Small-scale fishers and fish workers in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea

New 2023-2024 programme of capacity building workshops towards a more sustainable future for small-scale fishers and fish workers in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea

Coinciding with the anniversary of the signing of the Regional Plan of Action for Small-Scale Fisheries in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea (RPOA-SSF), the 2023-2024 programme of the Small-Scale Fishers' Forum (SSF Forum), a pragmatic initiative promoted by the Friends of SSF, is now out, with the programme of activities promising to be very active, as face-to-face events return to the agenda.

This new programme is the result of a ground-breaking consultative exercise held in March 2023, which saw small-scale fisheries (SSF) stakeholders from 13 countries attend a two-day brainstorming session at FAO headquarters in Rome.

The SSF Forum objective is to respond to the needs of the people working in the sector. It is a fantastic opportunity to bring together small-scale fishers (SSF), fish workers and other stakeholders from around the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, to discuss key sector issues, share best practices, and develop their capacities to build a sustainable future. With a hands-on, practical focus, the in-person workshops are meant to ensure a dynamic exchange of real-world knowledge and experiences from participants across the region.

This new edition will give SSF stakeholders the opportunity to attend four workshops - planned so far from November 2023 to November 2024 - on non-indigenous species, marine pollution, strong SSF organizations, and selective fishing gear.