FAO project helps countries close ports to pirate fishers, but additional support required
Rome, 24 June 2008 – FAO today appealed to donor countries for US$1 million to support a project designed to help developing countries deny port access to boats involved in illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
“In the developing world, fishing plays a crucial role in reinforcing household food security, improving nutrition, and providing income. In light of rising world food prices and growing concern over the wellbeing of some wild fish stocks, we can afford less than ever to allow IUU fishing to impact these communities,” FAO Assistant-Director General for Fisheries, Ichiro Nomura, said at a briefing session with donor countries today.
The funds would be used to finance an ongoing FAO project launched in 2005 when the UN agency developed a Model Scheme for stronger “port state measures” that could be adopted by countries in order to combat IUU fishing.
Port State measures include activities such as undertaking inspections of documentation, catches and equipment when boats land to take on fuel and supplies or offload fish or requiring vessels to make activity reports before entering port. Vessels found to be involved in IUU fishing can be denied docking rights, causing considerable financial losses to their owners. Such measures are among the most-effective means of preventing the import, transhipment or laundering of illegally caught fish.
IUU fishing is particularly problematic in the developing world, where limited funds and expertise mean that oversight of fishing activities in coastal waters is often lax and port controls are weak. Developing countries are targeted by IUU fishers because they provide convenient entry points for illegal catches.
"These countries need exposure to state-of-the art practices, training for their line officials, and to establish better lines of communication at the regional level to share information on offenders and harmonize actions,” said Mr Nomura.
To meet these needs, FAO initiated a series of regional workshops in order to assess the status of port state measures in different parts of the world, identify ways regions might incorporate components from FAO’s Model Scheme, and promote greater harmonization of port state measures. The workshops are targeted to port inspectors, fisheries authorities, legal experts, foreign affairs officials and customs officers.
Nomura added that momentum is building towards the adoption in the near future of a legally binding international agreement on port state measures based on the FAO Model Scheme, lending additional urgency to the need to build national capacities for implementing effective port state measures.
“The workshops will allow countries to hit the ground running when the international agreement comes into force,” he said.
Successful outcomes in five regions
To date five regional port state measures workshops have been held: the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean, the Mediterranean, southern Africa and Southeast Asia.
In all five regions regional cooperation on port state measures has deepened as a result. In the case of the Mediterranean workshop a regional scheme on port state measures was generated and subsequently adopted by the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean.
Additional national-level workshops were held in Mauritania and Senegal in June 2008 with follow-up sessions scheduled for July 2008.
FAO has received numerous requests from other regional blocs for additional workshops and would like to organize at least six more by 2010 in the Near East, the Caribbean, West Africa, South Asia, Central America and South America.
“These workshops are giving countries who have long struggled with the problem of illegal fishing new tools that they are already using to deal with the problem,” Mr Nomura said. “To continue this effort and span the globe via more workshops an additional US$1 million is required, and we are calling on the international community to help.”
Binding treaty on the horizon
FAO’s appeal comes during a Technical Consultation being held this week at the UN agency’s Rome headquarters in which country representatives and experts are working on a draft text for a binding international agreement that would require parties to implement a minimum standard for port state measures.
The need for a binding instrument has been widely acknowledged in international fora including the United Nations General Assembly and the FAO Committee on Fisheries (COFI). The outcome of this week’s consultation will be reported to COFI in 2009.
