The GCFI Fisheries for Fishers Initiative
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About the Fisheries For Fishers Initiative
The GCFI Fisheries for Fishers Initiative is founded on the principle that fishers must be engaged and empowered to be part of the process of managing marine resources. GCFI has encouraged and supported activities related to this principle along with a number of our partners. The activities included the Gladding Memorial Award, The Small Grants fund for Fisher Exchanges and Alternative Livelihoods for Fishers, GCFI has supported the attendance of fishers at the annual meeting through a number of partners. -
The Gladding Memorial Award
The Gladding Memorial Award was established in 2004 in honor of Peter Gladding, a commercial fisher who was reponsible to a great extent for the protection of Riley's Hump, an important mutton snapper spawning aggregation in the region of the Dry Torugas. Each annual award recognizes a commercial fisher in the region who, through example, demonstrates a long-term conservation ethic. Each recipient is selected by a GMA subcommittee composed of several GCFI trustees and one or more past recipients of the award. Fishers from around the Gulf of Mexico and the wider Caribbean Basin are eligible for the award. As of 2008, 10 individuals from 9 countries have received the award. more>> -
The Small Grants Fund
Fisher Exchanges and Alternative Livelihoods
With funding provided since 2005 by the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA), the SPAW Programme of the UNEP CEP has made available a Small Grant Fund administered by GCFI for promoting sustainable fishing practices and alternative livelihoods for fishers. This fund forms part of the CEP/SPAW initiative to develop adequate management plans and programmes for priority species of regional concern including those of economic value. In 2008, GCFI provided funding support for four projects. Two projects were focused on fisher exchanges and two were focused on alternative livelihoods for fishers.
more>>The GCFI Fisher Forum
The theme for the 2008 Fishers Forum at GCFI was: Impacts of climate change on small-scale fisheries. The session featured a few brief presentations on the topic followed by a panel. Discussion amongst fishers, scientists, managers and others was aimed at identifying research required to gain a better understanding of problems and solutions, with a view to developing the ideas into funded projects. The Forum was open to all GCFI participants, but fishers were especially welcome. Fishers attending GCFI were asked to share their views on likely impacts at sea and ashore, and how about their concerns may be addressed. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) was a major sponsor of the 2008 Fishers Forum at GCFI.
2007 Fisher Forum report [1.2 mb pdf]
2008 Fisher Forum Report [4.7 mb pdf]
2009 Fisher Forum Report [7.6mb pdf]