Emerging Markets, May 2010

The ADB has been accused of neglecting fisheries in its policies on food security.

In December the ADB launched its Operational Plan for Sustainable Food Security in Asia and the Pacific, stating that “the region’s long-term security is at risk” and pledging to help developing countries with agricultural productivity, connectivity and resilience.

But environmental and marine groups consider it incomplete. “It’s a source of sadness to me that the ADB’s operational plans mention fisheries once, in a footnote, and the words ‘fish’ and ‘seafood’ don’t appear at all,” said John White, director for development at the Marine Stewardship Council. “The place of fish in the food security agenda is far too opaque.”

Environmentalists feel this ignores a crucial element of food security. Timothy Geer, director of WWF International, said: “In Asia fish is 26% of protein in the diet. There are large numbers of people in Asia who are heavily reliant on fish both for their diet, their export markets and for secondary industries such as canneries. We fear the potential of the collapse of fisheries.”

Mr White suggested a “five point plan” for the ADB. “First of all change your thinking. Don’t talk about agriculture alone. Talk about natural resources and include in that both land and sea-based resources.” He also asked the ADB to recognize the importance of fisheries in operational and project planning; devote more lending to the sector; encourage both sovereign and private sector involvement; and to use its contacts to spread the message of sustainability.

Dr Ussif Rashid Sumaila, director of the University of British Columbia Fisheries Centre, asked the ADB to divert subsidies towards education. “Kill the goose that lays the golden egg and use the money to train people,” he said. He also urged assistance to countries unable to monitor their own oceans.

And Mr Geer, whose organization is working on fisheries governance, cooperatives, communities access and better EU access agreements “so fish are not vacuumed up by foreign fleets”, also asked the ADB to make subsidy reform “part of their to do list”. He also wants the ADB to use its micro and mezzo lending programmes for small fishing enterprises. “Inaction in this area will be very dangerous,” he said.

Bob Dobias, head of the climate change unit at the ADB, said the bank “certainly understands the importance of fisheries” but admitted: “The ADB will never be the biggest fisheries play in the region or the major supporter of fisheries action in the region.” He emphasized partnership, dialogue, agricultural research and education, and pointed to projects such as the Coral Triangle initiative – which assists with reef protection, sustainable fishing and climate change education in the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans – as an example of ADB involvement. But he did not suggest any change in policy or lending to fisheries.

Mr White also called for greater use of fishery certification programmes that indicate sustainable practices, and asked the ADB to help promote awareness. “Ignorance, in this case, is not bliss,” he said.

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