UN’s theme for World Ocean’s Day 2020 is “Innovation for a Sustainable Ocean”. Our ocean makes up 70% of Earth’s total surface area and is one of the key resources for global economic development. Evidently, its rapidly declining state is impacting vulnerable communities that depend on it for survival. Rethinking innovations in science and technology is critical in restoring the health of marine ecosystems and simultaneously creating a steady-state ocean economy in today’s world.
On this International Day, we will highlight WorldFish’s continuous efforts to introduce and implement forward-thinking approaches to fish agri-food systems. From there, we bring the focus to our scientific and technological innovations in resilient small-scale fisheries and sustainable aquaculture that have been creating job opportunities, sustaining agri-food harvests and maintaining inclusive economic growth in poverty-ridden nations.
Hence, the mission of WorldFish’s World Ocean’s Day on the 8th of June will be to facilitate knowledge acquisition and encourage the public to engage in WorldFish’s efforts toward “innovation for a sustainable ocean”. This is an important step in meeting various Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG8 Decent Work and Economic Growth, SDG12 Responsible Consumption and Production, SD13 Climate Action and of course, SD14 Life Below Water.
On this International Day, we will highlight WorldFish’s continuous efforts to introduce and implement forward-thinking approaches to fish agri-food systems. From there, we bring the focus to our scientific and technological innovations in resilient small-scale fisheries and sustainable aquaculture that have been creating job opportunities, sustaining agri-food harvests and maintaining inclusive economic growth in poverty-ridden nations.
Hence, the mission of WorldFish’s World Ocean’s Day on the 8th of June will be to facilitate knowledge acquisition and encourage the public to engage in WorldFish’s efforts toward “innovation for a sustainable ocean”. This is an important step in meeting various Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG8 Decent Work and Economic Growth, SDG12 Responsible Consumption and Production, SD13 Climate Action and of course, SD14 Life Below Water.
Highlights
″ As we increasingly depend on food from the #oceans, we need a much deeper understanding of how "blue foods" contribute to nutrition, environmental impacts, and local and national economies. The #BlueFoodAssessment will provide that understanding.
″ Fish and aquatic foods must occupy a central place in our food futures and the global agricultural research agenda, alongside land-based crops and livestock.
Stories
Gender included from the ‘get go’ in global small-scale fisheries study
‘Our lives depend on it’: Women’s gleaning vital for food and income in Timor-Leste
Oceans will be key to future food security – new expert report
Marine litter affecting ocean life, resilience of small-scale fisheries
Videos
▶
How drones are helping WorldFish research in the Pacific
Drone footage helps WorldFish in Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste illustrate the space available for production, map the geographic limitations to trading and distributing fish, as well as extrapolate fishing effort. For inland aquaculture the drone footage can be a powerful tool to gauge pond activity and distribution among small-scale farmers.
▶
Following the fish inland: understanding fish distribution networks for development and nutrition
In developing countries, small-scale fisheries are both a pivotal source of livelihood and essential for the nutritional intake of larger food insecure populations. Distribution networks that move fish from landing sites to coastal and inland consumers offer entry points to address livelihood enhancement and food security objectives of rural development initiatives.
▶
Securing a just space for small-scale fisheries in the blue economy
This short video story highlights the findings of WorldFish leading researcher Philippa Cohen’s paper on Securing a just space for small scale fisheries in the blue economy, published at the Frontiers journal in April 2019. The paper brings insights from social science and Small- scale fisheries (SSF) to explore how ocean governance might better account for social dimensions of fisheries.