Professional Vacancy Announcement No: 2036-FIM
Deadline For Application: 26 June 2008
Position Title Senior Fishery Resources Officer
Duty Station Rome
Grade Level P-5
Duration Fixed Term: three years
CCOG Code: 1H05
Organizational Unit Fisheries Management and Conservation Service, FIMF Fisheries and Aquaculture Management Division, FIM Fisheries and Aquaculture Department, FI
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Under the general supervision of the Chief, Fisheries Management and Conservation Service, and in collaboration with other technical officers, is responsible for planning, promoting, implementing and providing technical support to programmes and activities in capture fishery resource assessment, management and conservation, including biodiversity considerations and environmental influences on aquatic systems. This will require field travel. Specifically the incumbent will:
* formulate and guide the coordination and implementation of projects or project elements on fishery resource assessment and world/regional resource and ecosystem monitoring;
* provide technical support to global, regional and national programmes and activities related to: the identification and distribution of aquatic species, with a particular emphasis on marine species; and to biodiversity considerations in marine and inland capture fisheries as well as environmental influences on fishery resources and ecosystems;
* organize and implement comparative studies and applications through case studies and national, regional or global reviews on fishery resource assessment and conservation, including environmental influences;
* serve as Departmental focal point for the information on biodiversity and other biological databases related to the characteristics and assessment of marine fishery resources and for providing technical backstopping to related FAO-headquarters and FAO-field projects when required;
* collaborate with other services in the Department on projects that involve fishery resource management and conservation issues;
* contribute to development of manuals, case studies and guidelines for the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries on topics relevant to the above;
* manage the coordination and exchange of information on resource management and conservation and biodiversity issues to Departmental counterparts, including departments of fisheries in member countries;
* represent the Organization and/or lead missions, task forces and negotiating/review teams in the fields of fishery resource assessment, management and conservation, and aquatic biodiversity;
* supervise the preparation of and edit technical papers on topics relevant to the above;
provide technical support to one or more of the FAO Regional Fisheries Bodies;
* act as the Service focal point and resource person for countries in one or more of the FAO major geographical regions;
* perform other related duties as required.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
Candidates should meet the following:
Advanced university degree in biology, fisheries, oceanography or a closely related discipline
Ten years of relevant experience, including significant international experience, in the application of quantitative science to capture fishery resource assessment, management and conservation; direct experience in fisheries management in a national or regional fisheries management agency
Working knowledge of English, French or Spanish and limited knowledge of one of the other two
SELECTION CRITERIA
Candidates will be assessed against the following:
Relevance and level of academic qualifications
Extent and relevance of experience in the quantitative methods, including stock assessment and ecosystem modelling and analysis, used in capture fishery assessment, management and conservation, and in provision of scientific support and advice to national, regional and international fisheries management and conservation bodies in both developed and developing countries
Extent and relevance of international experience in areas of fishery research specifically applied to the identification, distribution, abundance and variability of fishery resources for fishery purposes in particular marine resources
Extent, relevance and diversity of publications and reports
Depth of knowledge of current global issues, trends, constraints, and research needs related to the management and conservation of fishery resources and ecosystems in developed and developing countries
Languages spoken and quality of oral, written and analytical skills
Please note that all candidates should possess computer/word processing skills and should be capable of working with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.
* The length of appointment for internal FAO candidates will be established in accordance with applicable policies pertaining to the extension of appointments.
REMUNERATION
Level P-5 carries a net salary per year (inclusive of a variable element for post adjustment) from US$ 135,778 US$ 159,993 (without dependants) and from US$ 146,155 to US$ 173,632 (with dependants)
TO APPLY: Carefully read and follow the Guidelines to applicants
Send your application to:
V.A 2036-FIM
Chief, FIMF
FAO Via delle Terme di Caracalla 00100 Rome ITALY
Fax No: +39 06 570 53020
E-mail: FIMF-VA@fao.org
This vacancy is open to male and female candidates. Applications from qualified women candidates and applications from qualified candidates from non/under-represented member states are encouraged. Please note that FAO staff members are international civil servants subject to the authority of the Director-General and may be assigned to any activities or office of the organization.
FAO IS A NON-SMOKING ENVIRONMENT
Post Number: C/0114138
Cyclone Nargis has affected the same areas in the Ayeyarwady division which were hit by the 2004 tsunami claiming lives and resulting in the displacement of thousands of people. This time around, the impact is believed to be far more severe.
The population of the Ayeyarwady division (approximately 6.5 million or 12 percent of the national population) basically live from exploiting the rich natural resources both within the delta areas and out at sea.
From early pictures, FAO concludes that there has been significant impact to fishing vessels in harbours. The fate of the vessels at sea when the cyclone hit is currently unknown.
The area struck by the cyclone has some major fishing ports and landing sites. It is clear that many vessels have been sunk in harbours and damage to infrastructure such as landing facilities and fish storage and preservation facilities is likely.
Myanmar does not have an early warning system for cyclones and bad weather. Although fishermen are generally aware of weather conditions and do not go out to sea if storms are expected, fishers on small vessels may not received warning in time. The severity of the storm surge also impacted heavily on people who were onshore.
Fishery
Fisheries and aquaculture in Myanmar are officially estimated to employ over 800 000 people although far more may take part. The 5 states affected most by the cyclone produce fish, prawns and preserved fisheries products in abundance. Most of the fisher communities are located along the coast, and include significant numbers of poor and vulnerable people and a high proportion of people are dependent on fisheries activities and aquatic products for income and food security.
Marine fishing
Marine fishery in Myanmar employs approximately 26 000 small boats operating in coastal areas and some 1 900 offshore fishing vessels (2001 data). The marine fisheries sector produces 1.4 million mT, which represent over 55 percent of the country’s fish supply.
