MALAYSIA: In Mabul Island, Sabah, Malaysia, IPNLF’s Fisheries Director Roy Bealey, experienced firsthand the intricacies and complexity of the local fishing practices and gained direct insights into local fishers' obstacles and their aspirations for a more sustainable future. Many of these remote communities face similar challenges such as a scarcity of ice to preserve the quality of their catch, inequitable market dynamics, and limited control over the value chain. IPNLF’s experience in working with remote fishing communities in other parts of the world where they face similar challenges opens opportunities for knowledge exchanges and solutions-based technical innovation to combat climate change, reduce post-harvest losses and improve fish quality, ultimately benefitting these small-scale tuna fisheries.
“Site visits like these are an integral part of what we do at IPNLF, designed to collect valuable information from the ground and understand first-hand fishers' determination to overcome their challenges and how we can establish a collective voice. As we collectively navigate complexities of the industry, we strive to ensure that these fishers’ efforts are recognised, their catch valued, and their livelihoods preserved for generations to come" said Roy Bealey, Fisheries Director, IPNLF.
"The Department of Fisheries Malaysia were very pleased to host the recent site visit, following up on discussions I previously had with IPNLF staff about opportunities to improve the performance, sustainability and trade opportunities for our local one-by-one tuna fishers. We have skilled tuna fishers traditionally using one-by-one tuna fishing gears in Malaysia who are very eager to receive further support in improving their fishing practices, and we hope IPNLF will also be able to engage its global network of members in global seafood supply chains to reward fisher improvements with access to premium markets that can promote the financial security and livelihoods of our local tuna fishing communities" said by Arthur Besther Sujang, Senior Fisheries Officer.
Source: https://ipnlf.org/ipnlf-expands-to-new-geographies-supporting-the-aims-of-the-common-oceans-program/; 24 August, 2023.