Mobilizing Stakeholders and Public Towards Sustainable Fisheries

1. Mobilizing Stakeholders and Public Towards Sustainable Fisheries Introduction to Vision, Mission, Objectives and Research Results Leonard Sonnenschein 2:45PM – 3:00PM

2. Johannesburg Summit Outcomes - Encourage the application by 2010 of the ecosystem approach (para. 30d);- Maintain or restore depleted fish stocks to levels that can produce the maximum sustainable yield on an urgent basis and where possible not later than 2015 (para. 31a);- Urgently develop and implement national and, where appropriate, regional plans of action to put into effect the FAO international plan of action for the management of fishing capacity by 2005 and the FAO international plan of action to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing by 2004 (para. 31d);- Eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and to over-capacity, while completing the efforts undertaken at WTO to clarify and improve its disciplines on fisheries subsidies (para. 31f);- Develop national, regional and international programmes for halting the loss of marine biodiversity, including in coral reefs and wetlands (para. 32d);- Advance implementation of the Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities and the Montreal Declaration on the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities (para. 33);- Accelerate the development of measure to address invasive alien species in ballast water (para. 34b);- Establish by 2004 a regular process under the Untied Nations for global reporting and assessment of the state of the marine environment, including socio-economic aspects, both current and foreseeable, building on existing regional assessments, as a means to improve the scientific understanding and assessment of marine and coastal ecosystems as a fundamental basis for sound decision-making (para. 36b).

3. World Ocean Network Mission Global Objective: The role of the World Ocean Network is to lead the public in actions to insure living oceans tomorrow.

4. Vision Statement To create a wider awareness of the fragile state of the ocean ecosystems and what consumer actions can do to bring about a positive conservation change.

5. CONCRETE FIELD ACTIONS COMMITTEE GOALS: Implementing outdoor/indoor field actions on a local scale as well as on a global scale. to launch a call for Field actions project within the Network, according to pre-defined criteria and objective. Partners supports of local initiatives on the field as well as votes for global projects which will be financed by the Network fund for Field action. WORLD OCEAN DAY Celebrations. Develop common international projects in the above areas and consider for additional funding Develop joint projects for local action project for all World Ocean Network participants Establish a Manatee Study Group. Enlarge the action program to groups to include Eastern Europe Countries, China, Southeast Asia, South America and Persian Gulf. Who We Are

6. World Ocean NetworkFounding Members The original committee was made up of 15 representatives and now has 94 representatives from over 25 countries.

7. The State of Seafood Marine fisheries and aquaculture (the controlled cultivation and harvesting of freshwater and marine organisms) produce close to 100 million tons of fish, shellfish, and edible plants every year, providing a livelihood for about 35 million people, most of who live in developing countries. Overharvesting to meet global consumers’ growing demand for seafood can deplete many species and alter the biological structure of coastal ecosystems. Many species are overharvested because the world fishing fleet is larger than it needs to be. Other problems include destructive harvesting methods such as trawling (dragging weighted nets across the sea floor to catch shrimp and bottom-dwelling fish), and bycatch (unintended catch of nontarget species). Modern trawling equipment scoops through sediment and rock and often kills the worms, sponges and other species that live on the seafloor. Aquaculture, the world’s fastest growing food production activities, with an annual growth rate of about 10 percent in the 1990s, can lead to the destruction of mangroves and may lead to irreversible damage to both estuarine and offshore fisheries by introducing biological, chemical, and organic pollutants (such as antibiotics and pesticides) and by modifying habitats. Ripple Effects: Population and Coastal Regions by PRB.org

8. Mission Statement The mission of the Sustainable Seafood Campaign is to educate consumers and children (as influencers) on the issues associated with commercial fisheries and aquaculture and empower them with actions they can take in the market place and/or restaurant.