Artisanal fishing within the Ayeyarwady delta is also widespread. This type of fishery should be somewhat better sheltered from direct sea surges and cyclones, but deforestation and other man-made impacts may have limited natural shelter. Available film footage suggests that the impacts of the cyclone extended well inland, thus these households are also likely to have been affected by flooding. Fishers also face damage to boats, fishing gears and other livelihood assets.
Aquaculture
Coastal aquaculture in Myanmar is limited mainly to shrimp farming, although also some smaller quantities of mud crab and groupers are farmed. The sector already generates significant export earnings, and has great potential for future development and diversification.
Most coastal aquaculture in Myanmar is practiced with traditional methods, but intensification of shrimp farming in particular is gathering pace. Ayeyarwady division has approximately 18 percent of the national area of fish culture ponds and less than 2 percent of the total shrimp culture area (estimated at 29 125 acres in 2001). Shrimp culture area is largely based around Rakhine State to the north.
Cyclone Nargis had a far more severe impact on these coastal areas than the Asian tsunami. However, poor access to these areas is seriously hampering relief efforts and makes rapid and effective assessment of the damage and rehabilitation needs extremely demanding and difficult.
Boats, jetties and transport infrastructure in the area are of poor quality and may not be capable of delivering relief supplies quickly and efficiently.
The coastline of Myanmar is over 3 000 km long and the Ayeyarwady division occupies the delta region of the Ayeyarwady river. The geography of the area is defined by numerous rivers and channels and much of the transport in and around the area is by boat.
The Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (CCSBT) invites applications for the position of Executive Secretary, which will become vacant in October 2008.
The CCSBT is an international organisation responsible for the conservation and management of southern bluefin tuna. The Secretariat of the CCSBT is headquartered in Canberra, Australia. The Executive Secretary is responsible for the management and supervision of the Secretariat of the CCSBT; and the provision of advice to the Commission on strategic plans and operational matters.
For further information, e-mail to bmacdonald@ccsbt.org or the Executive Secretary may be contacted by phone on 61 2 6282 8396.
CCSBT website
Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries: Bringing together responsible fisheries and social development
13-17 October 2008 in Bangkok, Thailand
It is widely recognised that small-scale fisheries have the potential to significantly contribute to sustainable development, in particular with respect to such key issues as poverty reduction, food and livelihood security, balanced nutrition, wealth creation, foreign exchange earnings and coastal-rural development. The important role of small-scale fisheries in equitable and inclusive development and attaining the millennium development goals (MDGs) has received growing attention in national, regional and international fora by governments, intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations, private sector groups and civil society organizations. There are, however, a number of significant impediments to small-scale fisheries realising their full potential. Small-scale fishers often face precarious and vulnerable living and working conditions because of insecure rights to land and fishery resources, inadequate or absent health and educational services and social safety nets, and exclusion from wider development processes due to weak organizational structures and representation and participation in decision-making. At its 27th Session, the FAO Committee on Fisheries, Rome, 5-9 March 2007 expressed its support for a strategy of action aimed at bringing together responsible fisheries with social development to strengthen capacity and incentives of fisherfolk to invest in defending their fishing rights based on a number of principles including the consideration of the rights of present and future generations.
Scope, focus and objectives
The Conference will have a broad scope allowing for the discussion of a wide range of issues including, inter alia, wider social and economic development and human rights issues, governance, fisheries policy processes and systems, fisheries management approaches and market access aspects and means of increasing post harvest benefits. A special focus of the conference, however, will be on the issue of securing access and user rights by small-scale fishers, indigenous peoples, and fishing communities to coastal and fishery resources that sustain their livelihoods.
Within each of three broad themes, the Conference will address various sub-themes as follows:
* Securing social, economic and human rights – such as inclusion and integration of small-scale fisheries stakeholders in policy and decision-making; gender equality; meeting health and education needs of small-scale fishing communities; ensuring decent and safe working conditions and livelihoods; creating “safety-net” alternatives; as well as promoting basic democratic governance principles.
* Securing sustainable resource use and access rights – including access/user rights to fisheries resources, water resources, littoral and riparian areas; legal, practical and local prerequisites and requirements for decentralised and shared management; comprehensive assessments and monitoring underpinning strategic planning and effective management including coastal zone management and the conservation of ecosystems supporting small-scale fisheries; and preparedness, adaptability and resilience to natural disasters and climate change.
