This year marked the mid-term point in the implementation of the ten-year Regional Plan of Action for SSF (RPOA-SSF) in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea aimed at supporting the small-scale fisheries sector to increase its sustainability and resilience while improving ocean health.

For WWF, while the RPOA-SSF has made significant progress, much work remains to ensure its full implementation by 2028.

WWF believes that the protection of Mediterranean marine biodiversity and the preservation of fish stocks shall be at the heart of any real transition of the small-scale fisheries sector towards ecological and socio-economic sustainability. For this to happen we need to improve sustainable fishing practices and accelerate the decarbonization of the fleets, while promoting the role of women and of young fishers across the whole value chain. WWF is committed to working on all these areas at local and regional level to contribute to ocean health and more prosperous and resilient communities. 

WWF highlights that to deliver on all nine areas of the RPOA-SSF, we need a stronger focus on the systemic changes required to make these happen. For this, it is essential to enhance the monitoring framework with strong indicators that measure concrete actions and progress by Mediterranean countries and all stakeholders, including fishers, NGOs, and researchers.

Finally, WWF recognises the central value of the RPOA-SSF in strengthening the governance and effective management of small-scale fisheries. Platforms for dialogue such as the SSF-Summit and the Friends of SSF are key in driving a common vision for the Mediterranean and Black Sea region, supported by fishers, experts, and decision-makers, while also informing the development of future political commitments to enhance the prosperity of the SSF sector.