On 8 February, the European Commission published the results from a targeted consultation on International Ocean Governance (IOG) opened last fall with the aim to re-examine whether the current Agenda on IOG was still fit for purpose, and to identify new policy areas that should be put on this agenda.
Accompanying the results, and following the “call by many NGOs for a healthy ocean by 2030”, the EU already announces “a new Communication on sustainable blue economy that will be adopted in Spring 2021”.
During this consultation, more than 120 contributions were received, from governments, international organisations, business representatives, associations, NGOs and academia, though environmental organisations were the most represented (up to 45% of respondents).
Delivering on sustainability objectives for the oceans
Almost 20% of respondents argue that the EU objectives for IOG should be reviewed, asking for elements to be added, such as “resilience” (focus on restoration and protection and addressing climate change) or “fairness” (focus on the social dimension). For many respondents, the EU should ensure the adequate participation of local communities in the decision-making processes.
In the consultation, both CFFA and the EU Long Distance Advisory Council (see the website for more info), identified the need for more attention to the interactions between Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG14 - clean oceans) and SDG2 (zero hunger), but also for an increased attention to sustainability standards for seafood products that will be sold on EU markets.
The EC summary highlights that to effectively deliver on SDG 14 (and other SDGs), the EU should promote policy coherence between environmental, maritime and fisheries policy as well as policies related to social sustainability, health, labour, trade and development cooperation. In addition, according to a great number of contributors, the EU should strengthen its efforts towards international development, external partnerships and collaboration with non-EU countries on maritime issues, and include additional stakeholders in policymaking (for example, local communities and indigenous people, scientists, businesses etc.).
CFFA has been insisting on this last point on several of our most recent contributions to improving Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements, as the basic regulation recalls on several occasions the need for cohesion between the various external policies of the EU and in particular "with the general objectives of the Union's development policy" (preamble § 52, article 28.2.b, 1380/2013).
SFPAs as “building blocks” for coherent regional strategies
In this regard, many contributors believe that the EU should use SFPAs to promote sustainable fisheries management at a regional and global level, as “building blocks” for developing coherent regional fisheries strategies. SFPAs indeed should model transparent access fisheries “upholding accountability standards and promoting social sustainability objectives”. For this, “all relevant EU regulatory obligations should be equally included in every SFPA protocol”.
For many respondents, SFPAs should also go beyond sustainable resource management and integrate a social component, with sectoral support and other means to support the development of local fishing communities, emphasizing women’s role and participation.
Blue economy: more attention to social and environmental sustainability
In December, a multi-Advisory Council advice on the future after Covid-19 looking at the maritime sector, recalled that the “EU market is the most important and lucrative market for fish products globally” and called for a legislation that ensures that “products placed on the EU market are free from human rights violations”. Many respondents to the IOG consultation also believe that the EU should develop “ambitious legislation to ensure that the highest environmental and social sustainability standards apply to all products consumed in EU markets deriving from ocean exploitation (including imports). The EU should also support third countries to achieve the necessary changes for meeting these standards”.
The majority of contributors make a clear call for the EU to “drive a sustainable blue economy”. However, CFFA has underscored several times the marginalisation of fishing dependant coastal communities in the EU’s strategies, such as blue growth and the Farm to Fork strategy, and has demanded that the value of fisheries, especially in job creation and food security, be fully taken into account.
In the conclusions of this summary to the IOG consultation results, a majority of respondents agree that for a sustainable blue economy, the EU should pay “equal regulatory attention to all sectors” and promote a more transparent and participative decision-making.
Furthermore, the EU should also ensure a “level-playing field among all these sectors and strength social sustainability standards”. CFFA hopes that the new EC Communication on sustainable blue economy will indeed be inclusive and fully take fisheries, artisanal fisheries in particular, in consideration.
Banner photo: Annie Spratt/Unsplash
In a joint contribution to an open call for civil society organisations, CFFA and CAOPA raise the alarm about the challenges for small-scale fishers to take part in decision-making processes of international ocean governance and ask for a human-rights-based approach.