The GFCM announces launch of 2021 SSF Forum programme.
The Low Impact Fishers of Europe (LIFE) is happy to announce the launch of the GFCM SSF University Programme for 2021, an initiative which is largely due to the work of the “Friends of Small-Scale Fisheries” (Friends of SSF) network in the GFCM.
LIFE is a founding member of the Friends of SSF, a regional network of actors sharing common interests and objectives for the sector. The platform is aimed at promoting transnational cooperation and building synergies among ongoing work in the region and plays an integral role in the implementation of the Regional Plan of Action for Small-Scale Fisheries in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea (RPOA-SSF).
The “Friends of SSF” platform was officially launched on 26 September 2018 on the occasion of the “High-level conference on sustainable small-scale fisheries in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea” with the signature of the platform.
What is the GFCM SSF Forum?
The Small-Scale Fisheries (SSF) Forum is an initiative of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean and Black Sea (GFCM). It is designed to build capacity of small-scale fishers and fish workers on selected topics, to share knowledge and to promote the exchange of best practices throughout the Mediterranean and Black Sea region.
The GFCM is the Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (RFMO) for Mediterranean and Black Sea, where small-scale fisheries play a considerable role in providing income and jobs and make an important contribution to food security and coastal livelihoods.
In 2018 the GFCM drafted the RPOA-SSF which Fisheries Ministers from the Region have committed to through a Ministerial Declaration signed in September 2018.
Last year, the Aktea Workshop organized in Brussels from 24 to 26 February by LIFE and Aktea was one of the first events organized in the framework of the SSF Forum. The objectives of the SSF Forum are very much in line with LIFE’s aim to support the role and build the capacity of small-scale fishers as agents of positive change.
The 2021 SSF Forum programme
The 2021 SSF Forum programme consists of 5 courses aligned with the main themes of the RPOA-SSF:
- Promoting strong and innovative SSF value chains (May – July 2021)
- Decent work and social protection (September 2021)
- Participatory management processes (October 2021)
- Collaboration between small-scale fishers and scientists: a strategy for enhancing research, data collection and fisheries management (November 2021)
- Small-scale fishers: guardians of our changing marine environment (December 2021)
Each course will consist of a series of workshops on select topics (for more information see the full programme here)
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, all 2021 SSF Forum courses are foreseen to be held online.
Who should participate?
The SSF Forum is designed for small-scale fisheries stakeholders, in particular small-scale fishers, fish workers and SSF organization representatives active in the sector throughout the Mediterranean and the Black Sea region. To facilitate participation, interpretation will be provided in Arabic, English, French and Spanish. Additional languages may be added on an ad hoc basis depending on the interest and language needs of registered participants.
How to participate?
SSF stakeholders interested in participating are invited to complete the online registration form here, selecting the courses you wish to attend. Registration for each course will close one week prior to the start of the course. Specific instructions for accessing the course, including login details, will be shared with registered participants in the days prior to the start of the course.
For any additional questions or further information, please contact RPOA-SSF@gfcmonline.org.
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