Bay of Bengal Countries develop roadmaps for small-scale fisheries: Regional workshop translated the SSF Guidelines into action

22/09/2025, Chennai

Delegations from Bangladesh, India, Maldives, and Sri Lanka gathered in Chennai from 17–19 September 2025 to participate in a regional capacity development workshop to start the process of developing National Plans of Action for Small-Scale Fisheries (NPOAs-SSF) in each of the countries. Co-organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Bay of Bengal Programme Inter-Governmental Organisation (BOBP-IGO), the workshop took its basis in the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines) and developed concrete national roadmaps, detailing required next steps for the successful development and implementation of NPOAs-SSF.

The workshop opened with an inspiring address from Abhilaksh Likhi, Secretary, Department of Fisheries, Government of India, who set the tone for collective action:

The role of the small-scale sector is often invisible, yet they are the defenders of local economy, nutrition, and culture. As we embark on this workshop, let us create implementation mechanisms that ensure no fisher is left behind, and build a vision for 2030 where the Bay of Bengal becomes a global model for sustainable small-scale fisheries.

Over three days, participants engaged in intensive sessions aligned with the SSF Guidelines’ key principles — including human rights-based approaches, responsible governance of tenure, gender equality, value chain strengthening, social development, and climate resilience.

Country delegations worked collaboratively to define the initial composition of their National Task Forces to lead the development and implementation of the NPOA-SSF ; validated legal and policy diagnostics against SSF Guidelines recommendations; reviewed country SSF profiles and Illuminating Hidden Harvests (IHH) infographics to highlight contributions of small-scale fisheries to food security and livelihoods; mapped stakeholders and discussed consultation approaches and; drafted national roadmaps with timelines, milestones, funding sources, and implementation structures.

From the Maldives, Ms. Aishath Sarah Hashim, representing the Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources, emphasized the value of the regional exchange: This process has been a very enlightening one — not just for us as agencies, but because we had stakeholders with us from our country. It has been very useful to get perspectives from all the other countries with their different contexts. I hope there will be more communication going forward, so we can share experiences and learn from each other as we finalize our plan.

This workshop has enabled member countries to translate the SSF Guidelines into actionable national plans. – stressed Dr. Krishnan Pandian, Director of BOPB-IGO – The roadmaps developed here are not just documents, they are commitments to put small-scale fishers and fish workers at the center of policy, ensure gender equity, and strengthen climate resilience across the Bay of Bengal.

Participants also took part in a field visit, allowing them to interact with fishing communities and observe first-hand the challenges and innovations shaping small-scale fisheries today.

Way forward

With concrete national and regional roadmaps now in place, attention will turn to mobilizing resources, finalizing task force memberships, and launching consultation processes in each country.

The workshop gave us a complete picture and a clear direction. We will sit with our ministry as soon as we return to finalize our action plan, which we hope to complete by October next year and launch by November 2026 – explained Mr. Abu Naim Muhammad Abdus Sabir, Joint Secretary from the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, Bangladesh.

At the regional level, the workshop concluded with the presentation of a regional roadmap, setting out shared priorities and opportunities for collaboration, including knowledge exchange, coordinated early warning systems, and joint research on climate-resilient fisheries. This regional vision will serve as a framework for continued collaboration and peer-to-peer learning across the Bay of Bengal.

By anchoring their national plans in the SSF Guidelines, the four countries reaffirmed their commitment to sustainable development, participatory approaches and strengthening the voice of small-scale fisheries.

Learn more: