82 



of pollution and coastal/watershed development for tourism, urban, 

 industrial and agricultural purposes. 



9. Fisheries regulators, ho^^ever, continue to struggle with 

 inappropriate stock assessTient procedures, single species 

 approaches, inadequate fishery models, and unsound assumptions 

 based on incomplete or erroreous data. These and other problems 

 have undermined the. ability of the Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) 

 concept to act as an effective standard for conservation-based 

 fisheries management. It is essential that we have long-term, 

 sustainable management, good quality data and vessel-tracking; that 

 traditional knowledge and fisheries management practices be 

 respected; that the science of fisheries management be broadened to 

 incorporate an ecosystem assessment of the impacts of fishing as 

 well as other human activities affecting the marine environment; 

 and that there be enhanced cooperation among regional/global 

 fisheries management bodies to develop these approaches. 



C. EQUITY AND BASIC RIGHTS 



10. Regarding the issue of equity, access to fishery resources must 

 recognize the needs and rights of fishing communities and be based 

 on equitable principles ard not solely on political power and 

 availability of technology and capital. As part of the efforts to 

 advance equity, priority nust be given to artisanal fisheries, 

 given their importance as e source of food for local consumption, 

 income and employment in rural areas, and a means of promoting 

 community stability, rescurce conservation and environmental 

 protection of marine, coastal and inland water areas. At the same 

 time, it is essential that the vital role of women in fisheries and 

 integrated community development be recognized and supported. As 

 part of this effort, effective mechanisms must be provided to 

 ensure women's participat:on at all levels in decision making 

 processes on fisheries-related matters. 



11. Basic rights, including human rights, must be observed for 

 artisanal fishers, women and other fishworkers in all sectors. 

 Those concerns merit much greater recognition and attention. As 

 part of this effort, minimum standards for safe, healthy and humane 

 working conditions must be applied. In addition, fishers and 

 fishworkers should be assured of the right: a) to form their own 

 organizations which can participate in national planning 

 commissions, fisheries management decisions and fisheries 

 development plans; b) ha/e marine and inland water zones reserved, 

 exclusively, for artisanal fishing activities; and c) .have access 

 to credit, social and health services. 



D. TRANSPARENCY, ACCOU^ITABILITY AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION 



12. In significant part, the current fisheries crisis is the result 

 of policies and progranmes developed in decision making processes 

 that exclude affected communities and the public while granting 



