The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2020

particular the relevant targets of SDG 14. To make the 
most of this opportunity, it is time to think creatively, 
join hands and start making plans now for how to 
make IYAFA 2022 a memorable year. The Thirty-fourth 
Session of the Committee on Fisheries in 2020 
provides an excellent platform for exploring with 
Members how to do so.
BOX 12
INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF ARTISANAL FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE 2022
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PART 2 
SUSTAINABILITY IN ACTION
Social sustainability along value chains 
In the context of the 2030 Agenda, countries have 
committed to leave no one behind, and here the 
recognition of human dignity is fundamental. 
In particular, in regard to SDG 8 (Decent 
work and economic growth), encouraging 
entrepreneurship and promoting job creation are 
considered effective measures to eradicate forced 
labour, slavery and human trafficking.
In fisheries and aquaculture, the voices of fishers 
and fishworkers need to be heard. All over the 
world, human and labour rights violations and 
abuses in the sector have been documented, 
and despite commendable efforts by many 
governments and the industry, there are still 
too many cases of unacceptable practices taking 
place. These occur not only in developing 
countries but also in the developed world, and at 
all stages along value chains.
Many operators take their responsibilities 
seriously and respect both national and 
international laws and standards. However, far 
too many cases of unacceptable practices persist, 
institutional capacity is weak, enforcement 
non-existent, and the voices of fishers and 
fishworkers are simply not heard. On a more 
positive note, growing awareness among 
countries, consumer groups, retailers and industry 
itself is forcing change towards higher standards, 
including through certification and labelling.
Various reports have revealed cases of 
appalling working conditions within the 
fisheries sector. Abuses have been reported 
in fish processing plants and on board 
fishing vessels, where working conditions are 
more difficult to monitor. There are strong 
indications that human trafficking, forced 
labour and other labour abuses on board fishing 
vessels are associated with IUU fishing, with 
Communities and clam harvesters in the Volta River 
estuary have worked together to secure individual 
rights and tenure of clam miners and farmers.
1
As an 
innovation, a project piloted the FAO Open Tenure 
tool for mapping underwater clam farms. Open Tenure 
takes a crowd-sourcing approach to the collection 
of tenure relationships. It has been developed as 
a tool for communities to assess and clarify their 
tenure regimes in order to protect the individual and 
collective rights of their members. Mobile devices 
provide for in-the-field capture of legitimate tenure 
rights with boundary mapping. Data are then 
uploaded to a web-based community server. The tool 
has been successfully adapted to allow for formal 
recording of customary and informal rights where 
recognized by law. 
A step-by-step approach was used to analyse 
current traditional tenure rights arrangements in the 
clam fishery, spatial mapping of main clam fishing 
areas, and the development and distribution of maps 
showing competing uses, including: navigation and 
local transport, recreation, hospitality (including a new 
hotel), real estate, and aquaculture. The process 
identified key stakeholders and potential for fishers 
associations to develop a co-management programme, 
with options for the administration of user rights, tenure 
needs and sustainability. Documentation and 
dissemination of best practices and lessons learned 
were discussed with the traditional authority and the 
local government to inform the devolution for securing 
user rights.
BOX 13
ENSURING ACCESS TO SECURE LIVELIHOODS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT:
THE VOLTA RIVER CLAM FISHERY IN GHANA
1
For more information on these fisheries: Agbogah, K. 2018.