The Fourth Global Fisheries Enforcement Training Workshop Artisanal and Small Scale Fisheries Experiences in Central America Costa Rica, February 17-21, 2014
CENTRAL AMERICAN COUNTRIES Belize Dominican Republic Guatemala Honduras El Salvador Nicaragua Costa Rica 1991. Tegucigalpa Protocol Panama The essential objective of the Central American Integration System (SICA) is to achieve the integration of Central America to establish it as a Region of peace, freedom, democracy and development.
Central American Countries: a) Similar development level in industrial fisheries, artisanal fisheries and aquaculture b) Similar challenges and opportunities c) Region has species with high comercial value d) Common species, migratory species.
ARTISANAL FISHERMEN 149,400 fishermen Pacific Ocean 77,250 Caribbean Sea 42,640 Inland Waters 29,510
ARTISANAL FISHERMEN COMMUNITIES 1,093 communities 507 Pacific 263 Caribbean 323 Inland waters
TYPE OF BOATS IN THE SMALL-SCALE FISHERIES
EVOLUTION OF KEY REGIONAL INDICATORS Number of artisanal fishermen Number of boats in the small-scale fisheries 1995 2010 92,876 149,400 38,743 66,355 Annual volume of smallscale fisheries (Ton) 162,659 190,050 Annual value of small-scale fisheries(usd$) 179,400,000 648,578,512 Note: 1995 doesn t includes Belize and Dominican Republic
SOCIO-ECONOMIC PROFILE 97% of fishermen are responsible of familiar expenses. 74% of fishermen are 21 50 years old. 77% of families have more than four members. 83% of fishermen have some level of school education. 26% are members of a fishermen organization. Fishermen obtain low profits from their products.
LIMITATIONS OF ARTISANAL FISHERIES Decline of main fishing resources. Over-fishing Use of illegal fishing arts and methods. Low levels of organization. Limited participation in the trading Safety at sea. Several fishing zones are vulnerable to other illegal practices.
REGIONAL COOPERATION BETWEEN COASTAL STATES
OSPESCA The Organization for the Fishing and Aquaculture Sector of Central American Isthmus. OSPESCA IS INTEGRATED BY: Ministers Council (Political level). Vice-ministers Committee. (Executive level) Fisheries Directors Commission (Scientific and tecnichal level) Objective: To promote the development of sustainable fisheries and aquaculture in the region as part of the process of the Central American integration.
Civil Society Regional organizations OECAP: Organization of Central American Entrepreneurs of Aquaculture and Fishing. CONFEPESCA: Central American Confederation of Artisanal Fishermen (small-scale)
Fisheries and Aquaculture integration Policy To establish a common regional system to increase the integrated participation of the Central American countries and in this way contributing to the appropriate and sustainable use of the fisheries and aquaculture products.
POLICY S APPLICATION STRATEGIES 1. Strengthening of Institutions and organizations 2. Harmonization of Central American legislations 3. Adoption of regional decision-making 4. Regional management of fisheries and aquaculture 5. Integrated coastal fisheries and aquaculture 6. Integrated high-seas fisheries 7. Shared species 8. Surveillance and control 9. Intra and extra-regional trade 10. Sport fisheries associated with tourism 11. Extra-regional relations
Integrating Fisheries. New Regional Governance Model. Article 22 of the Protocol of Tegucigalpa: "... The decisions of the Council of Ministers shall be mandatory in all member States... "
REGIONAL REGULATIONS Integrated record system of fisheries and aquaculture Management of the Caribbean Spiny Lobster Regional satellite monitoring and control system for fishing vessels Code of ethic for responsible fisheries and aquaculture Banning of shark finning Proper use of turtle excluder devices (TED) To prevent, control and eradicate diseases in shrimp culture
SICA CARICOM Memorandum of Understanding between Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) and OSPESCA
Example: Simultaneous Close season: From the year 2010, four months: from March 01 to June 30, every year..
64 Boats 4,600 fishermen, Skin-diving method
Serious health problems.
Ministers of OSPESCA agree on a chronogram for the closing of skin-diving lobster fishing
REGIONAL RECORD Progressive incorporation of regional record of artisanal fishing boats.
CONFEPESCA-OSPESCA MOU
Data colection about climate change by fishermen Leaders.
Special emphasis on the participation of indigenous communities
Technical Consultation on International Guidelines on Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries Joint regional position on the content of the Guidelines among governmental authorities of the OSPESCA countries and the civil society represented by CONFEPESCA.
Participation of small-scale fishermen in the consulting about fisheries regulations and policies process.
2nd. Global Fisheries Enforcement Training Workshop. Norway. First participation of OSPESCA 3th. Global Fisheries Enforcement Training Workshop. Mozambique 4th. Global Fisheries Enforcement Training Workshop. COSTA RICA
International Cooperation in MCS -SPAIN, USA(NOAA), TAIWAN -FAO, OLDEPESCA, CIAT, CITES, CARICOM (CRFM). - WWF, CI.
New IUU Regulations Propose of a new regional Regulation on Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing (2014).
CONCLUSIONS 2014 Updating of the regional fisheries policy. The governance model of binding agreements is new to OSPESCA. It s convenient to accompany and to strengthen it. The Institutions as well as the participation of civil society should be strengthened (Artisanal fishermen) to combat the IUU
Margarita Lizarraga Medal Award 2012-2013. FAO say: OSPESCA was selected with recognition of its significant contribution to sustainable fisheries and aquaculture development in the Central American countries