SDMX Metadata Concepts

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Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

Target 14.b: Provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets

Indicator 14.b.1: Progress by countries in the degree of application of a legal/regulatory/policy/institutional framework which recognizes and protects access rights for small-scale fisheries

Institutional information

Organization(s):

Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations

Concepts and definitions

Definition:

Progress by number of countries in the degree of application of a legal/regulatory/policy/institutional framework which recognizes and protects access rights for small-scale fisheries.

Concepts:

National Statistical Systems already collect fisheries-relevant data, with a focus on production, employment, and trade. Relevant concepts can be found at CWP Handbook of Fishery Statistical Standards of the Coordinating Working Party on Fisheries Statistics (CWP).

Rationale:

Target 14.b focuses on access to resources and markets for small-scale fisheries, in line with the Rio+20 outcome document para, 175. In order to guarantee secure access, an enabling environment is necessary which recognizes and protects small-scale fisheries rights. Such an enabling environment has three key features:

  • Appropriate legal, regulatory and policy frameworks;
  • Specific initiatives to support small-scale fisheries; and
  • Related institutional mechanisms which allow for the participation of small-scale fisheries organisations in relevant processes.

The 32nd Session of the FAO Committee on Fisheries agreed that the data submitted through the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (CCRF) questionnaire could be used by Members for reporting on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) indicators.

The indicator variables are therefore chosen from three of the five questions on small-scale fisheries of the CCRF questionnaire to reflect these three aspects:

  • Are there any laws, regulations, policies, plans or strategies that specifically target or address the small-scale fisheries sector?
  • Are there any ongoing specific initiatives to implement the SSF Guidelines?
  • Does your country have an advisory/consultative body to the Ministry/Department of Fisheries in which fishers/fish workers can participate and contribute to decision-making processes?

The national indicator is calculated based on these questions specifically focusing on actual efforts of promoting and facilitating access rights to small scale fisheries.

Although the exact score will be important from one reporting year to the next for determining the progress made by a country, to aid the interpretation of this indicator, the score will then be converted into one of 5 bands as following:

Score

Bands

>0 –< 0.2

Band 1: Very low implementation of instruments for access to resources and markets for small-scale fisheries

0.2 –< 0.4

Band 2: Low implementation of instruments for access to resources and markets for small-scale fisheries

0.4 –< 0.6

Band 3: Medium implementation of instruments for access to resources and markets for small-scale fisheries

0.6 –< 0.8

Band 4: High implementation of instruments for access to resources and markets for small-scale fisheries

0.8 – 1.0

Band 5: Very high implementation of instruments for access to resources and markets for small-scale fisheries

Comments and limitations:

It should be noted that while target 14.b refers to access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets some landlocked countries with inland fisheries have taken the opportunity to report on this indicator.

Methodology

Computation method:

The indicator is calculated using three variables, which are given respective weightings for the final calculation. There has not been a change in the calculation, nor the use of mixed sources.

Variable 1: Existence of laws, regulations, policies, plans or strategies that specifically target or address the small-scale fisheries sector

Variable 2: Ongoing specific initiatives to implement the SSF Guidelines

Variable 3: Existence of mechanisms enabling small-scale fishers and fish workers to contribute to decision-making processes

Performance is scored based on the country responses to the relevant portions of three questions included in the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries Questionnaire (CCRF). These questions have been transformed into weighted variables for the purpose of calculating the country scores. The target has been set at a positive (‘yes’) response to all the sub-variables, resulting in a score of 1.

 

Sub-variables

Weight

 

 

Sub-variables

Weight

Variable 1

1.1

0.1

 

Variable 2

2.1

0.03

1.2

0.1

 

2.2

0.03

1.3

0.1

 

2.3

0.03

1.4

0.1

 

2.4

0.03

1.5

1

 

2.5

0.03

 

Variable weight

0.4

 

2.6

0.03

1 Sub-variable 1.5 is only weighted when a response of 'yes' is provided along with supporting details in the text form.

 

2.7

0.03

 

2.8

0.03

 

2.9

0.03

 

 

 

 

2.10

0.03

 

 

 

 

Indicator weight

0.3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sub-variables

Weight

 

 

 

 

Variable 3

3.1

0.3

 

 

 

 

Indicator weight

0.3

The higher weighting assigned to Variable 1 reflects the slightly greater importance of that indicator for assessing the degree of application of a legal/regulatory/policy/institutional framework which recognizes and protects access rights for small-scale fishers.