9. Sustainable Seafood Campaign Goals • To promote sustainable use of marine/freshwater resources • To promote responsible aquaculture: any fish consumed affects an ecosystem • To encourage and empower consumers to be able to make sustainable choices when buying seafood • To encourage the use of other products and services that support positive environmental changes • To share information about existing and emergent sustainable seafood campaigns and disseminate information on a regional basis amongst various publics

10. Sustainable Seafood Campaign Meeting Priorities PRELIMINARY MEETING OBJECTIVES TO DISCUSS FINDINGS BY REGION: • -Encourage sustainable fisheries towards reducing bycatch, rotating seasons or areas of fish harvesting, establishing marine protection areas, and altering fish catch methods for optimal long-term conservation • -Motivate consumers towards sustainable seafood choices • -Share information along the chain of custody (from the fisherman, policymakers, all the way to the consumer) to foster change towards greater sustainability • -Participate in Regional meetings promoting sustainable fisheries • -Display exhibits on sustainable seafood • -Demonstrate how to include seafood and fisheries information on web site • -Show documentaries promoting sustainability • -Distribute Seafood Cards, Fish Rulers and other informatics to the public • -Promote the Sustainable Seafood Campaign Cartoon • -Create the opportunity for regional Seafood Celebrations • -Join organizations which disseminate Sustainable Seafood information • -Share the "FAO Technical Guidelines for Responsible Fisheries" • -Assemble scientific, economic, policy data and public opinion for the purpose of communicating to social, political, economic and other publics

11. Oceanics Conference Outline • The Europe, Africa, Middle East, Russian Federation, Iceland and Greenland RCM was held in Lisbon associated with the OCEANICS Symposium.  A wide variety of participants including science communicators, policymakers and managers, NGOs and civil society, scientists and researchers, media, corporate business and educators attended. The workshops assessed the actions already completed, under way and to adapt them on a regional level and to put forward proposals for the 3rd International Meeting. The theme of was how to foster European public sustainable behavior regarding the ocean. • The second of the series of regional workshops that the World Ocean Network plans to participate in 2005. This program will be entitled “European Workshop on Sustainable Seafood Consumption Programme – Eating Fish Sensibly.” This discussion will establish a framework for defining a communication strategy, drafting an action plan in Europe and planning activities for the campaign.

12. The Global Forum on Oceans, Coasts, and Islands (begun in the World Summit on Sustainable Development preparatory process) represents an alliance of leading ocean experts from the governmental, nongovernmental and international and intergovernmental sectors formed to advance the interests of oceans. GOALS • Work together with governments, international and intergovernmental organizations, nongovernmental organizations (environmental, scientific/technical, industry foundations), and others to effectively implement, at national and regional levels, major international agreements on oceans, especially the commitments made in the plan of Implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development, and commitments from Agenda 21 an other related agreements. • Work as a catalyst to mobilize knowledge, resources and organization action to advance the global oceans agenda. • Raise the international profile of oceans, coasts and islands in all relevant global, regional and sub-regional for a and mobilize resources to address these issues. • Mobilize public awareness on oceans, coasts and islands and promote information sharing and dissemination. The Sustainable Seafood Campaign’s First Year Summary Report will be presented in January 2006 at the Global Forum on Oceans, Coasts and Islands.

16. Stock Recovery DEPLETED STOCKS RECOVERY: A CHALLENGING NECESSITY THE ISSUE During the eighteenth and nineteenth century, thinkers such as Jean-Baptiste de Lamarck and Thomas Huxley assumed that the size of the oceans and the high fecundity of commercially exploited fish and shellfish meant that, under the conditions prevailing at that time, the risk of extinction of fishery resources was low. These scientists overestimated the ocean’s resilience to fishing and underestimated both the future demand and the potential progress in fishing efficiency. However, the fact that local natural renewable resources could be depleted through wasteful competition and lack of ownership has been known literally for centuries, and by the end of the 1960s the “tragedy of the commons” was already common knowledge.

