Suchergebnisse

In this 'Executive report on the Stakeholder Hub: attributes, tools and feedback", we describe the state of the art of the Stakeholder's Hub in the FarFish project. Some of the main questions we try to respond on are related to how the Stakeholder Hub has been designed and implemented, and how gaps and needs in arenas for stakeholder interaction are being matched. This executive report is the first deliverable of Work Package 1 (WP1 - Stakeholder interaction). It summarises the process followed to develop the main tool for engaging stakeholders, at least on a preliminary stage. The Stakeholder Hub is focussed on a multi-level, multi-stakeholder platform, the focal point for policy-makers, NGOs, scientists, fisheries associations, processing organizations, trade companies and other relevant stakeholders. It provides a description of the communication flows within the first project stage about participants and stakeholders to enhance interaction between them, providing an updated list of the key stakeholders gathered to date. Finally, it describes the process of tailoring the Hub, summarizing the steps and tips followed until present time, focussing on the Case Study kick-off meeting that is planned in two months from the publication of this report. ; This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement no. 727891.

Data availability is a recurrent barrier when attempting to analyse the human dimension in fisheries. This report introduces a methodological approach to measure the human dimension within Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement fisheries (SFPAs), combining different variables which are going further from those used within the current ex-ante ex-post evaluations. The methodological approach combines quantitative and qualitative data sources, namely literature review, data gathering and harmonization and in-depth interviews, to develop a comprehensive and accurate description of the human dimension of long-distance fisheries of the EU within the SFPAs of Cabo Verde and Senegal. The method follows a 4 steps process set to provide a better understanding of the magnitude of fishing activity: (1) environmental and fisheries; (2) human dimension at sea; (3) human dimension at port; and (4) human dimension at international level. These case studies selected for testing the methodological approach, have displayed significant results on the importance of the fishing dimension in their national fisheries. The analysis of Cabo Verde points out how the tuna fishery is a high-relevant activity for the EU fleet. It is prompting a development of the processing industry also driving local socioeconomic development, despite certain weaknesses in port infrastructure to support the processing industry. In the Senegalese case study, the variety of actors, species and trade flows have mitigated the role of EU fleet as primary agent. Nevertheless, the SFPA has facilitated linkages between EU capital and local fleets through mixed-ventures. The case studies evidence the applicability of the method and provide relevant outputs, oversighted in other analysis. Finally, the conclusion suggests next steps to advance forward the approach, particularly for those flows involving the EU and the NON-EU long-distance fleet.

The relevance of the External Dimension aspects of the EU Common fisheries Policy (CFP) is permanently called into question, casting doubts on whether they are properly integrated within the CFP, evaluating their coherence with other EU policies and estimating their conformity and consistency with the international law of the sea. The relevant branches of this CFP are the so-called 'Sustainable Fisheries Partnerships Agreements (SFPAs) which do represent one of the most pertinent manifestations of the EU's international dimension. The EU has an enhanced responsibility to promote sustainable and responsible fisheries management in international waters, assuming responsibilities as a contracting party to SFPAs. Those responsibilities range from the reinforcement of governance, to the creation of assessments to strengthen the weaknesses of these agreements by establishing inclusive policies with a real impact on society. The FarFish project facilitated a web conference/workshop in June 2021 in order to facilitate multi-stakeholder discussions on the advantages, disadvantages and current challenges on the External Dimension of the CFP. The focus of the discussions was on the SFPAs as an instrument to strengthen the collaboration among EU and Coastal States. Organised by Centro Tecnólogico del Mar- Fundación CETMAR and the Long Distance Advisory Council (LDAC) the event did offer a mix of panel discussions and different interventions to explore how the CFP External Dimension can be a driver for beneficial change in the field of sustainable fisheries and governance in international waters, in order to improve the implementation of the External Dimension of the CFP in the next period (2023-2033). This report contains a summary of the discussions at the workshop and main conclusions. From a general view, the conclusions describe a relatively optimistic balance for SFPAs as contributors to sustainable fisheries. Nevertheless, there is still room to improve, especially in order to respond to the needs and interests of ...

