WCC 2020 Res 018 - Activity Report

With reference to operative statement 1d (strengthen IUCN’s focus on sustainable inland fisheries as part of IUCN’s programmes on species, water and ecosystem management), in 2022 the co-Chairs of the SSC Freshwater Conservation Committee joined a cross cutting SSC meeting on developing an intercommissional Task Force to reconcile fisheries and conservation, as stipulated in IUCN 2020 Resolution 107 (https://portals.iucn.org/library/node/49246). Our role has been to ensure that inland fisheries are included with marine fisheries in this process. The development of this Task Force, which is being led via the Marine Conservation Committee, has not progressed; but the Freshwater Conservation Committee Co-Chairs remain in touch with the Resolution leads so that we can help with the development as and when that occurs.

With reference to operative statement 2 (request the Commission on Ecosystem Management Fisheries Expert Group to address equally both inland and marine fisheries), in 2021 the Freshwater Conservation Committee Co-Chair reached out to the Fisheries Expert Group and encouraged their greater focus on inland fisheries, and collaboration with the Inland Fisheries Alliance (IFA) as it develops. The IFA is a collaborative group of individuals representing several different organizations (https://www.inlandfisheriesalliance.org/).
It is apparent that the FEG is still committed to giving a greater focus on inland fisheries. They helped the IFA and other partners in the preparation of a document on "Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework: An Indicator to Monitor the Threats to Inland Fisheries, as a Component of Target 5" that was submitted to the online document portal for CBD COP 15 in 2022 (also available at: https://www.inlandfisheriesalliance.org/resources).

Freshwater Conservation Committee members have assisted in the preparation of inland fisheries related sessions for the 2024 World Fisheries Congress. These include sessions on: 'Assessing the Status of Inland Fisheries for Policy'; 'Climate Change Impacts on Inland Fish and Fisheries'; and 'Indigenous People and Local Community-led Fisheries Management'

The following is in reference to operative statement 1a (to support more explicit inclusion of inland fisheries in the post-2020 biodiversity framework, especially through the post-2020 zero draft target 5 and through reference to inland fisheries in SDG Targets 14.4, and 14.6, or in 15.1 (sustainable use of freshwater ecosystems). Freshwater Conservation Committee Co-Chair Harrison promoted the inclusion of an inland fisheries threat indicator (developed by USGS and FAO) as an indicator for Global Biodiversity Framework Targets 5 and 10. This has been included as part of the recommendations made by SSC in its Global Species Action Plan.