India becomes first Vice Chair of COFI Sub-Committee on Fisheries Management

India has been elected as the First Vice Chair of the FAO COFI (Food and Agriculture Organisation Committee on Fisheries) Sub-Committee on Fisheries Management, said the Indian embassy in Italy. India’s position as a representative of the Global South in this crucial subcommittee is vital, considering its status as one of the leading fishing nations with over 28 million inland and marine fishers. This role enables India to contribute essential balance and perspective to global discussions on fisheries governance and management, particularly focusing on the needs of artisanal and small-scale fisheries, the embassy statement added. India will serve as a member of the FAO Fisheries Bureau on Capture Fisheries for the first time in 57 years, it also said. The Sub-Committee on Fisheries Management is a forum for discussing fisheries management issues at national, regional and global levels. It deals with technical and policy matters in line with FAO’s mission and actively collaborates with relevant regional and international organisations, countries, stakeholder groups, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), forging new collaborations where needed. The primary functions of the Sub-Committee on Fisheries Management are to provide essential technical and policy guidance on fisheries governance and management, to advance the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries. Furthermore, it identifies significant global issues and trends in fisheries management and sustainable development that require urgent measures, offering guidance and recommendations for addressing them. The Sub-Committee on Fisheries Management was established during the Thirty-Fifth session of the FAO Committee on Fisheries (COFI), held in Rome, Italy, from September 5 to 9, 2022. The Sub-Committee collaborates closely with both the Sub-Committee on Aquaculture and the Sub-Committee on Fish Trade, further enriching the scope of its engagement in fisheries-related matters. With inputs from ANI.