A team of researchers specialising in the impact of unsustainable fishing on marine ecosystems have launched a new illustrative framework to monitor the scale and impact of ‘destructive fishing’.
The UN Sustainable Development Goals highlight the need to end destructive fishing practices to conserve marine resources and protect the ocean. However, there is no globally shared understanding of what destructive fishing is, or how to measure progress against it, making it difficult to achieve this goal.
Over the past year, Fauna & Flora, the UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) and partners have been working to identify areas of consensus regarding what destructive fishing is and is not, and to suggest means by which it can be monitored. As part of this work, the project team has developed a new illustrative monitoring framework* – launched today on World Fisheries Day, 21 November – which outlines the type of evidence that could be used to determine if destructive fishing is taking place.
The destructive fishing project is led by Fauna & Flora, in partnership with UNEP-WCMC, BirdLife International, Brunel University London and the University of Cambridge, and funded by the Cambridge Conservation Initiative. Over 80 individuals from 36 countries – including from non-governmental organisations, academia, government fisheries management and the fishing industry – contributed to the research, helping to better define what is meant by ‘destructive fishing’.
Dr Chris McOwen, UNEP-WCMC Lead Marine Scientist, comments: “Transitioning to more sustainable and equitable fishing is essential to ensure the health of our ocean and the people who depend upon it. However, at present we do not have a good understanding of where destructive fishing practices are taking place and the impact they are having on nature and people.
“Supporting countries and the fishing industry to identify and subsequently reduce and stop destructive fishing practices will play an important role in delivering upon the commitments made under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, the Sustainable Development Goals and the ambition to have a world living in harmony with nature by 2050.”
One of the key conclusions of the research is that it is often not possible to label a fishing activity as destructive without context. This context includes the species of fish being targeted, the properties of the ecosystem where the fishing is taking place, the needs and vulnerabilities of dependent societies, the duration of the fishing activity and the time of year. The importance of context means that a fishing activity that is destructive in one location or at a particular time of the year, might not be destructive in another time or place.
The new framework outlines the type of evidence that could be used to determine if destructive fishing is taking place, drawing from, and building upon, targets, frameworks and indicators currently used by the fishing industry and governments. Rather than being prescriptive, the framework seeks to provide a starting point for discussions and consultation within a country or regions, resulting in an adapted framework that reflects national capacity, priorities and policies.
Hannah Richardson, Technical Specialist, Destructive Fisheries, Fauna & Flora, adds: “The significant negative impacts that unsustainable fishing can have on marine ecosystems and the societies that depend on them are well-documented. But, as is always the case in conservation, local context is essential to finding sustainable solutions that work for both people and nature.
“Our new destructive fishing framework provides national governments and the private sector with a crucial tool to identify and mitigate destructive fishing in their particular context; ultimately supporting the livelihoods of fishing communities around the globe, while protecting one of the world’s most precious ecosystems – the ocean.”
About Fauna & Flora
Fauna & Flora is a nature conservation charity protecting the diversity of life on Earth. For the survival of species and habitats, the planet and people.
As the world’s first international conservation charity, Fauna & Flora has been shaping best practice in community-focused conservation for over 120 years. Today, the charity works closely with local conservation partners in almost 50 countries to protect habitats, revive the ocean, reduce extinctions, stop illegal wildlife trade, combat climate change and influence global policy and corporate sustainability. www.fauna-flora.org
About UNEP-WCMC
The UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) is a global centre of excellence on biodiversity and nature’s contribution to society and the economy. It operates as a collaboration between the United Nations Environment Programme and UK charity WCMC.
UNEP-WCMC works at the interface of science, policy and practice to tackle the global crisis facing nature and support the transition to a sustainable future for people and the planet: www.unep-wcmc.org
For further information please contact UNEP-WCMC Communications Manager Emma Cooper via emma.cooper@unep-wcmc.org and Communications Officer Natalie Taylor via natalie.taylor@unep-wcmc.org.