Governments can protect marine environments by supporting small-scale fishing – The Conversation

The Critical Role of Oceans in Achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Introduction

• The world’s oceans are fundamental to planetary health, with phytoplankton generating nearly half of the atmosphere’s oxygen.
• Marine and coastal ecosystems are vital for achieving multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) by providing food and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) by offering protection from storms.
• With nearly 30% of the global population living in coastal areas, the health of these ecosystems is directly linked to human well-being and sustainable development.

Threats to Marine Ecosystems and Progress Towards SDG 14

Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss

• Coastal regions are disproportionately impacted by climate change and extractive industries, presenting a direct threat to the achievement of SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 14 (Life Below Water).
• Research indicates that by the middle of this century, 12% of nearshore ocean areas could be transformed beyond recognition.
• In tropical regions, human-driven impacts are projected to triple by 2041-60, creating a critical risk to global biodiversity and the communities that depend on it.

The Impact of Industrial Fishing Practices

• Industrial fishing practices have a significant environmental footprint that undermines SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) and SDG 14.
• Since 1950, carbon dioxide emissions from global marine fisheries have quadrupled.
• The practice of bottom trawling causes additional damage by disturbing carbon-rich seafloor sediments, releasing vast amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere and hindering progress on SDG 13.

1. Scientists estimate that between 1996 and 2020, bottom trawling was responsible for the release of 9.2 billion tons of carbon dioxide.
2. This amounts to an average of 370 million tons annually, which is double the emissions from fuel combustion of the entire global fishing fleet.

Aligning Fisheries Management with the 2030 Agenda

The Role of Small-Scale Fisheries in Sustainable Development

• One in every twelve people globally depends on small-scale fishing for their livelihood, making it a crucial sector for achieving SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).
• Nearly half of the workers in small-scale fisheries are women, highlighting the sector’s importance for SDG 5 (Gender Equality).
• Small-scale fisheries are among the most energy-efficient food production systems, with low environmental impacts that align with the objectives of SDG 13 and SDG 14.

Policy Solutions for Sustainable Fisheries

• To achieve global conservation goals, policy solutions must empower Indigenous and coastal communities who have long stewarded these ecosystems.
• A key measure is the implementation of Inshore Exclusion Zones (IEZs), which grant preferential access to small-scale fishers and prohibit destructive industrial methods. This directly supports SDG 14.b (Provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets).
• When combined with co-management between governments and communities, IEZs can help restore fish populations, thereby strengthening food security (SDG 2) and securing livelihoods (SDG 1).
• Ghana provides a promising example, having recently signed a bill to extend its IEZs from six to 12 nautical miles, protecting more coastal waters for its small-scale fishers.

Integrating Local Action with Global Frameworks

Locally-Led Protection and the Global Biodiversity Framework

• The UN’s Global Biodiversity Framework recognizes Indigenous Peoples and local communities as custodians of biodiversity and commits governments to protect at least 30% of land and sea by 2030.
• To meet this goal effectively, governments must adopt practical, inclusive approaches that avoid “paper protection” and ensure both conservation and equity, contributing to SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).
• The Locally Managed Marine Area (LMMA) model, which blends traditional knowledge with modern conservation science, offers a proven solution for community-led marine protection.

Benefits of the LMMA Model for SDGs

1. Protects critical coral, mangrove, and seagrass habitats, which are essential carbon sinks (SDG 13) and biodiversity hotspots (SDG 14).
2. Increases community participation in biodiversity stewardship, fostering local ownership and sustainable practices.
3. Enhances food security and builds climate resilience, directly supporting SDG 2 and SDG 13.

