On November 21, 1997, a meeting of public organizations representing the interests of fishing communities in developing countries was held in New Delhi. Participants proclaimed the creation of the World Forum of Fisher Peoples. In honor of this event, local fishing communities celebrated World Fisheries Day on November 21 the following year .

The forum brings together 29 local organizations from 23 countries and represents the interests of over 10 million ordinary fishermen worldwide. The organization defends the rights of small communities to their traditional way of life and livelihoods. Large commercial fishing vessels and poachers are depleting the fish stocks that traditionally sustain coastal communities. Regional infrastructure development often ignores community interests, destroying fishermen’s habitats and polluting rivers and seas. In recent years, threats from climate change have increased.

The Forum maintains international contacts with other fisheries associations, the UN, the FAO, and the Committee on World Food Security. In 2016, the FAO and representatives of the Vatican held their first official World Fisheries Day. The Holy See has observers at UN European organizations, and the Church traditionally supports the hungry, so this alliance is not surprising.

Fish is a high-quality and affordable animal protein that is easily digestible and helps combat micronutrient deficiencies. Eighty-eight percent of all fish caught globally is used directly for human consumption, and the world’s ocean resources are indispensable in combating poverty and ensuring food security. This is especially true for small-scale fisheries. Fishing and fish farming provide livelihoods for 12% of the world’s population. Workers of large fishing companies and their crews generally enjoy decent working conditions, adequate wages, and the ability to protect their rights. The situation is much worse in small communities and for people forced to work illegally.

Small-scale fisheries employ up to 90% of all fishers and fish workers worldwide, half of whom are women. Communities living on the banks of rivers, lakes, and seashores are often so closely tied to fishing that it becomes part of their traditional culture. Fish farming is typically regulated centrally at the legislative level, and the interests of these communities are often simply ignored. In developing countries, these communities typically live in remote areas with poor infrastructure, education, and healthcare. Local fishers are unable to compete with industrial aquaculture, leading to declining living standards and rising unemployment.

Many are forced to work illegally, which only exacerbates the problem—illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing further depletes fish stocks, and the working conditions of illegal fishermen are often little different from slavery. The value of illegally caught fish reaches $23 million annually, and one in five fish sold worldwide is caught illegally. Countries around the world are working to strengthen international legislation to ensure that only authorized species are caught in authorized areas. One of the most effective tools has become the Agreement on Port State Measures .

In Belarus, pond fish farming accounts for the largest share of aquaculture. The vast majority of fish on the market is caught in artificial reservoirs. Fish farming is carried out by state-owned and jointly owned fish farms. Private entrepreneurs can also lease ponds. These ponds are used not only for commercial fish farming; some natural reservoirs are adapted for ecotourism and recreational fishing. Fish stocks in lakes and rivers are restored using broodstocks raised at fish farms. These ponds can be considered biodiversity reserves, gene banks for rare and endangered fish species.

Collection in the library

The Institute of Fisheries of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus provides scientific support for the industry. The institute specializes in the selection of fish species and breeds, the development of technologies and automated devices for feeding and keeping fish, technical documentation, and methodological recommendations. The institute annually publishes a collection of scientific papers, “Issues of Fisheries in Belarus,” which presents the results of ichthyological, fisheries, and hydrobiological research conducted in the Republic of Belarus and other countries. Issues of the collection from 1995 to 2020 are available for review in the library of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, and some issues are publicly available on the institute’s website .