Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress have they made in promoting sustainable fishing in developing countries.

The Department for International Development’s (DFID) portfolio of commercial agriculture programmes includes support which helps promote the development of sustainable fisheries and aquaculture in developing countries. For example, the Livelihoods and Food Security Trust Fund (LIFT) programme in Myanmar promotes community management of wild fisheries. Poor households have better maintained their fish stocks, and adopted new marketing practices, which has helped improve their income and food and nutrition security. The new DFID Commercial Agriculture for Smallholders and Agribusiness programme will provide technical assistance to small local businesses working in the aquaculture sector in Malawi and will work with investors to promote responsible investment in this sector. DFID is also supporting sustainable small-scale aquaculture, and our support has contributed to improving the fish-based livelihoods of 51,235 households and 72,264 people.

As part of our cross-Government commitment to protecting the global environment, DFID has provided £150 million and DEFRA £100 million funding to the Global Environment Facility 7th replenishment (2018-2022), which includes support for small island developing states in managing their marine territories. We also provide a core contribution to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), which supports countries in sustainable fisheries management. Progress is reported in the FAO’s flagship State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture.