Abstract

In order to advance Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries (EAF) management in the Caribbean, there is the need for a Code of Conduct which articulates a shared understanding of what EAF entails at regional and national levels. The Caribbean Network of Fisherfolk Organisations (CNFO) has taken the lead in developing a Regional Code of Conduct for Caribbean Fisheries. This Code was formulated by and for persons in the fishing industry to enhance ecosystem stewardship for fisheries sustainability. The ten Articles of the Code were heavily influenced by FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (CCRF), the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines), the Caribbean Community Common Fisheries Policy and its associated Protocols, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Code was accepted by stakeholders on the 30th July 2020 and will be formally endorsed and adopted at the CNFO General Assembly in November. The development of the regional Code is an activity delivered under the ‘Developing Organizational Capacity for Ecosystem Stewardship and Livelihoods in Caribbean Small- Scale Fisheries (StewardFish) project’. This project aims to promote EAF application by empowering fisherfolk to engage in resource management and decision making. This poster will illustrate an iterative social learning process which emphasizes industry engagement, formal endorsement, implementation and participatory monitoring and evaluation. Next steps and recommendations suggest actions to inform the implementation of the regional Code and adaptation to the national contexts of seven StewardFish project countries.

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