* Securing post-harvest benefits – including the role of the post-harvest sector in fisheries management, inclusion of fish processors, traders and other stakeholders in commercial, development, and fisheries management groups, and threats and opportunities created by increased (international) demand for fishery products, vertical integration and other market factors including eco-labelling and traceability.
The Conference will aim at generating the following outputs:
* improved knowledge of the factors supporting social development, establishment of sustainable livelihoods and use of responsible fisheries approaches in the small-scale fisheries sector; and
* a synthesis of key issues to secure small-scale fisheries and enhance their contribution to food security, poverty alleviation and sustainable development.
Participants
The subject matter and focus of the Conference is of particular importance to developing countries and stakeholders from directly concerned countries are encouraged to participate. Since management issues as well as valuable experience from different systems and approaches exist also in industrialised countries, those concerned with small-scale fisheries in the North and sub-tropics are also encouraged to participate. The organizers look forward to the participation of fish workers, fisheries managers, social scientists, government officials, representatives of professional associations, NGOs and other civil society organisations, the private sector, and international and regional development partners and agencies. Given the important role of women in the small scale fisheries sector, the organizers will ensure their presence and as wide as possible participation in the conference. Since the issues to be discussed combine social development and fisheries management, officials, professionals and representatives dealing with both – or one or the other – of the two issues are invited to participate. Representation from the local community level is sought.
Conference Design
The programme of the conference is divided into plenary sessions and concurrent working group sessions. During plenary sessions simultaneous interpretation will be available for English, French and Spanish. Working group sessions will be facilitated to generate inputs from all participants on an equal basis, and their summarized outputs will be reported to the plenary. While working groups will work primarily in either English, French or Spanish, arrangements will be made to overcome language barriers through interpretation arrangements.
Conference partners and supporters
The Conference is co-organized by FAO and the Royal Government of Thailand. It is convened in collaboration with the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Centre (SEAFDEC) and The WorldFish Centre. To date, expressions of willingness to support the Conference have been received from the Government of Norway, German Technical Cooperation Agency (GTZ), Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID), International Collective in Support of Fishworkers (ICSF), The World Conservation Union (IUCN), and the World Bank’s PROFISH Program.
For further information and registration, a conference web site will become active in March 2008: www.4SSF.org
A new APFIC report from the APFIC Regional Consultative Workshop on Certification schemes for capture fisheries and aquaculture is now available.
The workshop recognized that fisheries and aquaculture certification can offer tangible benefits to APFIC Member Countries but also recognized that a number of issues should be addressed for certification to effectively contribute to the sustainable development of fisheries and aquaculture in the region. The main issues of concern are:
i) Harmonization and equivalence of certification schemes;
ii) Specifically addressing the issues relating to small-scale fisheries and farmers; iii) Governance and stakeholder involvement; iv) Involvement of regional organizations in the development and promotion of certification; v) Costs and benefits of certification schemes. vi) Capacity building at both regional and national levels.
For more information please contact the Senior Fishery Officer at email: simon.fungesmith@fao.org or download the document here.
A qualitative assessment of standards and certification schemes applicable to aquaculture in the Asia-Pacific region.
At the APFIC 29th Session (21-24 August 2006) in Kuala Lumpur, APFIC member countries recommended that APFIC's work would focus on Certification in Aquaculture as one of the emerging issues for the sector in the region.
A new APFIC publication is now available online on aquaculture certification. The publication is an overview of current certification schemes that have standards for aquaculture of relevance to the Asia/Pacific region and to APFIC members. The report provides a comprehensive review of existing and recent environmental and social certification schemes, as well as a qualitative comparison of the most recognized certification schemes.
For more information please contact the Senior Fishery Officer at email: simon.fungesmith@fao.org or download the document here.
The Secreteriat of the Pacific community (SPC) Coastal and Oceanic Fisheries Programme has developed an online library of fisheries and aquaculture related material.
This is an extensive library that contains about 6,000 full-text documents from the SPC. The library covers reports from SPC meetings, documents produced by SPC staff or commissioned by SPC.
The Digital Library is full text searchable and can be found at:
http://www.spc.int/mrd/fishlib.php
and linked at:
http://www.apfic.org/modules/mylinks/viewcat.php?cid=42
The International Institute of Fisheries Economics and Trade (IIFET) in cooperation with the Nha Trang University will organize the fourteenth biennial conference on "Achieving a sustainable future: managing aquaculture, fishing, trade and development".
It will be held in Nha Trang, Vietnam from the 22nd until the 25th of July 2008.For more information:http://www.ntu.edu.vn/iifet2008/