Social protection to foster sustainable management of natural resources and reduce poverty in fisheries-dependent communities. Report of the FAO Technical Workshop, Rome, Italy, 17-18 November, 2015.

Published online: 23 May 2018
Published by: Food and Agriculture Organization
Content type: Bulletin; Conference proceedings
URL: http://www.fao.org/fishery/topic/166293/en

Publication language: English
Location: Myanmar & Saint Vincent & Saint Vincent and the Grenadines & Trinidad and Tobago & Grenadines

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Abstract

Fisheries-dependent communities and in particular small-scale fishers are exposed to different social, political and economic risks and vulnerabilities. They face social and political marginalization, poverty is widespread and coupled with poor working conditions. The livelihoods of coastal and inland fishing communities are further endangered by the depletion of fish stocks caused by overfishing. Other vulnerabilities include degradation of aquatic environments coupled with natural disasters and climate change. Although social protection policies have the potential to stabilize incomes, create a safety net for fishers and have the potential of increasing resilience of fishers against diverse types of vulnerabilities, small-scale fishers have an unmet need for social protection policies and few social protection programmes are designed to meet the specific needs of fishers and fisheries-related workers. Since 2014-2015, as part of a wider strategy to promote rural development within the framework of poverty reduction, FAO started analyzing the linkages between social protection and sustainable use of natural resources, through country-specific case studies in Myanmar, Trinidad and Tobago, as well as Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The technical workshop "Social protection to foster sustainable management of natural resources and reduce poverty in fisheries-dependent communities" gathered 29 participants to discuss available evidence and make recommendations for the work programme of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Department in relation to social protection and poverty reduction in fisheries dependent communities. Among the outcomes, the workshop suggested strengthening the conceptual framework for poverty and natural resources management in fisheries-dependent communities in order to reconcile socio-economic development and natural resources conservation. The workshop also suggested carrying out further country case studies and deepening the understanding of the link between social protection and sustainable use of natural resources, exploring how coherence between social protection and fisheries policies can be promoted at country level.

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