Blue Economy: What’s in it for small-scale fisheries?
TBTI held a special session on 'Blue Economy - What's in it for Small-Scale Fisheries?', hosted by Dr. Ratana Chuenpagdee, TBTI Project Director during the 12th Asian Fisheries and Aquaculture Forum (AFAF). AFAF took place in Iloilo, Philippines, on April 8-11, 2019 under the theme 'Transforming Asian Fisheries and Aquaculture for Sustainable Production and Nutrition'.
The session began with a presentation about the newly launched TBTI ‘Blue Justice for Small-Scale Fisheries’ campaign and how it aligns with the SSF Guidelines, by focusing on the core principles such as human rights, gender equity, and non-discrimination. The global support for Sustainable Development Goals and the enthusiasm around the world about 'Blue Economy' agenda signal certain directions and trends in investment decision, aid distribution and government policies and priorities. Exciting as these goals and agenda might be, they pose certain risks to marginalized and vulnerable sectors of the economy, like many small-scale fisheries in the south and the north.
Participants were then invited to share their experiences on topics related to social justice in small-scale fisheries and their perspective on how the blue economy agenda is taking shape in their countries. The session ended with an open discussion about strategies, approaches and tools that can be employed to ensure small-scale fisheries benefit from the blue economy and other development agendas.
Transdisciplinarity if Fisheries and Ocean Sustainability
