies and decomposes, consuming the oxygen in the water and asphyxiating animal life. This process, called eutrophication, has created at least 405 “dead zones” worldwide.

We have tangible evidence that eutrophication is reversible. The “no-till” farming method achieves equal yields using just half the energy. This method leaves the stubble and root structure of last year’s crops in place, new seeds are planted using modern seed drills, and fertalizer is deposited beneath the surface using fertilizer injectors. This method reduces phosphorus runoff by about 40 percent, atmospheric nitrogen release by about half, and overall erosion by up to 98 percent.

Pricing Carbon

Since the beginning of the industrial era, oceans have absorbed more than a quarter of the CO2 that humans have released into the atmosphere and when CO2 mixes with seawater it becomes carbonic acid. In the past two centuries our oceans have become 30 percent more acidic. In the Pacific Northwest acidic oceans have prevented oysters from spawning. For this and other reasons we must reduce CO2 production. This starts with eliminating oil subsidies but we will also need a way of making carbon production more expensive. One suggestion involves a carbon tax. A tax of just $12.50 per ton of CO2 by 30 percent kieeping some 214 million tons of pollution out of the oceans.

Curb Species Invasions

Slimy invertebrates called tunicates are just one of the 4,000 known invasive aquatic species worldwide. The best way to reduce invasive species is to prevent them from arriving in the first place. Efforts are underway to impose new ballast water regulations in the US. Meanwhile, dozens of companies are developing techniques for meeting those standards, including computerized filtration and ultraviolet irradiation. For established invaders, the best hope is to control their numbers, one creative solution invovles eating them. In 2009 the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration launched a program to stimulate an appetite among fishermen, chefs and diners for lionfish.

Fix the Water Cycle

Atmospheric warming is causing saltier oceans. However, cooler less salty water exists deeper in the oceans. One technique, known as Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion, or OTEC, might help. In the 1970s, engineers began using platform-based rigs to bring cold, deep water to the warm surface; the idea was that the temperature difference would drive a heat engine, generating energy. Used on a large scale, OTEC could have the healthy side effect of lower the surrounding surface temperatures. In the saltiest areas, pulling water from the deep might help create life-rich oases rich in nutrients that stimulate the growth of chlorophyll and phytoplankton.

Rescue Coral Reefs

In the past 20 years, nearly a third of the world’s coral has been destroyed. Around 90 percent of the reefs off the coasts of Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Kenya, the Maldives and the Seychelles are at risk. The primary cause of the die-off is coral bleaching. As temperatures rise, marine bacteria flourish and attack the algae that live symbiotically within every individual coral polyp. Eugene Rosenberg, a microbiologist at Tel Aviv University, has proposed that the presence of a different form of bacteria could protect coral reefs. Introducing these bacteria in what is known as "phage therapy" could reintroduce life into bleached coral reefs.

Fishing Smarter

Last year, fish consumption reached a global annual average of 37.5 pounds per person. Meanwhile, cod and bluefin-tuna populations have collapsed, and animals ranging from whales to turtles have been added to the Endangered Species Act. Fishermen also kill a lot of marine wildlife unintentionally in what is called "bycatch". A United Nations report estimates bycatch at 7.5 million tons a year, or 5 percent of the total commercial-fishing haul. Because most available data is self-reported, the U.N.’s numbers “woefully underestimate” the problem. Better fishing methods could radically reduce bycatch.

Invest in Research

The oceans are huge, therefore investments to understand the oceans must be equal to the task. A total of 71 percent of the planet or 139 million square miles are covered by oceans. Oceanographers are building undersea sensor arrays in the Pacific Northwest to monitor temperature and acidity. However, much more needs to be done to properly understand the ocean and develop strategies to help manage them. NASA's budget in 900 times greater than that of the Ocean and Atmospheric Administration. Clearly our oceans require greater more research funding.

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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Report on the UN's World Water Day Panel Discussion

To mark World Oceans Day, the UN held a press briefing and a panel discussion at its Headquarters in New York on Wednesday, 8 June 2011. The subject of the briefing and panel discussion was “Our oceans: greening our future.” It was moderated by professor David Freestone of George Washington University.

The UN formally recognized World Ocean Day (WOD) in 2008, but early UN press conferences on WOD were sparsely attended. In 2011 the room was full of interested parties.

The introductory remarks were delivered by Ms. Patricia O’Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel. She emphasized that World Oceans Day affords an opportunity to raise global awareness about the opportunities and challenges faced by our oceans. She indicated that oceans are a vital component of food security and depleted fisheries and marine environments are important issues for the global economy. She went on to say that sustainable development of the oceans and the equitable distribution of ocean resources are some of the most serious challenges we face.

Here are some of the highlights from each of the four members that participated in the UN Panel Discussion on oceans:

Chandrika Sharma

Ms. Chandrika Sharma, spoke on behalf of the International Collective in Support of Fishworkers (ICSF). She indicated that 35 million people are dependent on ocean fisheries around the world. She also indicated that small scale fisheries are on the front lines of sustainable fishing, they are the first to notice as they have a direct stake. She referenced the Rio Declaration's principle of eradicating poverty as an indispensable component of sustainable development.

As explained by Ms. Sharma, small fisheries (artisanal fisheries) are part of the issue of eradicating poverty. Small scale fishing is more sustainable than industrial scale fishing. As such, efforts should be initiated to support small scale fishing and the fisheries they depend on.

Rashid Sumaila

Dr. Rashid Sumaila, University of British Columbia, Canada, spoke to the economic aspects of the oceans. He discussed challenges to the sustainable development of the oceans. He began by quoting Adam Smith, "The earth and the fullness of it belongs to every generation and the preceding one can have no right to blind it up from posterity."

He believes that education can help economic, social and sustainable development. He points out the strong relationship between the environment and the economy and stresses the importance of the relationship between fish and people. He also indicates that we need more research on issues like illegal fishing. He spoke about the importance of close collaboration in sustainable development.

Amongst his research findings, Sumaila and his team have found that in Africa, $2.6 are returned for every dollar paid for fish, and in North America, $3.5 are generated for every dollar paid for fish.

He makes it emphatically clear that there are finite limits to what the ocean can provide. He also indicates that we need to protect and provide alternatives to fishing which would ease the pressure on the fish.

He further posits that fishing subsidies are not helpful as they do not reduce poverty and they do not help fish stocks. He concludes by suggesting that co-management of fisheries is better than the government or community management alone.

William Mott

Mr. William Mott is on The Ocean Project's Leadership Council which is conducting massive social marketing and youth research. After working on policy issues, he has worked on building a constituency in the US. He has also worked on helping people and businesses to be more sustainable. He promotes conservation outcomes with Zoos, Aquariums and Museams (ZAMs).

The Ocean Project research surveyed over 22,000 Americans. Here are a few of the key findings that emerged out of the research:

Conservation is a core value for Americans, however, Americans do not see the oceans as under threat and they have very short attention spans.

Public concern about climate change has fallen but people still want to be seen as green. This is most true for young people between the ages of 17-21.

The research also reaffirms the fact that the Internet is increasing daily, and youth are the most aware of both the Internet and environmental issues.

There is public demand for information and recommendations, but much of this demand is being met by corporate powers beholden to the old energy economy.

Even though oceans are not a top-of-the-mind issue, they are nonetheless important to Americans. But the public fails to appreciate the relationship between climate change and the health of the ocean.

Although awareness spiked during the BP disaster, it quickly melted away.

According to the research, Americans do not trust the EPA and other government agencies but they do trust ZAMs which makes them ideal sources to disseminate conservation material.

Younger people have the strongest belief in personal responsibility and accountability. Many young people are already engaged in conservation action. Young people are future voters and they are already influencing their parents on a range of environmental issues that impact their parent’s buying decisions.

Four Major Implications

1. Use personal solutions as a way of positively impacting the environment(rather than have education precede action).
2. Discuss the problems in terms of their local impacts.
3. Focus on youth which is an action-ready segment of the population.
4. ZAMS are well positioned as well trusted messengers for a conservationmessage.

Teresa Mesquita Pessôa

Mrs. Maria Teresa Mesquita Pessôa, Permanent Mission of Brazil to the United Nations talked about the green economy and sustainable development. According to Pessôa, the rationale for conservation can be found in sustainable development. She stated that as a matter of UN policy, we have a duty and a general obligation to protect and preserve the oceans.

