Perspective Fisheries, Kristen Lowitt

PERSPECTIVE FISHERIES KRISTEN FROM WATER TO PLATE MAKING FISHERIES A PART OF SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS Kristen is an Assistant Professor in the School of Studies at Queen University . Her research program is directed towards working with communities to build just and systems in rural and coastal settings . Areas of interest include the rule in sustainable food systems , food sovereignty , and collective action systems name . 622 FISHERIES

Learning Outcomes After reading and discussing this text , students should be able to Articulate different positions on fisheries and their nance . Explain the ways in which fisheries contribute to food . Describe and define key concepts and terminology related to fisheries . INTRODUCTION From inland lakes to the worlds oceans , the harvesting and ing of fish are woven into the cultural identities , values , and of coastal communities . Nearly 60 million people around the world are involved in the primary sector of capture fisheries and aquaculture , with many more , especially women , taking related tasks such as fish handling , processing , and ing . The majority of this employment is in the Global South , among fish harvesters and aquacultural Workers , who catch a diversity of species from small boats near shore or who tend fish farming systems . Most of the fish from these operations goes towards local markets and directly to feeding households , providing a culturally source of protein and valuable source of . Fisheries are also crucial to livelihoods and food security in regions of the Global North . For example , on Canada Atlantic coast , fisheries continue to be the backbone of regional economic development for numerous small ties called , in addition to forming a vital part of local . 2020 . KRISTEN 623

. Around the Great Lakes of North America , a range of Indigenous , commercial , and recreational freshwater fisheries are key features of the regional landscape . For many Indigenous peoples around the world , fisheries are integrally tied to food practices and . However , fisheries are under considerable stress . tion and consolidation in the fishing sector are placing ing pressure on fish stocks and aquatic ecosystems and threatening the livelihoods and food security of those most reliant on fisheries . Industrial fishing is highly uneven across countries , with a small number of countries accounting for the majority of industrial fishing activity and accruing the benefits in terms of profits and seafood Fishing pressure is exacerbated by broader forces such as climate change and toxic pollution . Data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations indicate that the share of marine fish stocks within biologically sustainable levels is Against this backdrop , this chapter asks , can fisheries be a part of feeding people sustainably in the coming decades ?

To answer this question , I begin by reviewing two contrasting perspectives on fisheries efficiency and transformation . These are adapted from Garnett ( 2014 ) typology of perspectives on sustainable food I then discuss the implications of these for fisheries roles in sustainable food systems , ultimately arguing in favour of a transformational perspective that resists the dominant view of fish as a commodity , and places the goal of providing food for people at the centre of fisheries . et al . 2018 . Garnett 2014 . 624 FISHERIES

EFFICIENCY PERSPECTIVE THE PURSUIT OF PROFIT This can be considered the prevailing View on fisheries , often held by governments and large industry actors . Fish are seen foremost as a commodity to be managed for economic efficiency , meaning the key aim is to minimize fishing costs and maximize outputs and profits . The pursuit of efficiency spurred the global industrialization of fisheries that took off in the 19403 following World War II , as more sophisticated technologies expanded the speed and scale at which fish could be Small boats using mostly household and family labour , and bringing catches to shore at small processing plants , were deemed inefficient and became increasingly marginalized by a industrial tor of fishing vessels . These sometimes fish in the same waters as smaller boats , as well as further from shore . The largest of these vessels can freeze and process fish directly on board . fishing is yet another scale of fishing that takes place beyond the jurisdiction of any individual country and is characterized by vast freezer trawlers that can process thousands of tonnes of fish while at sea . The mantra of economic efficiency gained further credence with the publication in 1968 of a famous essay called the Tragedy of the In it , economist Garrett wrote that ruin is the destination toward which all men rush , each pursuing his own best interest in a society that believes in the freedom of the This essay is based on a limited View of people as being out to maximize their own personal gain . It was less highly in shifting the policy landscape around fisheries , with what had long been a shared and common resource becoming enclosed through new management tools . Finley 2016 . 1968 , 1244 . KRISTEN 625

