Pathways to implement the Small-Scale Fisheries Guidelines in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

• Main Author: Saul, Lillian
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: Memorial University of Newfoundland 2022
• Subjects: Canada; Newfoundland
• Online Access: https://research.library.mun.ca/15837/; https://research.library.mun.ca/15837/3/converted.pdf

This thesis examines pathways found in barriers and opportunities to implement the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The 34th Committee on Fisheries in 2020 declared Canada as the fifth country to become Friends of the Small-Scale Fisheries Guidelines. At about the same time, the Canadian government began to develop the Blue Economy strategy, wrapping up its consultation phase in 2022. Yet, it is unclear how the Small-Scale Fisheries Guidelines can be implemented in the Canadian context, or how they will factor into plans for a Blue Economy strategy. Through use of interactive governance theory and written from the perspective of an active commercial fishing person, this research explores challenges and opportunities to implement the Small-Scale Fisheries Guidelines into Canadian fisheries governance, using Newfoundland and Labrador as a case study. Implementation of the Small-Scale Fisheries Guidelines is vital for advancement towards Blue Justice in Canada. Blue Justice, coined by Moenieba Isaacs at the 3rd World Small-Scale Fisheries Congress in 2018 held in Thailand is a concept centering on social justice to carve out just and secure coastal spaces for small-scale fisheries people (Jentoft et al. 2022). Blue Justice means securing access to resources and protections for small-scale fisheries people and being inclusive of small-scale fisheries people in decision-making surrounding development of the world’s oceans (Jentoft et al. 2022). This thesis addresses the governance problem of implementation of the Small-Scale Fisheries Guidelines from both the legal and fisher perspectives, with an investigation of laws and policies, as well as operations and practices. Together, these perspectives show the potential for the Small-Scale Fisheries Guidelines to guide and shape future policy, planning and decision-making in Canadian small-scale fisheries, including in a forthcoming Blue Economy strategy. This research finds that there are key ...