At the UN Biodiversity Conference, or COP-15, over 20 organizations representing small-scale fishing communities and civil society signed a joint statement rejecting debt swaps as they lack transparency and give undue power to foreign organizations over the policies of marine resources management of developing and small-island states.
While recognizing that protected areas can be effective means to restore and conserve biodiversity and support coastal communities who rely on fisheries for their livelihoods and food security, the statement cautioned adopting a rushed approach to gazetting large areas of the oceans as protected areas for nature.
“Governments must therefore recognise the rights of people, including their free, prior and informed consent to any decisions that deny them access to their historical fishing grounds, in line with the FAO Voluntary Guidelines on sustainable small-scale fisheries, as proposed in the Artisanal Fishers Call to Action”, the statement noted.
“Furthermore, the protection of 30% of the oceans by 2030 must not distract governments from giving more comprehensive attention to the unsustainable management of ocean economies. Merely declaring large parts of the oceans as protected zones does not guarantee the sustainable and equitable use of marine resources. Instead, COP-15 should strengthen efforts to halt the growth of socially and ecologically damaging industries, such as industrial fishing, intensive fish farming, and coastal and offshore mining. It should seek to end the large amounts of private investments and public subsidies these sectors receive. Without this, the 30×30 target will be superficial and it will fail in its ambition,” the statement added.
The full text of the statement and the list of signatories can be found at: