Deep Roots

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Family fishing to sustain the

well-being of fisher communities

Margaret Nakato, Rehema Namaganda, Kelly Pickerill and Editrudith Lukanga,

World Forum of Fish Harvesters and Fish Workers

he benefits of family fishing, like family farming,

cannot be limited to either food security, traditional

food products, balanced diet, safeguarding biodi-

versity, sustainable use of natural resources, boosting

local economics, or the social protection and well-being

of communities. Those benefits are all part of the package,

to varying degrees of intensity in different communities.

The World Forum of Fish Harvesters and Fish workers

(WFF) is an international organization that brings together

small-scale fisher organizations. Its objective is to empower

small-scale fisher organizations to influence both national

and international policies that affect their rights of access,

use and control, and the sustainability of fisheries resources

for improved livelihoods.

WFF brings together 37 small-scale fisher organiza-

tions; 13 from Africa, two from Asia, six from Europe,

12 from Latin America, and three from North America.

Family fishing is an important aspect of the work of all

WFF member organizations as they work with and support

small-scale fisheries across the globe, most of which are

family fisheries.

The Katosi Women Development Trust (KWDT) is a

member of WFF with 425 women organized in 17 groups

in fishing communities along the shores of Lake Victoria in

Mukono, Uganda. KWDT empowers women to continue the

fishing activity that used to employ families, not only to provide

social protection but also to contribute to the well-being of the

community. Similarly, the Environmental Management and

Economic Development Organization (EMEDO) is a member

of WFF based in Lake Victoria basin, Tanzania. It supports

fishing communities towards being organized, having their

voices heard and their rights recognized and respected, and

influencing local, national and international policies.

According to a recent report by the United Nations, about

805 million people in the world, or one in nine, still suffer

from hunger.

Although there is a positive trend which

has seen the number of hungry people decline globally,

we cannot underestimate the fact that some sections of the

population are more vulnerable and at more risk than others.

Image: KWDT

With credit from KWDT this woman acquired a boat which sustains her access to fish for processing and trading

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