Implementation of the Small-Scale Fisheries Guidelines

Since the landmark endorsement of the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines) in 2014 by the Committee on Fisheries of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), governments and a wide-range of stakeholders, including the Too Big To Ignore (TBTI) Global Partnership for Small-Scale Fisheries, have been working towards an effective and adequate implementation of the Guidelines. Now a decade later, it is time to take stock of how the SSF Guidelines have been integrated into fisheries governance at the national level around the world. This book is a contribution to that endeavour, identifying good practices, challenges, opportunities, and remaining gaps in national legal and policy frameworks vis-à-vis the SSF Guidelines. The case studies provide important lessons about ways to overcome obstacles and to secure successful implementation of the SSF Guidelines. “This collection of case studies provides in-depth illustrations of how the SSF Guidelines interplay with the governance of fisheries at international, national, and local levels. This 10-year stock-taking of the difference the Guidelines have played in different contexts and countries provides a springboard for others to follow suit in ensuring the viability of small-scale fisheries in their countries. I do hope that this book lands in the hands of these very decision-makers to inform their efforts to implement the Guidelines in diverse contexts.” Alicia Bugeja, Parliamentary Secretary for Fisheries, Aquaculture and Animal Rights within the Agriculture Ministry “Ten years later, the implementation of the Small-Scale Fisheries Guidelines is illustrated by stories of success and inspiration, but also accounts of challenges and opportunities. This volume tells us how, and to what extent, legal frameworks facilitate - in both supportive and unsupportive ways - the achievement of overarching objectives such as human rights and decent work in small-scale fisheries. It has great potential to enable fruitful reflections and discussion about what is needed to improve the governability of small-scale fisheries and how to achieve justice and decent livelihoods through national and regional legal instruments.” María José Barraán-Paladines, Science Director, Charles Darwin Foundation for the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador Chapters 11, 19 and 20 are available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.