The Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI) contributes to the sustainability of marine fisheries by supporting coastal countries to enhance the accessibility, credibility and usability of national fisheries management information.
Core characteristics of the FiTI
The FiTI focuses on public access to information for 12 thematic areas of marine capture fisheries, such as fishing licenses, vessel registry, catch data, subsidies and beneficial ownership.
Transparency needs trust! This is why the FiTI is implemented through National Multi-Stakeholder Groups, equally represented by government, companies and civil society.
Transparency requires a two-sided approach: making data available in the public domain, and ensuring that stakeholders can draw reliable conclusions from it.
Countries are not expected to have complete data for every thematic area from the beginning. Instead, public authorities must disclose the information they have, and where important gaps exist, demonstrate improvements over time.
The FiTI does not replace or duplicate existing government systems. Instead, the need for national authorities to develop and strengthen their own systems for collecting and publishing information online is emphasised.
The FiTI International Board undertakes regular evaluations to verify compliance of all participating countries against the FiTI Standard. This covers the provision of FiTI Reports, the meaningful involvement of stakeholders, as well as the impact of the FiTI in the country.
FiTI Standard: Defining for the first time what information on fisheries management should be published online by governments!
The FiTI Standard is an internationally recognised framework that sets clear requirements on what is expected from countries regarding transparency in marine fisheries.
It was developed in a 2-year global consultation process with government representatives from fishing nations, industrial and artisanal fishing entities, civil society and intergovernmental organisations.
FiTI countries:
We contribute to the sustainability of marine fisheries by supporting the following countries to enhance the accessibility, credibility and usability of national fisheries management information.
News, Updates, Blogs
FiTI initiates transparency assessment of Indonesian marine fisheries management
The Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI), in partnership with the Indonesia Ocean Justice Initiative (IOJI), has begun its national transparency assessment of marine fisheries management in Indonesia to enhance local and global understanding on the levels of public access to fisheries information. The ‘TAKING STOCK – Online Transparency of Fisheries Management Information’ assessment will review 39 […]
Stakeholders push for West African states to join FiTI at Regional Forum
BISSAU, April 23-25. The Fisheries Transparency Initiative’s (FiTI) International Secretariat recently attended the Regional Coastal and Marine Forum in Bissau, where FiTI Regional Coordinators presented on the benefits of transparency in marine fisheries management and the FiTI Standard and attendees advocated for coastal African states to join the FiTI. Sponsored by the Regional Partnership for […]
Support for the FiTI in Latin America compatible with Escazu Agreement
With commitments from the governments of Ecuador and Chile, the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI) continues to gain momentum in Latin America. This progress is critical not only for improving transparency and participation in fisheries management in the region, but also for the successful implementation of the Escazu Agreement.
Seychelles’ latest FiTI Report shows benefits of making fisheries transparency ‘mainstream’
25 April 2024. Seychelles’ National Multi-Stakeholder Group (MSG) recently unveiled its fourth annual FiTI Report, describing the state of its marine fisheries sector throughout 2022. This publication stands as a crucial resource for local and global stakeholders alike, offering insights into the dynamics shaping Seychelles’ marine fisheries. The 2022 FiTI Report presents a comprehensive array […]
Countries point to FiTI as leaders advocate for transparent fisheries at Our Ocean Greece
ATHENS. Fisheries transparency was in the spotlight last month as leading authorities on ocean governance advocated for improving public access to fisheries management information at the Our Ocean Greece conference in Athens. Gathering 3,800 ocean leaders and officials from 119 countries, the Our Ocean Greece conference saw nonprofits and governments commit to taking 471 concrete […]
Support from FiTI, UNODC bolsters Ecuador’s progress towards first FiTI Report
Manta, 25-26 April. The FiTI International Secretariat recently travelled to Ecuador to attend the fifth meeting of the nation’s National Multi-Stakeholder Group (MSG) to support discussions on the first draft of the nation’s 2022 FiTI Report. Over 20 representatives from Ecuador’s fisheries sector attended the meeting, including members of industry, government, and civil society, and […]
FiTI promotes awareness of its Standard in Mozambique
Maputo, 3-4 April 2024. TheFiTI International Secretariatrecently participated in a World-Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) workshop in Mozambiqueto review national progress on fisheries transparency and discuss how implementation of the FiTI Standard can support existing transparency efforts in the country. From 3-4 April 2024, the second edition of the Transparency Dialogue in the Fisheries Sector […]
FiTI in numbers:
9
Governments committed to implement the FiTI Standard
10
Annual FiTI Reports published by National Multi-Stakeholder Groups
81
Stakeholders engaged in National Multi-Stakeholder Groups
2
FiTI implementing countries validated for compliance against FiTI Standard
9
transparency briefings(short 'tBriefs') published in English, French, Spanish
10
Country transparency assessments conducted
Testimonials
In Africa and around the world, fisheries play a crucial role in supporting livelihoods, providing employment and driving social economic development. However, the future of the world’s fisheries is seriously threatened and this global challenge is far greater than any country can handle on its own.
