Indicator 14.b.1 Degree of application of a legal/regulatory/ policy/institutional framework which recognizes and protects access rights for small-scale fisheries

Indicator 14.b.1: Degree of application of a legal/regulatory/policy/institutional framework which recognizes and protects access rights for small‐scale fisheries

Target 14.b: Provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

Definition:

Progress by number of countries in the degree of application of a legal/regulatory/policy/institutional framework which recognizes and protects access rights for small-scale fisheries.

Concepts:

National Statistical Systems already collect fisheries-relevant data, with a focus on production, employment, and trade. Relevant concepts can be found at CWP Handbook of Fishery Statistical Standards of the Coordinating Working Party on Fisheries Statistics (CWP).

Degree of implementation of frameworks which recognize and protect access rights for small-scale fisheries, categorized into 5 bands, as follows:

See more details for the determination of the bands under 4.a., for the computation of the sub-indicators under 4.c. and the Annex for the full original questions informing the sub-indicators.

Data are based on the replies to three questions of the CCRF questionnaire (see Annex). It is usually provided from administrative sources, as best identified by the national fisheries administration responsible for replying to the CCRF questionnaire. The data are based on the presence of relevant laws, regulations, policies, plans or strategies and how these have been implemented so both legislative, management, and other documentation must be consulted to respond to the queries.

Data are typically provided by the National Fishery Ministries/departments.

It should be noted that while target 14.b refers to access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets some landlocked countries with inland fisheries have taken the opportunity to report on this indicator.

The indicator is calculated using three variables, which are given respective weightings for the final calculation. There has not been a change in the calculation, nor the use of mixed sources.

Variable 1: Existence of laws, regulations, policies, plans or strategies that specifically target or address the small-scale fisheries sector

Variable 2: Ongoing specific initiatives to implement the SSF Guidelines

Variable 3: Existence of mechanisms enabling small-scale fishers and fish workers to contribute to decision-making processes

Performance is scored based on the country responses to the relevant portions of three questions included in the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries Questionnaire (CCRF). These questions have been transformed into weighted variables for the purpose of calculating the country scores. The target has been set at a positive (‘yes’) response to all the sub-variables, resulting in a score of 1.

The higher weighting assigned to Variable 1 reflects the slightly greater importance of that indicator for assessing the degree of application of a legal/regulatory/policy/institutional framework which recognizes and protects access rights for small-scale fishers.

Each sub-variable is scored on the basis of a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ response and any ‘blank’ or ‘unknown’ responses are scored as a ‘no’, or zero. A response of yes results in a score that corresponds with the full weighting value for that variable category. For example, a ‘yes’ response for variables 1.3, 2.1 and 3.1 are scored as 0.1, 0.03 and 0.3 respectively. All ‘no’, ‘blank’ or ‘unknown’ responses are scored as zero.

One exception is made in the case of sub-variable 1.5. This question allows a response of ‘other’ with an associated text field. A positive response in this field is only scored as a ‘yes’ in the case where the text field is also completed AND at least one of the other prior sub-variable were scored as ‘no’. This allows the indicator weighting to remain consistent in all cases.

Once the specific score has been determined for each country, countries will be classified into a number of bands, ranging from a low to a high degree of implementation, and thus effectively translate a synthetic score into a tangible and intuitive metric for countries.

2024-07-29

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

Linkages with any other Goals and Targets: SDG 1, SDG 2 (in particular 2.3), SDG 5, SDG 12, SDG 13, SDG 14.2/4/5/6/7

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