The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Central American Integration System's (SICA) fisheries organization, OSPESCA, held a workshop as part of a US$89,450 project on the ecosystem approach to sustainable fisheries and aquaculture production in Belize, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama.
21 June 2012: The Fisheries and Aquaculture Sector Organization of the Central American Isthmus (OSPESCA), supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), held a workshop to launch the process of promoting the ecosystem approach to sustainable fisheries and aquaculture production in the Central American Integration System (SICA) countries of Belize, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama.
The “Practical Implementation of the Ecosystem Focus in Shrimp Fishing and Aquaculture in SICA Countries” workshop held from 18-21 June 2012, in San Salvador, El Salvador, included representatives of SICA Governments, the SICA Secretariat, the diplomatic corps, industry, artisan fishing and aquaculture, along with FAO experts.
FAO experts reviewed the state of the ecosystem approach to fisheries and aquaculture at the national and regional levels, introduced participants to the planning process and implementation tools considered necessary to achieve sustainable production using the ecosystem approach, and discussed prioritizing next steps, setting indicators and targets and possible recommendations for a regional management plan for discussion by OSPESCA and national authorities.
The workshop is part of a broader project launched in December 2011 through an agreement between FAO and OSPESCA, with US$89,450 in funding from FAO. It seeks to promote the sustainable production of shrimp and related species in the eight SICA countries. [OSPESCA Press Release (in Spanish)] [El Salvador Government Release (in Spanish)]