The International Collective in Support of Fishworkers (ICSF) has released the latest edition of SAMUDRA Report, its triannual journal on fisheries, communities and livelihoods. SAMUDRA Report No. 81, dated June 2019, features articles on fisheries from around the world, with a special focus on implementation of the the Voluntary Guidelines for Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries (SSF Guidelines). The editorial Comment that opens the issue focuses on subsistence fisheries in the Western and Central Pacific region and their importance as a source of nutrition, culture and welfare for the communities living there. It notes that the course of action for the region is outlined in the SSF Guidelines, which need to be integrated into regional strategies and processes. An article from Cuba reports on a Fisheries Forum that brought together stakeholders from coastal communities to examine opportunities and challenges to make fisheries more sustainable, considering how vital fishing is for Cuba’s economy and the livelihoods of its coastal communities. The geography, histories and cultures of the Pacific island region, and its 14 small island developing states, represent unique challenges and opportunities, argues another article. It notes that the introduction of the SSF Guidelines is an ambitious global-level policy pledge designed to provide overarching guidance towards improving the governance of small-scale fisheries around the world. The piece from Nigeria shows how waterfront communities, whose livelihoods are predominantly dependent on fishing and related activities, live under constant fear of eviction. A report on the Pêcheurs du Monde film festival, where over 40 films from 16 countries were screened, reminds us that despite the severity of various crises facing fishers, there are still signs of hope. A review of the Pacific Handbook for Gender Equity and Social Inclusion in Coastal Fisheries and Aquaculture points out that women are now receiving more attention in the fisheries policy of the Secretariat for the Pacific Community (SPC), after only intermittent efforts starting from about 1989. An obituary pays tribute to Rambhau Patil, an Indian fisher leader whose energy and commitment for the cause of fishers made him stand out as a distinguished fighter for the rights of fishworkers worldwide. Other reports from Malaysia, Brazil and India (on the ambitious but limited Draft National Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy), as well as an article on how environmental NGOs can partner fishers to secure vibrant fishing communities and thriving marine ecosystems, also refer to the SSF Guidelines. A report on the 3rd World Small-Scale Fisheries Congress reveals that the voices of small-scale fishers and civil society organizations were heard loud and clear. Another report reflects on the 7th Global Conference on Gender in Aquaculture and Fisheries (GAF7), held in Bangkok during 18-21 October 2018. A third report offers thoughts on the Towards an Inclusive Blue Economy’ conference organized by the International Institute for Environment and Development in London in February 2019. The cyclonic winds that swept through the shores of the Indian state of Odisha in the wake of Cyclone Fani have razed the livelihoods of many fisherfolk, says a report. Another article from India reports on a World Bank-funded loan project in the state of Jharkhand, which aims to enhance and diversify household incomes for targeted beneficiaries through fish culture. From Chile comes an article which warns that the hellish expansion of salmon farming in the Patagonia region could threaten a hundred years of Chile-Norway relations. A report on the UN Biodiversity Conference in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, says that sustainable development of fishing communities and participatory conservation of marine biodiversity are compatible. The Roundup section of SAMUDRA Report No. 81 carries news stories, briefings, announcements of events, as well as a profile of a fisher organization. SAMUDRA Report No. 81 can be accessed at: https://demo2.icsf.net/en/samudra/article/EN/81.html?limitstart=0 For more, please visit demo2.icsf.net