WorldFish research program: Resilient small-scale fisheries

Research programResilient small-scale fisheries

Capture fisheries are and will remain the dominant supply of fish for many least developed countries for decades

Challenges•Severe pressure from overfishing, particularly in resource-poor regions•Highly complex ecological, social and institutional environments•Productivity and sustainability often undermined by poor governance•Gender and social inequities

Overharvesting•Increased fishing to meet local and distant demand •Insecure resource tenure and user competition

Sustainability•Infrastructure development (e.g. dams) •Agricultural intensification

Policy•Inadequate policy recognition of the importance of small-scale fisheries

Research needs

• Resilience-based analyses and interventions to support improved governance in coastal and inland systems

• Analysis of trends in the context of global food systems

• Policy research to enhance governance, improve safety nets and build resilience

Small-scale fisheries contribute to Sustainable Development Goals

• Reducing poverty

• Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources

• Increasing food security

• Gender equality

• Protecting and restoring water-related ecosystems

• Sustainable livelihoods and economic growth • Small island developing states and the

particular challenges they face

SDG 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources

• By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing… implement science-based management plans...

 • By 2030, increase the economic benefits to

small island developing states and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism

 • Provide access for small-scale artisanal

fishers to marine resources and markets

Cross cutting themes

EntrepreneurshipClimate Change Gender Equity

Research Programs

Resilient small-scale fisheries

Impacts and innovations by 2022: Rice field fisheries•A scientific basis for rice field fisheries production•Policy frameworks and guidelines•Improve 1.2 million livelihoods by 2022•Focus on Myanmar, Cambodia and Philippines

Impacts and innovations by 2022: Community-based resource management•Outcome: Cross scale governance principles and scaling science to spread community-based resource management•Case studies and success stories (e.g. examples of influencing national agendas)•Can benefit 500,000 people in the Pacific and 500,000 people in Eastern Africa

Impacts and innovations by 2022: Refine stakeholder dialogue to build institutions•Outcome: Strengthen institutions for governance of inland fisheries to improve small scale fisheries•Improve livelihoods for 1.4 million people by 2020•Focus on Cambodia, Myanmar, Bangladesh

Impacts and innovations by 2022: Conceptual framework for fish•Outcome: New conceptual framework for fish in food systems to convene new policy engagement, investment in fisheries institutions and cross agency collaboration   •Reduce poverty of 2.6 million people by 2020•Focus on Pacific, Cambodia, Myanmar, Bangladesh

Thank you