coastal communities

“Fish is the perfect protein” says Oceana Chief Policy Officer, Jacqueline Savitz. We couldn’t agree more. And nothing makes us happier than seeing this, and the rationale for why, shared in a recent article in Forbes — a publication primarily focused on business, finance, and investment. It’s not your typical environmental magazine. And that’s because empowering sustainable fisheries is as much an effort to address food security and livelihoods as it is about environmental protection.

This is the first in a series of blog posts about fisheries system intermediaries.

Halfway through February, and 2019 is already full of oceans and fisheries developments. Whether its legislation in Chile to help combat illegal, unregulated and unreported fisheries; damage to the Great Ocean Cleanup’s plastic-catching system; or strong words and promised action from world leaders, oceans and fisheries are making headlines. Here at Future of Fish, we’ve been thinking about the “big things” to watch in 2019—those initiatives and topics that may be critical drivers of more sustainable fisheries and healthy ocean ecosystems. Given that no one intervention or action alone is going to result in the change we need to see, it’s heartening to read about work happening in a broad range of areas. Here are five things we’re keeping an eye on in 2019. And we’re curious to know: what’s on your radar for this year?

During the months of October and November, we helped to create the space for co-design to occur, and with our partners we conducted 7 workshops across 4 caletas. These were spaces where we rolled out the red carpet for creativity and innovation, and allowed thinking, idea development, and business plan skeletons to emerge: all approaches or ways to improve aspects of the sustainability of the fisheries (mainly hake) that members of the syndicates are embedded in.

At Future of Fish, we’re proud of the work we do to help transition fisheries towards positive social, environmental and economic outcomes for coastal communities and their oceans. Whether we’re working in Chile, Belize, or in the US, our Fisheries Development Model helps us take a structured, design-focused approach to making long-term systemic change.