COFI is the only global inter-governmental forum where FAO Members meet to consider the issues related to fisheries and aquaculture.
FAO
The Director-General of FAO QU Dongyu has reiterated, during the 36th Session of the Committee on Fisheries (COFI36), that aquaculture will be a great ally in the fight against food insecurity, malnutrition, and poverty.
COFI36 was inaugurated on Monday at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Rome.
Throughout this week, discussions will focus on how fisheries and aquaculture can alleviate hunger, drive sustainable growth, and reverse environmental degradation.
In more detail, Dongyu explained: "An increasingly expanding global aquaculture sector is driving the supply of fish and fishery products to new records. In 2022, aquaculture overtook capture fisheries as the main supplier of aquatic animals. Ensuring the expansion of sustainable aquaculture is of fundamental importance for consumers."
One of the most compelling topics to will be addressed is the aquatic foods role in global food security and nutrition, as well as how it will help to mitigate climate change and plastic pollution and achieve effective biodiversity management goals.
For all this to be possible, FAO warns that aquaculture must grow sustainably, especially in regions with food deficits, and that effective fisheries management systems are successfully implemented where sustainability poses challenges.
Also, the FAO Director-General pointed out as "urgent" the development of value chains for aquatic foods, including reducing losses and waste, and facilitating product access to markets.
On the other hand, the use of data collection and stock assessment systems to inform fisheries management will be promoted. In this regard, the first results of FishMIP 2.0 will be presented, a global initiative forecasting the impact of climate change on marine ecosystems and fisheries under different future climate scenarios.
The Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines) were endorsed ten years ago.
For this reason, the critical contributions of small-scale fishers and fish workers to food security, nutrition, and livelihoods have been highlighted, especially in low- and lower-middle-income countries.
Regarding this, Dongyu underlined: "The SSF Guidelines are the world's first and only global normative instrument entirely dedicated to small-scale fisheries. The needs and aspirations of more than 500 million people around the world are reflected in those guidelines."
According to FAO, small-scale fisheries account for at least 40% of the global capture fisheries catch and about 90% of the total number employed in fisheries globally. The estimated landed economic value of small-scale fisheries is $77.2 billion.
The Committee on Fisheries (COFI), a subsidiary body of the FAO Council, was established by the FAO Conference in 1965. It is the only global inter-governmental forum where FAO Members meet to consider the issues related to fisheries and aquaculture.
COFI is a unique body in that it provides periodic global recommendations and policy advice to governments, regional fishery bodies, civil society organizations, and actors from the private sector and international community.
Plenary sessions of COFI take place every two years. Typically, they discuss and address current issues related to fisheries and aquaculture, review progress, and set priorities for future work.