Requirement 9 - Socio-Economic, Gender And Poverty Issues

Responsible aquaculture practices shall be adopted that support rural communities, the involvement of women and marginalised groups and contribute to poverty alleviation.

Interpretation

Responsible policies and practices for the LRFF trade needs to recognise socio-economic, gender and poverty issues. Although issues of poverty alleviation and equity are not directly the responsibility of fisheries managers, it is imperative to recognise that decisions regarding fishery activities do have wider impacts and consequences for society. This is because reef fish resources have substantial social and economic importance. Aquaculture production has substantial potential economic and social benefits for rural communities, but these can turn into negative consequences if short and longer term community needs are not taken into account. Well conceived and enforced management policy that takes into account socio-economic, gender and poverty issues should lead to better societal outcomes.

As many coastal communities rely on reef fish resources as sources of protein and income, the welfare and prosperity of local communities is heavily dependent on the health of the target fish stocks and their environment. The economic prosperity of others involved in the LRFF trade is also closely linked to the state of the resources. Governments should ensure that the livelihoods of local communities, and their access to fishing grounds, are not negatively affected by aquaculture developments. Aquaculture activities can contribute to enhanced food supply and income generation in many local communities. Due consideration should be given however to existing traditional practices and the need to integrated such practices into aquaculture activities. For aquaculture practices to develop sustainably, for the general benefit of local communities, it is important for government authorities to facilitate collaboration and constructive dialogues between aquafarmers or aquaculture developers and other stakeholders in local communities. Access to fishing grounds should be guaranteed and, where necessary, regulated for the mutual benefit of fisheries, culture-based fisheries and aquaculture. Agreements should be fostered between aquafarmers and fisherfolk, to avoid conflicts over access to shared resources such as water, space and living aquatic resources. (More Info .. FAO Technical Guidelines - Ensuring Livelihood Of Local Communities)

Large-scale aquaculture developments should be preceded by social and economic assessments, in order to identify options for involvement and benefit sharing among members of local communities, and to ensure long-term economic viability of such developments.

Responsible Practice