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Projects - Global Global Citizenship in Fisheries and Aquaculture - middle school lesson plans (2008) Global Citizenship in Fisheries and Aquaculture (2008) The first 8 lesson plans developed focus on communities in Mozambique and include resource materials and appropriate links. They have an approach that engages students by highlighting personal lives with relevant reference to Canadians' own everyday lives or experiences. This project was initiated in 2008 by World Fisheries Trust and associates, with funding provided by the Government of Canada through the Canadian International Development Agency and their project "Global Classroom Initiative". Produced with the support of the Government of Canada through the Canadian International Development Agency ***************************************
5th International Fisheries Observer Conference (2007)
Improving the sustainability of fisheries is necessary to ensure continued livelihoods around the globe. Monitoring the quantity and type of fish caught, and the manner in which fishing occurs is essential to sustainable management. The International Fisheries Observer Conference series has, over the last 10 years, guided the development of best practices for fishery monitoring programs and promoted their implementation globally. The 5th International Fisheries Observer Conference will be held at the Victoria Conference Centre, Victoria, BC, on May 15th to 18th, 2007. The conference will bring together broad representation from the international fisheries community to address key issues concerning fisheries observer programs, emerging fisheries monitoring technologies, and other approaches for fishery dependent data collection. The conference organisers recieved funding from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) Conference Secretariat and WFT was contracted to act as the Developing Country Liaison for the conference and oversee all issues pertaining to involvement of the developing country delegation. Approximately 22 delegates have been invited to participate in the conference, representing 19 developing countries, including Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Panama, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Uruguay, and Venezuela. The conference will be managed and hosted by Archipelago Marine Research Ltd. with Howard McElderry acting as the conference Chairman. Click here to view the conference website. The project is funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). *************************************** Aquatic Resources and Development (2004-2007)
As the demand for saltwater and freshwater resources increases, so do the strains upon the ecosystems that sustain them. Sustainable fisheries rest upon aquatic biodiversity, but conservation of that biodiversity has always been a "hard sell," lagging behind the strides made for terrestrial plants and animals. It now seems most feasible in a people context - that is, when biodiversity is associated with livelihoods. The Aquatic Resources and Development project was created as an outgrowth of the position paper SUSTAINABLE USE OF AQUATIC BIODIVERSITY: Key Issues and Opportunities for IDRC written by WFT in 2002. It allows a format for fresh thinking in this area, and encompasses several novel initiatives with new approaches to the task of bringing aquatic biodiversity issues into our culture, society, and policies. The Sink or Swim roundtable discussions, held September 26 & 27, 2006 in Victoria, BC, were aimed at outlining models, key principles, and research findings that can form the foundation of effective aquatic conservation communication initiatives - that is, initiatives that will lead to meaningful engagement among key audiences. Click here to view the final report, which also illustrates how these findings were in part motivated by the most recent FAO Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (CGRFA) meeting.
The project is funded by the International Development Research Centre. *************************************** Expert Workshop on Comparative Environmental Costs of Aquaculture (2006)
At the request of FAOs Sub-Committee on Aquaculture, and with the support of the FAO Fisheries Department and the Vancouver Aquarium, WFT convened an international workshop titled Study and Analysis on Environmental Costs of Aquaculture Production in Comparison with Other Food Production Sectors in Vancouver in April 2006. The workshop brought together international experts on aquaculture development, ecology, environmental economics, and environmental impact and energy analysis to discuss a variety environmental accounting systems, such as Energy and Ecological Footprint Analysis, Life Cycle Assessment and Material Flows Accounting. As a result, FAO was provided with advice on how to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of The workshop proceedings and recommendations are currently being edited by WFT and FAO and will be published in the FAO Fishery Proceedings Series. The project was funded by FAO of the United Nations. *************************************** Expert Workshop on Status and Trends in Aquatic Genetic Resources (2006)