designed to incentivize individual ownership and stewardship . One of the most popular tools used widely in freshwater and marine fisheries today is Individual Transferable Quotas ( are a type of quota that , as their name indicates , can be transferred ( bought and sold ) among fish harvesters on a free market . The logic behind is that fish harvesters will be less likely to race for the fish and put pressure on fish stocks if they can be assured of their exclusive right to a part of the Following this line of thinking , ecological sustainability is moted and fishing rights are allocated , given that the more efficient can buy out their less efficient Of course , what may be economically efficient is not necessarily equitable or ecologically sustainable . have been critiqued for contributing to environmental , including the practice among some holders of ing of maximize the value of their Another serious critique of pertains to social equity . With , those with more capital can buy up more fish to catch . In many cases , the outcome of has been fewer and larger boats , leading to a concentration of wealth and power in fisheries . This has direct implications for food systems . My research on Lake Superior in the Great Lakes has shown that the introduction of into commercial fisheries in that region has facilitated the export of lake whitefish into large markets in the United States for use as protein this has its access among local communities across the Canadian shore of the lake , where it remains a desirable , culturally , and nutritious . Ibid . 10 . et al . 2019 . 626 FISHERIES

So far , this discussion has focused on capture fisheries . However , it is important to note that aquaculture fits particularly neatly within an efficiency perspective , because it is a more controlled form of production that lends itself well to private ownership . Unlike wild fish that cross ecological and political borders , farmed fish enclosed in a pen at sea or on land are much easier to own . As aquaculture has grown in recent decades , it is often heralded among policy makers as more advanced , forward ing , and the key to meeting food security needs by increasing fish supply . Lastly , an efficiency perspective applies not only to the ing and production of fish but to consumption as well . As demonstrated so far , an efficiency perspective sees markets as the most appropriate mechanism for allocating fishing rights , such as through . Likewise , markets are held up as a means of promoting environmental sustainability through consumer choices . An example is the proliferation of labels that have come to adorn fish products in the marketplace , which attempt to something about the sustainability of these products to consumers . While there is some merit in promoting greater transparency in fish supply chains , a limitation of this form of sustainability is that it casts people primarily as consumers . This sidelines other possibilities for democratic engagement , such as policy advocacy or collective organizing , in favour of individual purchasing choices and buying power . TRANSFORMATION PERSPECTIVE PRIORITIZING PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES The transformation perspective is in many ways directly posed to the ideas presented above . In contrast to an efficiency perspective , a transformational view places attention and 11 . Belton 2014 . KRISTEN 627

12 . ity on the worlds fish harvesters and workers , ing that the people and communities most dependent on fishing for food and for livelihoods should be at the centre of making . In this sense , fish is understood as much more than a commodity it is appreciated as a vital part of , local cultures , social identities , and histories . As many scholars and activists have pointed out , despite fisheries ing the majority of livelihood opportunities and contributing the most to food security for vulnerable households , power and attention from governments often remains centered around and industrial and In contrast to the private property rights that characterize an efficiency approach , a transformational perspective emphasizes rights and sees fish as a commons , to be shared and collectively governed . Here , a large body of research by maritime , as well as foundational work by economist , points to how communities have long governed access to resources through local institutions designed and adapted to their needs . This perspective also sees privatization and capitalization in as the core problems that contribute to of fish stocks , degradation of aquatic environments , and insecure livelihoods . Wealth distribution is the goal of a transformational perspective , as opposed to wealth concentration , which is the goal of an efficiency perspective . A transformational perspective that the of fish and people are interlinked , meaning that changes in the natural environment directly the of people reliant on these ecosystems . An example of this interconnection comes from my doctoral research on the island of , Canada , which looked at how changes to fish stocks had an impact on the food . et . 628 FISHERIES

practices of households in fishing communities . I found that what households ate closely mirrored changes in local and marine environments . This included seasonal changes in diets related to the availability of local fish , as well as shifts in the type of seafood consumed over time , such as the introduction of more shellfish ( shrimp , crab ) into diets , as these species started to be harvested more after cod and other Around the world today , multiple threats to aquatic ecosystems and fish stocks challenge the food security of communities . A transformational perspective prioritizing the needs of fishing people and communities is closely connected to the concept and movement of food sovereignty . Food sovereignty is understood as the right of peoples to healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable , and their right to define their own food and agriculture 15 Recently , policy proposals for food sovereignty have emerged from fishers movements . For example , in 2017 , the World Forum of Fisher Peoples ( a social movement representing ten million fishers from around the world , released the report , and Food in Fisheries . This report provides an agenda for solidarity building and political organizing among fish , workers , youth , women , Indigenous communities , and related organizations and allies , in response to increasing control of fisheries . The has become a key voice representing fishers movements in international governance forums , including at the United Nations Committee on World Food Security . 14 . 2013 . 15 . Declaration of 2007 . KRISTEN 629

