Dr Mitchell Lennan (AUCEL, ACCPIL, One Ocean Hub) was invited as an expert speaker at the “Regional Workshop on Mainstreaming Climate Change into International Fishers Governance – the Case of Regional Fisheries Bodies in the Indo-Pacific Region” co-organised by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Fisheries and Aquaculture Division and the Bay of Bengal Programme Inter-Governmental Organisation (BOBP). The workshop was held in Chennai, India from 17–20 October 2023.
Background
Climate change is leading to distributional shifts of fish stocks around the globe and is challenging existing fisheries management measures. This is because transboundary fisheries management is traditionally based on historic catch and usually does not account for the full distribution range of the managed stocks, nor the ongoing and future effects of climate change on their distribution. This mismatch between management measures (e.g., quota allocation, fishing areas) and distributional shifts of fish stocks is escalating the risk of inadequate management arrangements, international disputes, and unsustainable fishing levels. Therefore, an increased understanding of the impacts of climate change on transboundary fish stocks is an essential component of climate-resilient international fisheries governance that safeguards both the fisheries resources and the millions of people who rely on fish for their livelihoods and culture.
While the intergovernmental bodies that manage international fisheries (regional fisheries bodies or RFBs) are increasingly aware of the challenges posed by climate change, there is consensus that most organisations have difficulty engaging in the topic of climate change despite the existence of good science.
Mitchell’s expertise on the international legal issues surrounding climate change impacts on fisheries outlined above has been requested by FAO. FAO are a specialised agency of the United Nations which leads international efforts to defeat hunger. They play a major role in the international regulation of fisheries by facilitating the production of both legally-binding and voluntary guidance which inform various aspects of fisheries management and conservation. FAO also informs the scope and content of the international legal obligations on fisheries conservation and management under the international law of the sea. The Fisheries and Aquaculture Division works with (UN) Members and partners to transform and promote the responsible and sustainable management of aquatic food systems to become more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable.
Chennai Workshop
In this context, Members have requested FAO to develop guidance on climate-resilient fisheries management, and as part of the solution, convene a workshops with RFBs around the world. In response, FAO is organizing a series of workshops with RFBs to ensure geographical and ecological balance and connectivity. This first workshop focused on RFBs from the Indo-Pacific region and was held in Chennai, India from 17–20 October 2023. The aim was to facilitate exchanges among RFBs from the Indo-Pacific region about how they are integrating climate change in fisheries management advice, discuss responses and opportunities to address the impacts of climate change on relevant fish stocks and ecosystems and propose actionable recommendations for future efforts.
Alongside presentations from fisheries scientists, staff from FAO and representatives from RFB secretariats, Mitchell contributed with a presentation outlining the international legal obligations of States to adapt fisheries management and conservation to the effects of climate change. The presentation was based on findings from Mitchell’s PhD thesis and continuing research on the subject. This was an excellent opportunity to disseminate ongoing research on the international regulation of fisheries in the face of climate change to stakeholders and to shape the outcome of future FAO guidance on climate-resilient fisheries management.
Next Steps
Mitchell will participate in the next RFB climate change workshop early next year. He will also present a research seminar on this topic at the Law School on Wednesday 24 January.
This trip was co-funded by FAO and the Law School’s Research Committee.