Description

Small-scale fisheries (SFF) account for more than 90 percent of the world's capture fishers and fish workers and supply approximately 50 percent of all global fish catches.

The FAO has facilitated the creation of Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines). It is the first international instrument dedicated entirely to the SSF sector, and represents a global consensus on principles and guidance for its governance and development.

The SSF Guidelines were developed in close collaboration with representatives of SSF organizations, and are directed at all those involved in the sector to work together for the benefit of small-scale fishers, fish workers, and their communities, as well as for society at large. Parliamentarians play a crucial role in the implementation of the SSF Guidelines.