Second World Congress on Small-Scale Fisheries

In September, MIT Sea Grant¡s Madeleine Hall-Arber participated in the second World Small-Scale Fisheries Congress (WSFC) held in Merida, Mexico. The congress is a trans-disciplinary forum focused on small-scale fisheries where fishermen from each continent, along with other interested participants, gather to discuss the future of global small-scale fisheries. Hall-Arber, a marine anthropologist with over 30 years of experience working with the New England fishing industry, shared her knowledge of the region¡s small-scale fisheries¡ plight, noting some similarities to the difficulties faced by global counterparts. Hall-Arber referenced some of the challenges facing New England¡s small-scale fisheries, such as closures of fishing grounds for stock rebuilding and the increasing competition for the use of marine space by such new users as energy development companies. The WSFC highlighted case studies and lessons learned from past experience to develop best practices for moving towards sustainable fisheries and communities. To find out more about the WSFC through visit: 2wsfc.wordpress.com.