Report of the Thirty-sixth Session of the Committee on Fisheries, Rome, 8–12 July 2024 by FAO, 2024

The Committee on Fisheries (COFI) held its 36th Session in hybrid modality from 8 to 12 July 2024

Significant outcomes of the Committee included:

• adoption of the Guidelines for Sustainable Aquaculture (GSA) and requests for FAO’s technical assistance and support for their implementation;
• strong support for Blue Transformation as a Programme Priority Area and roadmap and commendation of the 2024 edition of the State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA) report;

• emphasis on the importance of aquatic foods for food security and nutrition, and the crucial contribution of small-scale and artisanal fishers, fish farmers and fish workers;
• recognition of the important role of sustainable fisheries and aquaculture in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and encouragement for Members to accelerate implementation of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14;
• support for FAO’s engagement in international agreements and processes, such as the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, and requested continuation of FAO’s technical assistance to Members in those processes;
• recognition of the need to continue to address illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and requested FAO guidance on preventing, deterring and eliminating IUU fishing;
• continued emphasis on the critical role of regional fisheries management organizations/arrangements (RFMO/As) and regional fishery bodies (RFBs) in achieving effective fisheries management, and called on FAO to continue supporting their work;
•  recognition of the need to address biodiversity loss and climate impacts, and requested FAO to support Members develop adaptation, mitigation and disaster risk management solutions for fisheries and aquaculture;
• strong support for FAO’s engagement in new and existing global biodiversity frameworks and fora such as the Global Biodiversity Framework and the Convention on International Trade in
• Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and requested FAO support for Members in the ratification and implementation of the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement);
• appreciation for the increasing global commitment to reduce marine plastic pollution, including from fisheries and aquaculture sources, and appreciated the contributions by FAO to the prevention and reduction of abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG);
• welcomed the FAO fisheries and aquaculture priority actions for 2024–2025 and called for greater consideration of fisheries and aquaculture in the context of integrated water resources management (IWRM) approaches, and welcomed the suggested priority actions on fisheries and aquaculture;
•  endorsement of the reports of the Twelfth Session of the COFI Sub-Committee on Aquaculture, the Nineteenth Session of the COFI Sub-Committee on Fish Trade, and the First Session of the COFI Sub-Committee on Fisheries Management.

The Committee on Fisheries brings to the attention of the Council and the Conference its findings and recommendations.

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