She makes the point that we are an ocean planet and sustainable development of our ocean's resources impacts the social, economic and environmental pillars of our world. This issue is even more pressing given the prediction that there will be 6 billion people living on the coast in 2025.

She indicates that most of the ocean's problems are man-made. Pollution from land based sources are responsible for 80 percent of ocean pollution, and unsustainable fishing methods are the single greatest cause of depleted fisheries.

She shares her belief that subsidies for fishing are very destructive, they allow fleets to fish longer, harder and further. Ocean acidification can be directly linked to human induced climate change and the increase of acidification threatens many species of marine life.

Pessôa says while professor Sumaila talks about the importance of education, she advocates the implementation of existing agreements like the FAO IPA of 2004. She believes that lack of scientific certainty should not be used to prevent cost effective measures of preventing the ocean's degradation. She also indicates we need to define a regime of biodiversity and regulatory mechanisms that extends outside national borders.

She concludes by quoting Jaques Cousteau:

"The sea, the great unifier, is man's only hope. Now as never before the old phrase has a literal meaning, we are all in the same boat."

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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World Oceans Day UN Panel Discussion

To mark World Oceans Day, the UN is promoting a press briefing and a panel discussion at its Headquarters in New York on Wednesday, 8 June 2011, between 3:00 – 5:00 PM EST.

The theme of the press briefing and panel discussion is “Our oceans: greening our future.” The event will be webcase live on UNTV (see channel 4 on the right hand side of the United Nations Webcast page).

Introductory remarks by Ms. Patricia O’Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel

Moderator: Professor David Freestone, George Washington University

Panel Members: (one for each segment)

Oceans and the environment: Mrs. Maria Teresa Mesquita Pessôa, Permanent Mission of Brazil to the United Nations

Oceans and the social impact: Ms. Chandrika Sharma, International Collective in Support of Fishworkers (ICSF)

Economic aspects of the oceans: Dr. Rashid Sumaila, University of British Columbia, Canada

Oceans and youth: Mr. William Mott, The Ocean Project

The Empire State Building will be lit on the evening of 8 June for World Oceans Day in white, blue and purple, representing the different layers of the ocean. White at the top represents the shallowest, sunlit waters and also the polar ice cap. The blue represents the slightly deeper ocean waters, and the purple even deeper waters in the ocean. The unlit portions, or black, represent those parts of the ocean where the sun does not reach. The overall representation covers all aspects, and all parts, of the ocean, not just the surface that we can see.

For further information please contact Marco Boccia at boccia@un.org

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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World Oceans Day 2011 is Focused on Youth

World Oceans Day (WOD), is celebrated every year on June 8th. WOD was original proposed in 1992 by Canada at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, and it was officially recognized by the United Nations in 2008. Since then it has been coordinated internationally by The Ocean Project and the World Ocean Network with greater success and global participation each year.

With the soaring rates of global pollution and over-consumption much of the ocean's marine life is under serious threat. WOD is an annual opportunity to honor the world's ocean and celebrate marine life while recognizing the oceans as a valuable source of food. The oceans are also vital as transportation routes for international trade.

The Ocean Project, working in partnership with the World Ocean Network, has been promoting WOD since 2003 with its network of over 1,200 organizations and others throughout the world. These groups have been working to build greater awareness of the crucial role of the ocean in our lives and the important ways people can help. World Oceans Day provides an opportunity to get directly involved in protecting our future, through educational programs that are changing peoples mindset and personal and community action that gets people involved in cleaning up our oceans. One such initiative involves encouraging people to consume sustainable seafood.

The World Oceans Day 2011 & 2012 theme is Youth: the Next Wave for Change. The aim is to challenge participants to view ocean protection as a way of life, with a special emphasis around World Oceans Day each year.

This focus on youth is based on market research by The Ocean Project and others which clearly shows that youth are the most promising members of the public to reach out to if you want to effect lasting change.

Young people are the most knowledgeable and motivated segment of the population when it comes to the environment and its protection. Youth generally have the free time, familiarity with current issues, and the motivation to go out of their way to take environmental actions. Furthermore, the research shows that parents are increasingly looking to their tween and teenage (i.e. ages 12-17) children for information and advice on these issues.

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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