Secure Fisheries

Secure Fisheries, launched in 2014, is a program of the One Earth Future Foundation (OEF), a privately funded and independent non-profit foundation. OEF provides active operational, research, and strategic support, allowing each of its programs to focus deeply on complex problems and create constructive alternatives to violent conflict. OEF's first... implementation program, Oceans Beyond Piracy (OBP), was founded in 2010 in response to the piracy crisis off the Somali coast. It was through OBP's work that OEF began to focus on the Somali region and think about the root causes of maritime piracy, including pervasive poverty and lack of opportunity on land, and illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing at sea. A second implementation program, Shuraako, was launched to address the first of these challenges. Shuraako brokers economically beneficial relationships that connect micro, small and medium sized enterprises to impact investors in order to catalyze job creation. Fishing is one of the leading sectors drawing attention from investors and entrepreneurs alike. Somali fisheries have become a focal point not only for the business community, but also for the counter-piracy community. As successful incidents of piracy have dropped, some stakeholders have begun to focus on more long-term solutions, including the development and management of Somali fisheries for the economic benefit of the country. Secure Fisheries was developed as part of Oceans Beyond Piracy's work to facilitate public-private partnerships and promote maritime governance and security. Recognizing OBP and Shuraako's shared interest in Somali fisheries, Secure Fisheries was created to bridge between security efforts at sea and stability and prosperity efforts on land. Secure Fisheries builds off the success of both programs to support Somalis in the sustainable management of their fisheries resources by 1) producing new research and analysis on fisheries, and 2) engaging in initiatives such as the Somali Fisheries Working Group, led by the ...Read More