| 8. Economics and Social Science |
| 8d. Contributions of fisheries to society |
The contributions of fisheries to human society are various. Fisheries provide food, employment opportunities, and incomes for people around the world. Fisheries also contribute to the development of related industries in rural and remote areas, and there are numerous communities around the globe whose local ways of life are primarily based on fisheries. In 2000, the United Nations announced its Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to achieve universal improvements in human welfare. In this sub-session, we will discuss how fisheries contribute to the achievement of the MDGs. Presently; many of the communities that are dependent on fisheries face the consequences of resource depletion due to mismanagement, over fishing and environmental degradation. We will therefore discuss the relationship between responsible fisheries management, which ensures the sustainability of fisheries and the MDGs, and the importance of eradicating poverty.
In December 2004, the Indian Ocean Earthquake and tsunami struck Southeast Asia causing considerable damage to fisheries communities throughout the region. The cost, in terms of both human life and physical infrastructure, was enormous and numerous governments and international agencies responded by offering assistance to stricken areas. Nearly three years have passed since the disaster and a variety of recovery programs have been established in the affected countries, which included Indonesia, Thailand and Sri Lanka. In this sub-session, we will also discuss these recovery programs in order to investigate potential areas of improvement. In order to comprehensively evaluate the existing programs in each country, assessments of the characteristics of recovering communities and the preservation of fisheries resources need to be conducted. We also anticipate discussion on minimizing environmental damage, including earthquake and tsunami warning systems, as well as strategic mangrove reforestation and insurance plans. |
|