4 February 2011: The 29th session of the Committee on Fisheries (COFI) of the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), took place at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy, from 31 January- 4 February 2011, bringing together over 640 participants who considered, among other agenda items, fisheries and aquaculture in our changing climate.

The Secretariat of the Committee presented activities on fisheries and climate change in the 2009-2010 work programme, highlighting the creation of the Global Partnership on Climate, Fisheries and Aquaculture and a proposed five-year strategy for fisheries, aquaculture and climate change. The Secretariat also presented recommendations to COFI, including: increasing resilience of aquatic ecosystems, fisheries and aquaculture production systems and communities; understanding emission and mitigation potentials of fisheries; and mainstreaming of fisheries into National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPAs) under the UNFCCC.

COFI 29 adopted a final report, in which it, inter alia, recommends: members intensify efforts to assess environmental and anthropogenic factors affecting aquatic ecosystems; downscale responses to climate change impacts at the national and regional levels; FAO raise the profile of fisheries regarding food security under climate change; and better coordination between UN agencies. [IISD RS Coverage of COFI 29] [COFI 29 Website]