Title of the course:
Regional Training on “Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries management in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden”
Rationale
The fisheries of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden are of considerable socio-economic importance in terms of national food security and income generation for rural communities. Fisheries resources are exploited by artisanal subsistence fishermen, local commercial fisheries and foreign industrial fisheries targeting invertebrates, demersal finfish and pelagic finfish. Threats to the Region’s living marine resources are posed by a number of factors such as habitat destruction, over-fishing, and the risks from various kinds of land-based and sea-based pollution. The Living Marine Resources of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden have been targeted by major PESGA activities through various components and programs, aiming at improving LMR management capacities in the region.
In the context of sustainable development, responsible fisheries management must consider the broader impacts of fisheries on the ecosystem as a whole, not just a targeted species. Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries (EAF), in effect, is a way to implement sustainable development in a fisheries context. However, to implement EAF it is necessary to translate principles into operational objective and action (FAO 2003). Several efforts have been done (e.g. FAO) to formulate strategies and guidelines to make EAF operational, which generally explain, beside the principles of EAF, the stepwise processes to shift from traditional management to EAF based management.
Coinciding with its mission and in light of a number of international instruments, agreements and conference (e.g. WSSD 2002, Regional Seas’ Jeddah Declaration and Strategic Directions 2007), PERSGA is striving to implement EAF based management in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. An essential requirement for EAF implementation is building capacities to ensure that the bodies responsible for management are able to shift to and successfully implement EAF in the region.
Objectives of the meeting
The main objective of the workshop is to train participants on strategies for implementing EAF, based on guidelines developed by FAO and other best available knowledge. Participants will also discuss the status of fisheries management in the Region, with regard to the obstacles to and requirements for adherence to EAF.
Participants
Participants of this workshop will be the national officials responsible for Fisheries Management and relevant stakeholders.
The total expected number for this course is not to exceed 25 participants.
Date and Duration
The duration of the course is three working days and will be conducted during October 12-14, 2009.
Location
PERSGA HQ, Jeddah, KSA.
Organizers
The Regional Organization for the Conservation of the Environment of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden – PERSGA.
Language
The training language is English. Arabic will be used as an auxiliary medium where appropriate
Training Materials/References
Details to be provided at a later stage.
Instructors/Keynote speakers
Details to be provided at a later stage