World Oceans Day 2022 - International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture. An article by Sofonie Dala

 "Revitalization: collective action for the ocean" is the theme for World Oceans Day 2022

June 8 is World Oceans Day, the United Nations day for celebrating the role of the oceans in our everyday life and inspiring action to protect the ocean and sustainably use marine resources.

Join us: Uniting Ocean Action Worldwide - Oceans Without Plastics Awareness Walk

Hello, Happy World Oceans Day!

My name is Sofonie Dala, I'm from Angola.

To celebrate the Oceans Day (June 08) we are taking part in a joint walk organized by the Government of Angola and the UN System in Angola, under the slogan "Oceans without Plastics".

With an awareness walk, hundreds of people (young people, children, women and men) including Angolan government institutions, un agencies, environmental organizations, fishing cooperatives and civil society in general, gathered on Luanda Island to celebrate the oceans day.

The purpose of the Day is to inform the public of the impact of human actions on the ocean, develop a worldwide movement of citizens for the ocean, and mobilize and unite the world’s population on a project for the sustainable management of the world's oceans.

International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture

The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2022 the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture (IYAFA 2022).

IYAFA 2022 aims to raise awareness on the role of small-scale fisheries and aquaculture, strengthen science-policy interaction, empower stakeholders to take action, and to build new and strengthen existing partnerships.

Good afternoon ma'am. How are you?

Good afternoon, I'm fine, thank you.

What is your name?

My name is Claudia.

Claudia, what are you doing here?

I fish here.

Are you a fisherman?

Yes, I'm a fisherwoman in this area, and I'm also a beggar here begging from people who come here to relax.

Tell me a little bit about fishing. Did you catch anything today?

I haven't fished yet, but I am about to fish, you can observe me doing it.

Did you bring your fishing gear?

Yes, I'm ready.

How has the fishing been? Is there a lot of fish?

Well, we have lots of fish, but the biggest challenge is the cops. We are suffering, they should stop doing this. Every time I come to fish, they tell me to take the line out of the water and order me to get out of here and go home.

When I go home with nothing, who will feed my children? I am a mother and father at the same time (single mother), my husband is already deceased. The father of this baby that I got involved with after my husband's death, beat my children a lot. I have not admitted this and separated from him. Thank God some people of good faith rented a house where I am living with my children now.

Do you depend on fishing for a living?

Well, I depend on fishing to survive and to support my children.

What is the material that you use for fishing?

Here is my gear, I use, line, bucket, hook, bait to lure the fish, and a drum.

Why do you keep your material in the garbage bin?

We keep our stuff here so the cops don't throw it away. 

How do you use it?

I take the canister, wrap the wire around the hook, and on the end of the hook I put bait (food to attract fish) and then I throw it into the sea.

When the tide is low, the fish don't come out. They may bite but they don't stick to the hook. We have to wait until the tide is up, and if there are fish, we catch them and put them in the bucket.

If someone offered you a sponsorship what would you like to have to make your fishing easier?

To make my fishing easier, I would like to have a net. With the net I can fish very well. I leave the baby with my son and then I dive into the sea. Since the cops forbid us to put the net here at the shore, so I go more to the bottom of the sea to fish better. That little boy swimming there is my son.

Wouldn't you like to have a canoe?

I don't know how to drive a canoe.

But you can hire someone to do it for you. 

OK, OK.

Is the fishnet expensive?

Yes, the net is very expensive. The one I would like to have is too expensive, I can't afford it.

How much does it cost?

There are some for 30,000 and for 25,000 kwanzas.

IYAFA 2022 can also act as a springboard towards implementing the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and related documents, like the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication, and take concrete actions towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as we enter the last decade of action to achieve the 2030 Agenda.

There has never been a more urgent need to revive damaged ecosystems than now.