Medidas de Gestao das Pescarias Marinhas e Aquicultura 2019 The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2018 | Page 189

THE STATE OF WORLD FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE 2018
„ „ Wider effects: Fisheries management must take
into account the effects of fisheries on the
wider ecosystem, as well as the effects of other
human activities on fisheries;
„ „ Appropriate scale: Fisheries must be managed on
the appropriate geographical scale, taking
account of the distribution and patterns of
movement of the resources and other elements
affecting or being affected by fisheries;
„ „ Participation and cooperation: Management decisions
and their implementation must involve the full
participation of all stakeholders and
cooperation with the necessar y institutions
and user groups.
Considering wider effects means, however, that it
is not sufficient to reinforce cooperation within
the fisheries and aquaculture sector alone. As
more and more demands are made on the use of
the coastal and aquatic environment, by an ever-
growing array of sectors, and as demand for
fisheries and aquaculture products increases
worldwide, the need for cooperation between
fisheries management organizations and
organizations that deal with the management of
human activities in other sectors rises rapidly.
A few examples illustrate this need for
collaboration in different domains. The fisheries
and aquaculture sector is among the food
production sectors most dependent on a healthy
ecosystem. Aquatic organisms tend to have
complex life cycles, requiring different types of
environment for their development, and failure of
only one such environment may endanger the
sustainability of resources and the continuity of a
fishery. In addition, most activities that use water
or require it will have a direct impact on, and
experience the impact of, fisheries and
aquaculture activities. Fish and fish products are
among the commodities most traded
internationally, and trade routes and markets
greatly influence the activities in fisheries and
aquaculture worldwide.
Working at the appropriate scale in most cases
requires cooperation at the regional level, as
processes related to the exploitation of natural
living resources usually involve at least several
countries. In an increasingly connected world,
regional fisheries bodies, and particularly
regional fisheries management organizations,
are gaining importance as international fora
for discussion of issues related to fisheries
management and sharing of living marine
resources. RFBs have been intensif ying their
work to ensure that all possible mechanisms
for cooperation are exploited in the
development and management of fisheries
and aquaculture.
To account for these extrasectoral effects, many
international fora, including the recent United
Nations Ocean Conference in June 2017, have
highlighted the importance of strengthening
cross-sectoral cooperation among diverse
regional bodies and organizations, and RFBs
have been multiplying their initiatives for
cooperation with other regional organizations.
Most notably, FAO and UNEP have facilitated
discussions between RFBs and the
corresponding regional seas organizations to
strengthen collaboration on issues of common
interest, taking into account their different
mandates and roles. The two organizations also
cooperate with CBD, within the framework of its
Sustainable Ocean Initiative (SOI), to enhance
cross-sectoral collaboration among RFBs and
regional seas organizations in addressing issues
such as the SDGs, the Aichi Biodiversit y
Targets, ecologically or biologically significant
marine areas (EBSAs) and v ulnerable marine
ecosystems ( V MEs).
FAO has been supporting this evolution
through two parallel avenues: reinforcing the
work of individual RFBs through the
Organization’s technical work on fisheries and
aquaculture, and promoting and supporting
linkages, exchange and mutual support among
R FBs through the Regional Fisher y Body
Secretariats Network. RSN is hosted and
supported by FAO and comprises 53 RFBs
(including 25 RFMOs). Its purpose is to
strengthen information sharing and to offer a
framework for discussion among RFB
secretariats and their partners on emerging
issues related to fisheries management,
research and aquaculture development in their
regions and, in the case of RFMOs, reg ulator y
areas. This two-pronged approach is
contributing to rapid development in the
capacit y of RFBs to support the much-needed
improvement in the planning and management
of fisheries and aquaculture.
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