17. About Well-Managed Fisheries & Farms • A “rule-based” precautionary management framework • A proper institutional set up with: (i) teams of experts to take responsibility for recovery plans; (ii) a participatory process involving fishers in all operations to promote transparency; (iii) public information and education programmes; and (iv) integration of goals, strategies, measures and data among jurisdictions. • Mandatory limitation of access to the resource and reduction of capacity and exploitation rates to levels compatible with recovery conditions. • Provisions for compensation for definitive or temporary loss of rights and livelihood in the form of alternative employment. • Ex-ante assessment of the consequences of the planned measures, for example in terms of bioecological as well socio-economic impacts, the transfer of excess capacity to other areas or resources, and a likely time-frame for recovery. • A system for monitoring stock, people’s/communities’ status and fleet activities using indicators of fishing pressure, economic well-being, recruitment and environmental conditions. • A system of indicators with target reference points. • Tight enforcement of the recovery plan. • The elaboration of post-recovery management plans. • Aquaculture appears to be expanding into offshore marine areas in some parts of the world. Several countries have been proactive in developing appropriate offshore aquaculture and ocean policies, including the control of off-site impacts associated with the discharge of effluent and solid wastes and escapees, even prior to embarking on large-scale development. • Aquaculture: Not an Easy Answer to Overfishing (Oregon State University, www.sciencedaily.com, 2003) • Among the problems caused by shrimp and salmon aquaculture: • shrimp aquaculture ponds can destroy mangroves and other nursery areas • fish farming discharges nutrients, pesticides and antibiotics into coastal waters • exotic fish species are sometimes introduced outside their native habitat • the ocean’s capacity to assimilate wastes, provide feed and stock, and maintain viable fish populations is being challenged • the viability of tropical ponds used to rear shrimp often collapses after 5-10 years of use from disease, chemical and biological pollution, creating a “boom and bust” economic cycle and disruption of local communities

18. Possible Solutions • We are recommending that organizations adhere to FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries. Additionally, we are further recommending the Code of Conduct for European Aquaculture by the Federation of European Aquaculture Producers.

21. Public Aquariums Role Formal Programs: • Educational exhibit programs aimed at developing an early sense of sustainable fisheries in children • Enhance public awareness about the true meaning of fisheries and fisherman’s life • Youth Education Adult/Teacher Education • Ad hoc Exhibits • Publications & Media Relations Informal Programs: • Hand-outs • Talk Sessions • World of Mouth

22. Aquarium Example:World Aquarium Applied Research Commitment • Coral Nutrition • Ecosystem Modeling • Animal Behavior • Productive Use of Animal Waste • Organic Growth Enhancement • Filtration Methodologies • Nitrate Reduction

23. Sustainable Seafood CampaignCommunication to PublicConsumer Identity & Expected Outcomes • We expect that every fish consumed in a sensible way will affect the environment from which it came, beneficially. • We hope to educate consumers about the issue of overfishing and ask them to encourage their local retailers, producers to source seafood from sustainable fisheries (as identified through wallet cards and certification programs) • We hope that producers and consumers will become economic partners as well as conservation minded, and that any campaign will become effective regardless of socio-economic barriers, since it is based upon common worldwide consumption patterns on a localized basis rather than centering its philosophy specifically to one lookout.

24. Sustainable Seafood Campaign Cartoon

25. Public Aquariums and Seafood Campaigns Seafood Guide: Wallet Cards, Score Cards, Seafood Recommendations • Eat fish from well-managed fisheries and fish farms • Eat Fish that are not inherently vulnerable to overfishing • Promote consumption patterns that maintain healthy ecosystem

26. COMMUNICATE ENGAGE Educated Consumers! Cooking Shows and Chef Testimonials Reverse Trend by Economic Doctrine

27. Sustainable Seafood Campaign Summary of Activities & Findings by Region We need to identify steps towards sustainable oceans as a priority for 2006-2009

28. Conclusionary Thoughts The quantitative outlook developed in the IFPRI study reinforces five major structural shifts that are already underway, but will become more pervasive between now and 2020. • Developing countries (particularly Asian countries) will dominate food fish production, from both capture fisheries and aquaculture. Stocks that are not fully exploited will be fished more heavily. • South–South trade will increase frozen low-grade whole fish to value-added products will continue. • Environmental controversy will continue: sustainability concerns will increase and motivate environmental regulations and institutions, first in developed countries and then in developing countries. Overfishing will remain a major concern. The link between pollution and food safety will receive more attention worldwide. • Fisheries and aquaculture technology will address new challenges: reducing fishmeal and fish oil requirements in aquaculture; mitigating the environmental impacts of intensive aquaculture; finding alternatives to food safety regulations requiring capital-intensive, approaches for improved fisheries management. • Institutional development in the sector for reducing poverty through fisheries and aquaculture development, as it will be for improving environmental sustainability and food safety.