The External Dimension of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) has increased its visibility in the last decades, both in relation to its coherence with the internal dimension (comprising bilateral access agreements within EEZ and the management of international waters subject to jurisdiction of Regional Fisheries Management Organizations) and its links with other EU policies such as cooperation for development, human rights, labour, health and trade issues. As a relevant player in the development of global fisheries governance, the EU has an enhanced responsibility to promote sustainable and responsible fisheries management into the international scene, in its double role as a major fishing actor and the largest single market for marine products in the world. The External fisheries policy ensures the EU commitment to jointly manage fish stocks outside EU waters where the EU fleet operates. It is in practice implemented by an active participation of the EU and other countries States and partners from around the globe through the United Nations system, including the Food and Agriculture Organisation the International Maritime Organisation or United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, Regional Fisheries Management Organizations and Regional Sea Conventions, as well as other international and regional bodies. However, despite the solid theoretical foundations, internationally agreed principles and overarching goals upon which the External Dimension of the CFP is built, there are still many weaknesses and challenges that are hampering an effective implementation This policy report summarizes the core elements of the EU's external fisheries policy, providing recommendations aimed to inform the revision process of the CFP towards 2022, while contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals under Agenda 2030.

The EU is obliged to ensure sustainable utilization of the fisheries' resources to which EU fleets have access to, both in the high seas and through bilateral agreements, based on the principles of good economic and social governance. This is mainly done through cooperation with Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs) and national authorities in partnership countries to improve knowledge and management of the fisheries. Inadequate governance of these fisheries can hinder the goal of sustainable utilization of fisheries' resources, resulting in suboptimal or over-exploitation of shared and straddling fish stocks. On the other hand, limited knowledge regarding the processing and market conditions in partner coastal states has contributed to substantial criticism regarding the social and economic benefits that the international fisheries actually bring to the partners' countries. In line with the overall objective of the FarFish project to ensure sustainability and profitability in EU fisheries outside of Europe, this report utilises the knowledge acquired across the different work packages in the FarFish project to identify challenges and opportunities for improvements in the FarFish case studies regarding governance structure, social and economic issues. This analysis is twofold: 1) identification of institutional challenges obstructing the achievement of the intended governance principles as expressed in the relevant fisheries agreements; 2) analysis of the processing and market strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for the selected case studies, which are then summarized in the form of road maps, which visualize the pathways towards achieving the ambitions identified for the FarFish project.

Background More than 20% of the catches of the European fishing fleet are caught in non-European waters. Access to fish in these waters is based on agreements with coastal states. EU pays for access to fish from surplus stocks. These agreements have been criticised, as the fisheries are sometimes poorly regulated, and management decisions are often based on limited knowledge. In addition, the level of compliance is considered low, and enforcement capabilities are limited. In many cases, the trust between different stakeholders involved in a fishery is low. The FarFish project aimed to overcome these challenges. Approach The FarFish project was designed around six case studies (CSs) in fishing areas where the European fleet is active, namely Cape Verde, Mauritania, Senegal, Seychelles, and the international high-seas areas in the South East and South West Atlantic. This document serves as the second proposal for management recommendations (MR2) for each FarFish CSs. The MRs are arrangements between relevant management authorities and the operators in the respective CSs. The MR defines the actors/partners in the fishery and their roles, the agreed management objectives for the fishery, the management rules and regulations that apply, and other relevant details about the fishery. We apply the results-based management (RBM) when developing the MR in each CS. The RBM approach aims to reduce micro-management by involving stakeholders and increasing the degree of co-management by delegating responsibilities to resource users. According to this approach, the formal responsibility for developing the MRs is largely delegated to the resource users e.g. EU fishing fleet. Yet, within the FarFish CSs, the formal responsibility is a common venture involving both the authorities in the EU and in the coastal state in question, and the European operators. This means that third state (e.g., China, Korea, Japan, Russia) activity is left outside these MRs. However, getting these MRs in place creates arenas for dialogue and allows ...