The Fisheries Transparency Initiative, with transparency and participation as its cornerstones, makes an invaluable contribution to safeguard what is amongst the most vital resources on the planet.
The government of Seychelles has a clear vision to make Seychelles’ fisheries the most transparent in the world.
We have nothing to hide. We have everything to share.
Reporting and transparency in all resource management has become an important requirement for most countries, and Seychelles is not an exception.
Through the Fisheries Transparency Initiative we are demonstrating our commitment to good governance and the establishment of responsive, inclusive institutions.
This is a tool for future development, and it must be our guiding principle to share all data and information on resources with all stakeholders.
For too long, we’ve been exploiting our resources beyond sustainable levels.
We must act quickly to reverse this trend and help our oceans regenerate. But this can only be achieved if governments, businesses and civil society work together and if more information on fisheries is available in the public domain.
The Fisheries Transparency Initiative, with its built-in multi-stakeholder orientation, is a unique effort to enhance the public availability of credible information for the benefit of a more sustainable management of marine fisheries.
Fisheries are a critical economic and nutritional resource for millions of people around the world.
Yet, the sustainable management of fisheries faces multiple challenges. Challenges that corruption exacerbates.
The recent Fishrot Files exposed how anonymous companies allegedly helped launder the proceeds of illegal fishing activities and to bribe government officials. It's a textbook example of how legal loopholes and secrecy jurisdictions enable corruption and environmental exploitation on a global scale. Greater transparency is vital to overcoming these challenges.
The Fisheries Transparency Initiative will make a valuable contribution to ensuring that becomes a reality.
Lack of transparency is still a major underlying factor behind many of the most negative aspects of global fisheries, including Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, fleet overcapacity, overfishing, harmful subsidies, unmonitored transshipment, fraud, corruption, inadequate or absent fisheries management.
Even after 25 years of the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries calling for sustainable fisheries from a multi-dimensional angle with specific aspects involving transparency, basic information still often remains out of the public domain.
The Fisheries Transparency Initiative is a notable global effort supported by countries, the private sector, and civil society that presents a real opportunity to foster transparency and increase the credibility and quality of national fisheries information, reinforcing the basic principles of the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries.
Transparency and participation are key elements of good governance.
Through the FiTI, countries can not only demonstrate a clear commitment to good governance for responsible fisheries. It can also improve a country’s investment climate.
We can only address the tremendous challenges that global fisheries are facing in a collective effort, by bringing governments, business, civil society, academia and media together on this important quest.
The Fisheries Transparency Initiative makes a unique contribution to the sustainable development of fisheries by setting clear requirements on what is expected from countries regarding transparency and multi-stakeholder participation in fisheries.
I hope that many coastal countries join the FiTI and contribute to a global level playing field of transparency in marine fisheries.