Another key policy accomplishment encompassing both inland and marine fisheries is the Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Alleviation led by the Food and Agriculture Organization ( of the United Nations . The Guidelines are significant as the first international instrument devoted to the sustainability of fisheries . The Guidelines adopt a human rights approach that asserts that supporting fishing and their empowerment is fundamental to the tion of these communities human rights . The Guidelines were endorsed by member states in 2014 , following a year dialogue and consultation process with civil society , fishers groups , and governments , among others . However , their mentation into national laws is ongoing and politically fraught because of some of the major policy reforms that are called fisheries and their sustainability have also been as key to achieving many of the United Nations Development Goals ( including poverty and food security , and directly applicable to 14 Life Below Water . CONCLUSION Ultimately , these perspectives different views on fisheries governance . Governance refers to how decisions are made , including what values and principles should shape them . An perspective on fisheries emphasizes markets and private property as key principles , and , when food systems are ered , a focus on fish supply is the key concern . However , as points out , the capacity to simply produce more fish masks inequalities and inequities in who eats the fish and who from the value 17 These are some of the key raised by a transformational viewpoint . A transformational 16 . et al . 2017 . 17 . et al . 2015 , 271 . 630 FISHERIES

perspective the of fish it pushes beyond an efficiency lens to foreground questions of democracy and human rights within fisheries . This to suggest there isn a role for markets or technology , as promoted from an position . Rather , for fisheries to make meaningful to sustainable food systems , the balance of power needs to be adjusted in favour of the millions of fish , aquaculture workers , and other labourers across value chains who are most dependent on fisheries for their livelihoods , culture , and food security . This balance may begin to shift as fisheries become an increasing locus of ical struggle and social mobilization . Working towards ability in food systems will require the efforts of a range of actors and networks in advocating for change in port of fishing communities , from fishers themselves to , youth , researchers , students , and consumers . Discussion Questions What coastal communities are you familiar with ?

What role do fisheries play in the food systems of these communities ?

What does the idea of fish as commons mean to you ?

How might it challenge a dominant view of fish as commodity ?

How are fisheries , food systems , and social connected ?

Additional Resources KRISTEN 631 Too Big to Ignore , a global partnership for fisheries research . United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 14 Life Below Water Coastal Routes Radio , featuring stories of coastal community resilience around North America . podcasts ) Martha and , Sherry . In the Same Boat . 2007 ) videos ) References Belton , Ben and , Fisheries in transition Food and nutrition security implications for the global Global Food Security , 2014 ) Christopher , Manuel , Per , Merino , and Williams , Meryl . Feeding billion by 2050 Putting fish back on the Food Security ( 2015 ) Declaration of , 2007 . Food and Agriculture Organization ( The State of World Fisheries and 2020 . Rome , 2020 . Finley , Carmel . The industrialization of commercial fishing , Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Environmental Science . Oxford University Press , 2016 . Garnett , Tara . Three perspectives on sustainable food security efficiency , demand restraint , food system transformation . What 632 FISHERIES

role for life cycle assessment ?

journal of Cleaner Production 73 ( 2014 ) Garrett . The tragedy of the Science 162 ( 1968 ) Maria Jose , and Nicole Franz . The Fisheries Guidelines Global Implementation . Springer , 2017 . Kristen , Charles , Nelson , Connie . Where are the fish ?

Using a fish as food framework to explore the Thunder Bay Area Northern Review 49 ( 2019 ) Kristen . Examining fisheries contributions to food security Findings from a household seafood tion survey on the west coast of , of Hunger and Environmental Nutrition , no . 2013 ) 221 . Douglas et , Wealthy countries dominate industrial Science Advances , 2018 ) Rashid . A cautionary note on individual transferable Ecology and Society 15 , no . 2010 ) 36 . KRISTEN 633