Fish For All

Fish for All is an initiative to generate partnership, consensus and momentum to tackle the most pressing global fisheries-related issues of our time. It is a platform for high-level dialogue to raise awareness, share knowledge, provoke debate, devise courses of action, and influence policies.

So far, Fish for All Summits have been held in Malaysia (2002), India (2003) and Nigeria (2005). The NEPAD Fish for All Summit in Abuja, Nigeria serves as a particlularly good example.

The fisheries sector had been largely overlooked in prior agricultural development planning on the continent, despite its importance and enormous potential for growth there. Led by His Excellency Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, then President of Nigeria and simultaneously Chairman of the African Union, Ministers and a Vice President from 11 countries agreed to mainstream fisheries issues as high priorities within the NEPAD (New Partnership for Africa’s Development) framework.

The Summit was preceded by months of country consultations that fed into technical and policy sessions during the event. Through the engagement of FARA (Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa), the leaders’ commitment was translated into an Action Plan that is now underway. WorldFish facilitated the Summit process.

Sponsors to date for the Fish for All initiative, in addition to the host countries for the Summits, have included Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, India, The Netherlands, Nigeria, Philippines, United Kingdom, the United Nations Environment Programme, the United States of America, and the World Wildlife Fund.