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Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies

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IYAFA : Overview




Overview
Small-scale fisheries (SSF) and small-scale aquaculture (SSA) are fundamental to contributing to nutrition and food security, livelihoods, and income generation. However, the diversity and complexity of SSF pose a challenge for management coupled with anthropogenic stresses (e.g. overfishing, pollution, habitat degradation, coastal development, climate change) that threaten the sustainability of SSF and the contribution to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. As a major step to raise the importance of the role of the millions of small-scale fishers, fish farmers and fish workers, in 2017, the 72nd Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations proclaimed 2022 as the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture (IYAFA 2022).

Objective of IYAFA 2022
The objective of celebrating IYAFA 2022 is two-fold: the Year aims to focus world attention on the role that small-scale fishers, fish farmers and fish workers play in food security and nutrition, poverty eradication and sustainable use of natural resources – thereby increasing global understanding and action to support them.

The celebration is also an opportunity to enhance dialogue between different actors, and not least to strengthen small-scale producers to partner up with one another and make their voices heard so they can influence the decisions and policies that shape their everyday lives – all the way from local community level to international and global fora.

Learn more and follow the celebrations worldwide at the FAO Global IYAFA 2022 website.


Themes for WECAFC region IYAFA activities
The Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission (WECAFC) is the FAO regional fisheries body for the Wider Caribbean Region. The Secretariat of WECAFC has partnered with UWI-CERMES and several other organisations active in small-scale fisheries and aquaculture to plan celebratory activities and communications for IYAFA 2022 under various sub-themes.




 
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