At the request of the FAO Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (CGRFA) to prepare a document on the status of aquatic resources, WFT and the Fishery Resources Division of FAO convened a second international workshop in 2006. The workshop, titled Status and Trends in Aquatic Genetic Resources: a Basis for International Policy, was held May 8th to 10th, in Victoria, British Columbia. The workshop brought together a small group of internationally recognized A report of the workshop is currently being prepared and will be published by FAO. In direct follow up to this workshop, and as part of our Aquatic Resources and Development project (Funded by IDRC), WFT held a workshop titled 'Sink or Swim' Roundtable on Aquatic Genetic Resources in Victoria, BC, September 26th & 27th, 2006 to raise the profile of genetic resources for fisheries and aquaculture. The project was funded by FAO of the United Nations. *************************************** Blue Gold: Access to Aquatic Genetic Resources in Indigenous and Local Communities (2003)
One of the most difficult issues faced by nations implementing the Convention on Biological Diversity is how to ensure that benefits arising from biodiversity are shared with those who provided access in the first place. In many cases, access has been provided by local and indigenous communities. A lot of attention has been paid to benefit sharing for plant genetic resources such as seeds or medicinal plants. The problem of aquatic genetic resources has been almost completely overlooked - yet more and more communities are becoming recognized as sources of this potentially valuable commodity. WFT worked with communities around the world to gather experiences with fish genetic resources, provide information on the issues, and help communities create their own policies for access to fish genetic resources in their area. The results of the three-year study was published in the book Blue Genes: Sharing and Conserving the World's Aquatic Biodiversity.
The project was funded by International Development Research Centre. *************************************** Biodiversity Effects of Mariculture (2002)
Mariculture is the farming and husbandry of marine plants and animals in brackishwater or marine environments. While mariculture output is still dwarfed by the tonnage of farmed freshwater organisms, it is growing explosively and its practices have important implications for marine biodiversity, especially in light of a trend toward the culture of high-value carnivorous species. Mariculture practices have many effects on biodiversity, ranging from the genetic effects of large-scale deliberate release of farmed fish into the wild to the effects on primary productivity that filter down through the food chain. WFT prepared a review paper as a background document for the Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group on Mariculture, established by the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. The paper helped the expert group evaluate the state of scientific and technical knowledge on the effects of mariculture on marine and coastal biodiversity, and provide guidance on criteria, methods and techniques that avoid the adverse effects of mariculture and stock enhancement on marine and coastal biological diversity. Click here to view the report posted on the CBD website. The project was funded by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity. *************************************** The Blue Millennium Project: Managing Fisheries for Biodiversity (2001)
Click here to view the report and case studies. The workshop Blue Millennium: Managing Global Fisheries for Biodiversity, was held in Victoria, B.C. June 25-27, 2001, and brought together authors of fisheries management case studies from around the world, including Canada, Namibia, Philippines, Brazil, Laos, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Barbados, Uganda and New Zealand. The workshop represented the first opportunity for global fisheries scientists and management professionals to meet and review actual national experiences in incorporating biodiversity considerations into the fisheries sector. The project was funded by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and International Development Research Centre (IDRC). *************************************** Action Before Extinction: an International Workshop on Fish Genetic Conservation (1998)
The project was funded by Alcan Aluminum Ltd., BC Hydro, BC Ministry of Fisheries, Environment Canada, Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), Creative Salmon Co., Fisheries and Oceans Canada, International Development Research Centre (IDRC), and the Robert Schad Foundation. *************************************** Revised Program of Work on Inland Water (2002) Development of an Aquatic Animal Diversity Information and Communication System (2000) The Impact of Dams on Fish, Fisheries and the Environment (1999-2000) Model Policy on Aquatic Genetic Resources (1998-2002) |
The book is avaibable for purchase from the following sources: 
The Blue Millennium Project was created to help national biodiversity planners come to grips with fisheries issues. World Fisheries Trust surveyed progress in 52 countries on dealing with fisheries issues in biodiversity planning; prepared a "Fisheries Primer" for planners, and convened an international workshop on fisheries and biodiversity. 
Genetic conservation means saving genetic variability before it disappears. A number of nations have begun fish genetic conservation programs, and more are being planned. With Action Before Extinction, World Fisheries Trust brought representatives of these programs together for the first time, to discuss techniques and policies. The workshop was held in February 1998, in Vancouver, and was attended by delegates from fifteen countries, including Canada. 
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