Recommendations for Achieving Global Goals

• Governments must formally recognize LMMAs and other community-led conservation efforts as key tools for achieving global biodiversity targets.
• Pursuing equitable and inclusive solutions that align with the SDGs is essential for protecting more than 30% of the ocean.
• A future where community-led management of nearshore waters supports both people and nature is necessary to fulfill our collective commitment to the 2030 Agenda.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 14: Life Below Water
   • The article’s central theme is the protection of oceans, marine ecosystems, and fisheries from threats like industrial fishing and climate change. It discusses the importance of marine biodiversity, the impact of destructive fishing practices like bottom trawling, and the need for conservation measures such as Inshore Exclusion Zones (IEZs) and Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs).
2. SDG 13: Climate Action
   • The article directly links marine degradation to climate change. It quantifies the significant carbon dioxide emissions resulting from industrial fishing practices, particularly bottom trawling, which it states released “about 370 million tons annually, double the emissions from fuel combustion of the entire global fishing fleet.” It calls for solutions that mitigate these climate impacts.
3. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
   • The article highlights the economic dependence of coastal communities on marine resources, stating that “One in every 12 people globally… depend at least partly on small-scale fishing for their livelihood.” It advocates for policies that protect these livelihoods by giving preferential access to small-scale fishers over industrial fleets.
4. SDG 2: Zero Hunger
   • The connection to food security is explicitly mentioned. The article states that well-managed marine areas “can help restore fish populations and strengthen food security and livelihoods.” By promoting sustainable small-scale fisheries, the proposed solutions aim to ensure a stable food source for coastal populations.
5. SDG 5: Gender Equality
   • The article points out the significant role of women in the fishing sector, noting that of the people who depend on small-scale fishing, “nearly half of them women.” Empowering small-scale fisheries is therefore presented as a way to support women’s economic participation and livelihoods.
6. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
   • The article addresses the inequality between large-scale industrial fishing fleets and small-scale, local fishers. It argues for “policy solutions that prioritize small-scale fishers and Indigenous and coastal communities” to mitigate the “destructive impacts of industrial fishing fleets,” thereby aiming to create a more equitable system of access to marine resources.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Under SDG 14 (Life Below Water):
   • Target 14.2: By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts. The article’s focus on protecting coral, mangrove, and seagrass habitats through LMMAs and IEZs directly supports this target.
   • Target 14.4: By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices. The article’s criticism of “destructive industrial fishing” and “bottom trawling” and its call to exclude these practices from nearshore waters align with this target.
   • Target 14.5: By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas. The article references a more ambitious version of this goal from the Global Biodiversity Framework, which “commits governments to protect at least 30 per cent of land and sea by 2030.”
   • Target 14.b: Provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets. The core proposal of the article is to establish Inshore Exclusion Zones (IEZs) that “grant preferential access to small-scale fishers.”
2. Under SDG 13 (Climate Action):
   • Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning. The article urges governments to develop “policy solutions” and apply “existing policies in ways that centre people” to address the climate impact of fishing, such as the massive CO2 emissions from bottom trawling.
3. Under SDG 2 (Zero Hunger):
   • Target 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems. The article promotes small-scale fisheries as “among the most energy-efficient, animal-sourced food production systems, with low environmental impacts” and mentions that protecting these fisheries strengthens “food security.”
4. Under SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth):
   • Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men. The article supports this by advocating for the protection of livelihoods for the one in twelve people, “nearly half of them women,” who depend on small-scale fishing.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. For SDG 14 Targets:
   • Indicator for Target 14.5: The percentage of marine areas that are protected. The article explicitly mentions the goal to “protect at least 30 per cent of land and sea by 2030.” The creation and expansion of IEZs and LMMAs are measurable actions toward this indicator.
   • Indicator for Target 14.b: The implementation of legal frameworks that protect access for small-scale fishers. The article provides a concrete example: “in Ghana, where a bill has just been signed by the president to extend IEZs from six to 12 nautical miles.” This extension is a quantifiable indicator of progress.
   • Indicator for Target 14.4: The prevalence of destructive fishing practices. A reduction in the area subjected to bottom trawling would be a key indicator. The article implies the need to monitor and reduce this practice.
2. For SDG 13 Targets:
   • Indicator for Target 13.2: Greenhouse gas emissions. The article provides specific data points that can serve as a baseline for this indicator, such as the “9.2 billion tons of carbon dioxide… released into the atmosphere due to bottom trawling” between 1996 and 2020, and the “370 million tons annually.” Measuring the reduction of these emissions would indicate progress.
3. For SDG 2 and SDG 8 Targets:
   • Indicator for Targets 2.4 and 8.5: The number of people and communities supported by sustainable small-scale fishing. The article states that “One in every 12 people globally” depends on this sector. Tracking the stability or growth of livelihoods and food security in these communities would serve as an indicator of success for policies like IEZs.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: theconversation.com