Special Co-op day highlights global fishing crisis

The event on June 15 was the second annual WFC Day organised by the International Co-operative Fisheries Organisation (ICFO), a sectoral organisation of the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA). 

 

Over two hundred co-operators from a dozen countries took part in the event, which was held in Da Nang, Vietnam. On behalf of the ICA, Director-General Chuck Gould attended the day and met with several senior figures including the Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

 

Mr Gould explained: “Vietnam is still developing its fisheries co-operatives. With a coastline of 3,200 km, fishing is a major part of the Vietnamese economy, and employs five million people.

 

“Today, the vast majority of fishing knowledge is passed from father-to-son, vessels are often of low quality, lacking communication and safety equipment, and illegal and unsustainable fishing methods are common.”

 

Since creating pre-co-operatives — which are co-operatives that depend on economical and/or technical assistance from the state — and forming co-operative legislation in 2001, Vietnam now has 4,000 pre-co-operatives and has increased the number of full co-operatives — those that can operate independently — from 80 to 500.

 

Mr Gould added: “One of the highlights of the day was learning about the Vietnamese fisheries, how committed they seem to be to co-operative fisheries and the progress they’re making.”

 

Other key figures at the event were President of the ICFO, Mr. Lee Jong-koo and Ikuhiro Hattori, President of the National Federation of Fisheries Co-operative Associations of Japan.

 

Ikuhiro Hattor received the World Fisheries Co-operator Prize and told the audience about his career in aquaculture and co-operation, from enabling legislation in 1948 to the Federation’s work in the aftermath of the Japanese tsunami.

 

Last year’s winner of the Rochdale Pioneers award from the ICA and the President of ICFO, Mr Lee Jong-koo is another major figure in the fisheries sector. He is also the President of Korean National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives (KNFC), the co-operative that is leading the way in co-operative fisheries. 

 

KNFC provide insurance, a mutual credit system, training and a central command centre to ensure safe travel for the fishermen and control the exploitation of fishing.

 

The fishing industry has faced a big crisis in recent years such as over exploitation, declining numbers of fishermen and commercialisation.

 

Francesca Ottolenghi, from the non-governmental organisation Lega Pesca, part of Legacoop in Italy, who attended the conference, explained that the problems fisheries face are complicated. 

 

“The fisheries sector is a very complex universe, there is a complex chain starting from the catcher point to arriving at commercialism. Internationally the fisheries problems are common. I think that we have the key in our hand, that is the co-operatives,” she said. 

 

Many countries in Europe share waters with other non EU countries and there are major problems due to legislation and illegal fishing in those areas. 

 

Ms Ottolenghi added: “Co-operatives are working very well, they are working successfully, and they are facing the crisis better than other societies and associations. I think 2012 is a very important point for the future.”

 

In 2010, ICFO created the Seoul Declaration and agreed to hold an annual World Fisheries Co-operative Day each year to raise awareness of the crisis facing sustainable fishing.

 

Picture: Fishing is a major part of Vietnam's economy.