1.
Tenure in Fisheries: Making the VGGT
Work for Fisheries Stakeholders
Fisheries Department of FAO, Fisheries
Economics, Policy and Institutions Branch
Oct 6, 2017 14.00 – 15.30

2.
Key issues, challenges and opportunities
• All types of rights for fisheries stakeholders is far less developed
and/or recognized than in other sectors.
• Informal and indigenous rights are not well recognized and
respected.
• VGGT is not accessible to fishers and capacity development
materials for stakeholders are needed.

3.
Main lessons learned/recommendations
1. Simple, straightforward examples and guides need to be
developed and made available such as in a repository.
2. Sharing of information is critical and much needed in real time.
3. Transparency in assigning rights is fundamental and often
lacking.

4.
Next steps – the way forward
• Increase efforts to disseminate the VGGT among governments and
potential right holders.
• Increase use the VGGT to facilitate dialogue among indigenous peoples
and government officials at an operational level.
• Strengthen capacities of all stakeholders working in the fisheries sector
– replicate the model law in other continents through consultative
processes.
• Promote the interpretation of the VGGT along with the UNDRIP (United
Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples) and other
international instruments, in a complementary manner.