Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the author(s) do not represent the official position of Barbados TODAY.
by Regenerate Barbados
Despite having a marine area 400 times the size of its land mass, relatively few Barbadians pay much attention to the surrounding sea except for seafood, sargassum and sea baths. This needs to change. A transformation is needed to revitalize the fishing industry in Barbados for societal benefit.
World Environment Day is on June 5, World Oceans Day is celebrated on June 8, 2022, all of June is Caribbean Fisherfolk Month, and the United Nations declared 2022 the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture. So, let us look seaward and reflect on how to change our relationship with our ocean and our fisheries. Perhaps this will also change our approach to a blue economy.
One perspective that may assist the change is doughnut economics. Those of you familiar with the classic doughnut ring know that neither a bite outside of the ring nor a bite in the doughnut hole will satisfy. The sweet spot you want is the ring itself. That is the essence of doughnut economics. Depicted as a doughnut, the economic argument is that we should neither exceed ecological limits in pursuit of growth nor fall below a social limit into the hole of poverty and despair. We need to keep within social and ecological boundaries to be in the sweet spot of the doughnut ring for all to thrive, not for many to barely survive while a few callously enjoy excesses.
Where the doughnut meets the ocean is in making sure that marine resources are not overexploited, and that fisherfolk can make a decent living supplying services for societal well-being. Fisherfolk around the world fear the blue economy under conventional economics. Many see it as yet another way to accelerate their marginalization. This includes being squeezed out of coastal and marine spaces by more powerful economic sectors, industries and interests. These include mass tourism, oil and gas, renewable marine energy, transportation and even pollution from land-based sources that pollute and degrade habitats. The playing field is never level.
A doughnut economics approach to the blue economy could be less cause for concern. Not only would there be emphasis on environmental management but also on sustainable livelihoods. It will require a lot of people working together for economic and social balance to be achieved. The theme for World Oceans Day and Caribbean Fisherfolk Month is collective action; working together for a shared goal. Support fisherfolk organisations and responsible fisheries that contribute to our food security, culture and economy while providing decent work.
Did you know that Barbados is required by law to have a policy-level fisheries advisory committee and fisheries management plans? What rights and obligations will fisherfolk have in the proposed marine spatial plan for Barbados? How will physical development along our coasts incorporate our fisheries? What prospects do our fisheries offer to young women and young men looking to make an honest, good living from the sea? What steps must be taken to bring our degraded reefs back to healthy condition despite climate change? Can embracing doughnut economics provide an opportunity to demonstrate more balanced development?
For the remainder of the month think more of our ocean and our fisheries being within social and ecological limits. There are always trade-offs. Should we sacrifice well-being for growth without limits? Wouldn’t you rather aim for a dynamic social and ecological balance in the doughnut? These are the questions Regenerate Barbados urges all of us to reflect upon in June, and beyond.
To find out more visit Regenerate Barbados with Doughnut Economics on Facebook. Regenerate Barbados and The Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies, UWI, Barbados.
