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Fisheries and aquaculture – enabling a vital sector to contribute moreFAO releases new State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture report 9 July 2012, Rome - Sustainable fisheries and aquaculture play a crucial role in food and nutrition security and in providing for the livelihoods of millions of people. FAO's latest flagship publication on the state of fisheries and aquaculture, launched at the opening of the 30th session of the FAO Committee on Fisheries, highlights the sector's vital contribution to the world's well-being and prosperity, a point reflected in the recent Rio+20 Outcome Document. "Fisheries and aquaculture play a vital role in the global, national and rural economy," said FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva. "The livelihoods of 12 percent of the world's population depend directly or indirectly on them. Fisheries and aquaculture give an important contribution to food security and nutrition. They are the primary source of protein for 17 percent of the world's population and nearly a quarter in low-income food-deficit countries." Árni M. Mathiesen, head of FAO's Fisheries and Aquaculture Department, said: "Fisheries and aquaculture are making a vital contribution to global food security and economic growth. However, the sector faces an array of problems, including poor governance, weak fisheries management regimes, conflicts over the use of natural resources, the persistent use of poor fishery and aquaculture practices. And it is further undermined by a failure to incorporate the priorities and rights of small-scale fishing communities and the injustices relating to gender discrimination and child labour." FAO is urging governments to make every effort to ensure sustainable fisheries around the world. The report notes that many of the marine fish stocks monitored by FAO remain under great pressure. According to the latest statistics available, almost 30 percent of these fish stocks are overexploited - a slight decrease from the previous two years, about 57 percent are fully exploited (i.e. at or very close to their maximum sustainable production), and only about 13 percent are non-fully exploited. Capture fisheries and aquaculture supplied the world with about 148 million tonnes of fish in 2010 valued at US$217.5 billion. The report notes that the coming decades are likely to see major changes in economies, markets, resources and social conduct, where climate change impacts will increase uncertainty in many food sectors, including fisheries. It stresses the importance of the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, and its associated international plans of action and technical guidelines, to achieving the goal of a global sustainable food production system. The primary threats undermining the food and nutrition security potential of fisheries and aquaculture result principally from ineffective management coupled with poor conservation of habitats. A transition towards people-centred approaches is required to enhance the sector's contribution to food and livelihoods security. As underlined at the recent UN Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio+20, such a shift could spur the global community to achieve the real sustainable and responsible use of aquatic resources to meet today's needs while ensuring benefits for future generations. |
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