Ocean Wise Webinar: Advancing Sustainable Development in Fishery Reliant Communities

 Recently funded through the Government of Canada’s Sustainable Development Goals Funding Program, this project—Advancing Sustainable Development in Fishery-Reliant Coastal Communities—will work with three Indigenous-led small-scale fisheries in British Columbia and New Brunswick over the next three years.

Small-scale fisheries account for 40% of seafood harvested globally and employ 90% of workers in the seafood sector. However, only 8% of global small-scale fisheries have been assessed for sustainability (Illuminating Hidden Harvests, FAO). Many small-scale fisheries face challenges in meeting traditional sustainability assessment criteria due to differences in data collection and management systems.

Through this project, Ocean Wise will:

1. Co-create an assessment methodology that incorporates Indigenous Knowledge and assess sustainability in the three fisheries to facilitate advancing, measuring and reporting on Sustainable Development Goals progress.
2. Foster collaboration and support Sustainable Development Goals 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth and Sustainable Development) and 10 (Reduced Inequality), by connecting three Indigenous-led fisheries with a market for their sustainable seafood.
3. Educate and empower fisherfolk, businesses and the public about Canada’s sustainable Indigenous-led fisheries using the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

During this exclusive webinar you’ll hear from Samantha Renshaw, Ocean Wise Fisheries and Seafood Science Manager about how this initiative will create more accurate and inclusive approaches to assessing fishery sustainability and provide new opportunities for small-scale fisheries.

Please note: To help us better tailor the webinar content, we kindly ask that you complete a brief survey during registration to assess your familiarity with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).