World Fisheries Day 2021: Know the Theme, Date, History and Significance

To look at the fishing industry’s sustainability factors, International Fisheries Day is celebrated on 21^st November every year. Along with the above factors, the day also focuses on the related circles like maintaining the balance in ecosystem and surroundings, etc.  

The day marks a great day for the fisherfolk community, and observance of the neglected community and highlighting their efforts. This assessment also engages the performance metrics over the last year and how they can cope with emerging trends. 

History of Fisheries Day

A forum for the World Fisheries consortium was established around 1997 and was famously called WFF (World Fisheries Forum). Under this forum, several participants across the world actively took part in it. Around 18 countries signed a global consensus document that marked the standardization of practices. Further, this led to sustainable measures for marking higher developmental practices and policy guidelines to make fishing a viable means of trade and commerce. Underlining the WFF, some of the common grounds of operations are – creating robust opportunities for fishing communities, enduring fisheries as a trade, social responsibility and moral grounds of justice, preserving the ancient history of the fisherman and the harvesting communities, consolidation of fishers, etc. 

The first World Fisheries Day was celebrated on 21^st November 2015. On the same day, it was the grand opening of the International Fisherman’s organization was held in New Delhi. The memories of WFF in 1997 lay etched in the pages of history because it wrote a new form of working pattern of the fisherfolk community. 

Theme of Fisheries Day 2021 

This year’s theme is still awaited and may hold the right blend of the fishing industry, nature, and environment, plus a greater focus on biodiversity. In 2020, the theme focused on ‘Social Responsibility in the fisheries value chain’. In 2019, there was an extended focus on 2022 with the theme – ‘2022 ka Hai Sapna, Kisan Ki Aay Ho Dugna – Sankalp Se Siddhi’. Further a year before that in 2018, the theme titled – ‘Partnership and Innovation for resilient climate fisheries’. 

Significance of Fisheries Day

Seafood and fishes are the traditional food for many people across the globe. Especially the people dwelling on the coastline regions and closer to the sea consume as one of their staple food. So, the day sets future goals and milestones of the trade. It brings together many allied units with the fisheries under one roof and not just the fishing department. The fisheries industry is plagued with many issues at hand, like – an overgrowth of blue, green algae in seas and oceans, oil spills and pollution in marine bodies, plastic encroachments, and toxic chemicals in seawater. All these reasons have made the survival of the fishing industry very difficult.  

World Fisheries day is very important for trade nowadays as the industry faces a lack of proper guidelines in investment matters. As a result of global warming, the temperature of global water bodies is going to see a rise, and will further harm the lives of the fish population. Positively proper management of related factors can lead to a balance of conditions that will allow the sustainable fishing industry to thrive and survive. 

Celebrations 

The fisherfolk communities celebrate the day with the hope of a brighter future for the fishing industry. One of the less talked about professions is brought to light by people through well-organized bike rallies and car marches. With many underlying departments, the fishing industry is a vast trade and commerce segment and a typical working blend among them is a sure shot necessity. These smooth functioning processes need training, proper management, and expertise to handle different internal systems. The fisherfolk communities have their own unique and distinguished cultural proceedings within their community which includes dance and song performances plus drama shows. The government organizes an exclusive exhibition for the benefit of many traders in the fishing industry.