New fisheries advocacy coalition creates framework for global seafood traceability

The new Coalition for Fisheries Transparency has published a framework to create a common language advocates can use to enhance sustainability and transparency efforts across global seafood supply chains. 

The framework, called the Global Charter for Fisheries Transparency, includes ten principles for the coalition to use when promoting seafood traceability and transparency. Members and leaders of the coalition include several nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) such as the Global Fishing Watch, Citizens Institute for Environmental Studies (Korea), WWF, Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF), Oceana, Regional Partnership for Coastal and Marine Conservation (West Africa), and Seafood Legacy (Japan). 

Through the framework set by the coalition and charter, members can unite and maximize the collective impact of current transparency advocacy, according to Coalition for Fisheries Transparency Director Maisie Pigeon. That advocacy can in turn help reduce instances of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. IUU fishing contributes to a loss of USD 23.5 billion (EUR 21.5 billion) annually, and represents one-fifth of global fisheries catch.

“The way that the Coalition for Fisheries Transparency operates is that priorities in each country are set by the members who work there, as they are best placed to understand the realities where they operate and identify opportunities to push forward fisheries transparency policies, as well as the obstacles they may encounter along the way,” Pigeon said. 

The coalition supports NGOs and civil societies globally to advocate for government adoption of stronger fisheries policies through ten transparency principles in the charter, coordinating those efforts. According to Pigeon, achievements in fisheries transparency have often been isolated, but the charter provides a platform for NGOs to coordinate and leverage these existing efforts to accelerate fisheries transparency, Pigeon said. 

“The coalition works with members to support them to achieve their priority transparency reforms, and then to replicate those successes elsewhere in their regions and globally,” Pigeon said. “It will be down to advocacy groups in the coalition to articulate in the countries where they work how transparency leads to improved fisheries governance and better outcomes. The coalition was formed to help them succeed.” 

The charter principles address a lack of transparency in vessel information, fishing activity, and fisheries governance and management to combat illegal fishing and prevent human rights abuses at sea. Principles adopted by states into law and practice are meant to counter fisheries mismanagement, and can be used for all fishing industries – though some require further adaptation to be effective in small-scale fisheries, according to the coalition …

Photo courtesy of Maise Pigeon/LinkedIn