What is the role of fisheries in future development policies? What are the ingredients of a fisheries policy that protects the interests of the poor? Until now, small-scale inland and coastal fisheries have been relatively neglected in development policies, but recent research indicates that they can make an important contribution to food security and household incomes among the poor.

A report by the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) suggests that a re-orientation of fisheries policy in favour of the small-scale fishing sector is needed to protect livelihioods and to ensure the sustainable management of fish stocks. Both marine and inland small-scale fisheries tend to include the poorest sectors and fishing is often one of the few livelihoods open to the landless. Increasing population levels will result in increasing pressure to adopt fishing as a livelihood, but so far, fisheries policies have favoured commercial fisheries which require mechanised ocean-going fleets. Such fisheries compete with the small-scale sector, both for the fish themselves, and in the marketplace by depressing prices when commercial boats land fish locally.

In Bangladesh, only 20-30 per cent of the total catch is taken by full-time fishermen. This illustrates the interdependence of fishing with agriculture and trading, and the need to develop integrated development policies. Small-scale fisheries tend to be based in local communities. They lack strong organisation and access to information or credit. Co-operation is needed between communities to enable them to manage their resources effectively. The collection of information on which to base estimates of the impact of fishing on fish stocks is also crucially important.

A review of policy positions shows that:

• Policy positions on fisheries are not always clear, and most countries place fishing in with general development policy.
• A distinction must be made between policies on fisheries in development and fisheries policies, with little coherence between the two.
• Many ACP countries lack capacity in stock assessment and fisheries control and regulation to support management aspects of policy.
• European Union (EU) provisions encourage developing countries to export their catches. Fish exports from African, Caribbean and Pacific (APC) countries are exempt from European customs duty and account for 60 per cent of the total fish imported to the EU.
• The Food and Agriculture Organisation’s (FAO) voluntary Code of Conduct contains a strong commitment to sustainable resource management and includes general principles and guidelines for all aspects of fishery and aquaculture.

Policy implications include:

• The relationships between fisheries, agriculture and trading in rural communities must be recognised in development policies.
• Integrated policies and planning are needed for fisheries, agriculture and water, reflecting the interdependence of the three sectors.
• Collaborative networks are needed between communities and between different administrative levels to enable the management of resources.
• Access to the relevant information should be improved at all levels, but particularly within local communities.
• The FAO’s Code of Conduct for Responsible Fishing should be adopted to ensure that fish stocks are managed in a sustainable way in the future.

Source(s):
‘The Changing Role of Fisheries in Development Policy’, ODI Natural Resource Perspectives No. 59, by Ian Payne June 2000 Full document.

Funded by: Department for International Development, UK

id21 Research Highlight: 3 February 2003

Further Information:
Ian Payne
Centre for Environmental Technology
Imperial College
University of London
UK

Tel: +44 (0)20 7594 9889
Fax: +44 (0)20 7823 7916
Contact the contributor: i.payne@imperial.ac.uk

Centre for Environmental Technology, Imperial College, UK

Other related links:
'Fish farming: can aquaculture contribute to development ?'

See the World Fish Centre for related research

Refer also to the FAO Fisheries website for up-to-date information

Future Harvest focuses on environmental research

World Resources Institute features thematic resources