Mediterranean Small-Scale Fishers Network

Mediterranean Small-Scale Fishers Network
Name	Mediterranean Small-Scale Fishers Network
Formation	2009
Type	Non-governmental organization
Headquarters	Marseille, France
Region served	Mediterranean Sea
Membership	Fishers' associations, cooperatives, NGOs

Mediterranean Small-Scale Fishers Network The Mediterranean Small-Scale Fishers Network is a coalition of artisanal fishers, coastal communities, and supporting organizations formed to promote sustainable small-scale fisheries across the Mediterranean. The Network engages with stakeholders from Barcelona to Alexandria, collaborating with civil society, scientific institutions, and intergovernmental bodies to influence regional practice and policy.

Overview and History

The Network traces its origins to meetings among representatives from Spain and France following initiatives by FAO and Pew Charitable Trusts that responded to concerns raised after conferences such as the World Fisheries Congress and the Convention on Biological Diversity meetings; early gatherings included delegates from Italy, Greece, Turkey, and Morocco. Founding partners included regional cooperatives inspired by precedents like the Small-Scale Fisheries Guidelines process and linked campaigns such as those by Greenpeace and WWF; the Network consolidated during events in Barcelona and Marseille with participation from actors associated with European Commission consultations and the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean. Over time the Network has engaged with projects funded by institutions such as the European Union and foundations like the Mava Foundation while liaising with research centres including the Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies and universities such as University of Bologna and University of Barcelona.

Objectives and Activities

Primary objectives include securing rights for artisanal fishers recognized under the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries and advocating for management measures consistent with agreements like the Common Fisheries Policy reform and the Barcelona Convention. Activities encompass advocacy campaigns targeting bodies such as the European Parliament and the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean, capacity building with partners like FAO and IIED, and community-led conservation projects linked to NGOs such as BirdLife International and Oceana. The Network runs seasonal initiatives addressing threats highlighted by organizations including IUCN and UNEP and coordinates with local unions akin to Confédération Paysanne-style collectives.

Organizational Structure and Membership

The Network operates as a decentralized assembly drawing membership from artisanal associations in regions represented by entities such as the Federation of European Aquaculture Producers-type groups, national cooperatives from Spain and Tunisia, and civil-society organisations similar to Mediterranean SOS Network. Governance combines a steering committee with rotating representatives from local partner organizations, modeled after structures used by coalitions like Coalition for Fair Fisheries Agreements and advisory input from academic partners including IEO (Instituto Español de Oceanografía) and research centres like CIESM. Membership includes fisher cooperatives, regional NGOs, and municipal delegations such as those from Naples, Valencia, Tunis, and Alexandria.

Geographic Scope and Partner Networks

The Network’s geographic scope spans the entire Mediterranean Sea basin, engaging coastal communities from the Balearic Islands and Sardinia through the Aegean Sea and Levantine Sea to North Africa; partnerships extend to organizations within Portugal-adjacent Atlantic zones for transboundary issues. Key partner networks include intergovernmental bodies such as the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean, regional NGOs like MIO-ECSDE and MedPAN, and research consortia including EMODnet and the European Marine Board; it also liaises with philanthropic actors exemplified by the Oak Foundation and policy groups like CIDOB.

Policy Advocacy and Legal Frameworks

Advocacy focuses on integrating small-scale fisheries priorities into instruments such as the Common Fisheries Policy and supporting implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries adopted through FAO. The Network engages in consultations with the European Commission’s DG MARE, submissions to the Mediterranean Action Plan, and legal dialogue referencing jurisprudence from courts like the Court of Justice of the European Union when addressing access rights and territorial measures. It promotes legal recognition of customary use similar to frameworks advanced in Portugal and Norway experiences and collaborates with legal NGOs comparable to ClientEarth for strategic litigation and policy drafting.

Capacity Building and Community Projects

Capacity-building programs include training on selective gear promoted in line with recommendations from ICES and workshops on community co-management modeled after cases in Almería and Kerkennah Islands, with support from institutions such as UNDP and UNEP/MAP. Community projects range from marine protected area co-management with networks like MedPAN to market-based initiatives drawing on examples from Slow Food and cooperatives inspired by Mondragon Corporation principles; pilot programs address climate resilience, drawing methodology from IPCC assessments and local adaptation projects supported by BlueMed.

Research, Monitoring, and Data Initiatives

The Network partners with scientific bodies including CIESM, IEO, CNRS, and universities like University of Naples Federico II to conduct participatory monitoring, stock assessments, and socio-economic studies consistent with datasets from EMODnet and reports by ICES. It facilitates fisher-led data collection aligned with protocols promoted by FAO and links citizen-science platforms similar to eBird and marine initiatives used by Global Fishing Watch; outputs inform policy briefs submitted to the European Parliament and technical advice to the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean.

Challenges and Future Directions

Key challenges include reconciling competing interests represented by industrial fleets referenced in debates involving European Commission stakeholders, addressing environmental pressures highlighted by IPBES and IUCN, and navigating geopolitics among states such as Italy, Greece, Turkey, Egypt, and Algeria. Future directions emphasize strengthening legal recognition through instruments like the Voluntary Guidelines uptake, expanding scientific partnerships with entities such as EMODnet and European Marine Board, and scaling community-based management models that draw on precedents from Canary Islands and Sicily. The Network aims to deepen alliances with philanthropic and intergovernmental funders including European Investment Bank and foundations like MAVA Foundation to ensure long-term sustainability.

Category:Non-governmental organizations Category:Marine conservation organizations Category:Mediterranean Sea