Capital Effects in Fisheries: The Challenges and Opportunity for Achieving Sustainability in Commercial Fisheries
Presentation Abstract
Coastal communities in BC are facing a loss of adaptive capacity and resiliency in the economy that has traditionally supported them, and a key challenge is access to capital to enter, re-enter, and successfully participate in small scale fisheries. Commercial fishing has always been, and will continue to be, integral to the health, economies, and culture of the communities of coastal British Columbia, and if well managed by local leadership, can provide measureable improvements in community health and resilience. Resident small boat fleets are essential to realizing this opportunity and the long-term sustainability of ocean resources.
Over the past number of years, the opportunity to sustain a vibrant, local fishing industry has been increasingly challenged by high costs and corporate consolidation in terms of fisheries access, processing, and distribution. Ecotrust Canada has been working in partnership with fishermen, First Nations, and communities to build solutions to these challenging and complex issues. Our work on social finance and solution building has been part of trying to help address these challenges.
We highlight three examples of innovative ways to support coastal conservation and use social finance: our $4M Coastal Loan fund, and what lessons can be learned from the decade-long experiment; fisheries licence banks that pool access, risk, and benefits, increasing the viability of fishermen and securing access for rural communities; and community-based revolving loan funds designed in partnership with communities to address local objectives. There are roles for communities, philanthropic organizations, financial institutions and ethical investors to move social finance into the fisheries sphere, with benefits to be realized for our ecosystems, communities, and local economies.
Session Title
Re-thinking Conservation Finance and Partnerships in Coastal Regions
Conference Track
Policy and Management
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2016 : Vancouver, B.C.)
Document Type
Event
Start Date
2016 12:00 AM
End Date
2016 12:00 AM
Location
2016SSEC
Type of Presentation
Oral
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Fisheries--British Columbia; Fishery management--British Columbia--Economic aspects; Sustainable fisheries--British Columbia
Geographic Coverage
Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); British Columbia
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Capital Effects in Fisheries: The Challenges and Opportunity for Achieving Sustainability in Commercial Fisheries
2016SSEC
Coastal communities in BC are facing a loss of adaptive capacity and resiliency in the economy that has traditionally supported them, and a key challenge is access to capital to enter, re-enter, and successfully participate in small scale fisheries. Commercial fishing has always been, and will continue to be, integral to the health, economies, and culture of the communities of coastal British Columbia, and if well managed by local leadership, can provide measureable improvements in community health and resilience. Resident small boat fleets are essential to realizing this opportunity and the long-term sustainability of ocean resources.
Over the past number of years, the opportunity to sustain a vibrant, local fishing industry has been increasingly challenged by high costs and corporate consolidation in terms of fisheries access, processing, and distribution. Ecotrust Canada has been working in partnership with fishermen, First Nations, and communities to build solutions to these challenging and complex issues. Our work on social finance and solution building has been part of trying to help address these challenges.
We highlight three examples of innovative ways to support coastal conservation and use social finance: our $4M Coastal Loan fund, and what lessons can be learned from the decade-long experiment; fisheries licence banks that pool access, risk, and benefits, increasing the viability of fishermen and securing access for rural communities; and community-based revolving loan funds designed in partnership with communities to address local objectives. There are roles for communities, philanthropic organizations, financial institutions and ethical investors to move social finance into the fisheries sphere, with benefits to be realized for our ecosystems, communities, and local economies.
Comments
http://ecotrust.ca/