Each sub-variable is scored on the basis of a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ response and any ‘blank’ or ‘unknown’ responses are scored as a ‘no’, or zero. A response of yes results in a score that corresponds with the full weighting value for that variable category. For example, a ‘yes’ response for variables 1.3, 2.1 and 3.1 are scored as 0.1, 0.03 and 0.3 respectively.

One exception is made in the case of sub-variable 1.5. This question allows a response of ‘other’ with an associated text field. A positive response in this field is only scored as a ‘yes’ in the case where the text field is also completed AND at least one of the other prior sub-variable were scored as ‘no’. This allows the indicator weighting to remain consistent in all cases.

Once the specific score has been determined for each country, countries will be classified into a number of bands, ranging from a low to a high degree of implementation, and thus effectively translate a synthetic score into a tangible and intuitive metric for countries.

Treatment of missing values:

  • At country level:

The most appropriate methodology for producing estimates for the indicator when the country data are not available would be the use of expert consultation and judgement rather than the use of mathematical formula for data imputation. The use of expert judgement is a critical factor as the indicator asses the state of management/ policy implementation at a national level, not values that could be readily inputted.

  • At regional and global levels:

Not applicable

Regional aggregates:

The categorization into the respective bands will also apply in the case of regional and global aggregates for this indicator. Once the mean score for an SDG region has been calculated, the region will be classified into a particular band reflecting the degree of implementation of relevant instruments.

Data is combined for the respective nations within a region, as a count of the number of countries by Band, and this can be further aggregated to the global level without the need for any weighting of national or regional scores.

Sources of discrepancies:

There might be differences between a national estimated based on an expert judgment, in case of country data is not available, and the answer a country would give via the self-assessment questionnaire. This can happen not only because the expert judgement represents the best approximation to the reality, but not the reality itself, and/or due to the well-known self-report bias verifiable in this type of surveys that means countries will by tendency report a better reality that the one indeed in place.

Methods and guidance available to countries for the compilation of the data at the national level:

Data is collected through an electronic questionnaire submitted by FAO to the country focal points for the CCRF questionnaire, usually in the national fisheries administration. Data are validated upon intake of the questionnaires. No adjustments are required for the data for definitions nor for classification or demographic harmonization.

Quality assurance:

  • Data are checked for their correctness; completeness; consistency along the process of data entry, and/or through a specific statistical analysis as the yearly data set is closed.
  • The indicator relies on data generated through the CCRF questionnaire which is filled in by countries on a biannual basis. To facilitate reporting of the CCRF-based SDG indicators, a tailor-made data processing tool has been developed within the framework of the existing CCRF questionnaire online platform. Upon submission of the questionnaire by the user, an indicator report will automatically be generated for final validation by the country.

Data sources

Description:

Data is based on the replies to three questions of the CCRF questionnaire. It is usually provided from administrative sources, as best identified by the national fisheries administration responsible for replying to the CCRF questionnaire. The data is based on the presence of relevant laws, regulations, policies, plans or strategies and how these have been implemented so both legislative, management, and other documentation must be consulted to respond to the queries.

Collection process:

The CCRF questionnaire is a web-based system, with related data processing tools and usability features. Data is collected from FAO member countries every two years to be reported at aggregated level on the occasion of the sessions of the FAO Committee on Fisheries (COFI), usually in the period November to March preceding the session of COFI. In 2016, for the 32nd Session of COFI, 92 countries and the European Union (EU) responded to the section on small-scale fisheries of the CCRF questionnaire, which includes the three questions providing the variables for indicator 14.b.1.

Data availability

Description:

In 2016, 92 countries and the European Union replied to the questionnaire section on the three indicators to measure target performance for 14.b.1.

Breakdown of the number of countries covered by region is as follows:

Number of countries

Nature of data

World

120

G

Africa

26

G

Northern Africa

1

G

Sub-Saharan Africa

25

G

Eastern Africa

9

G

Middle Africa

6

G

Southern Africa

4

G

Western Africa

6

G

Americas

27

G

Latin America and the Caribbean

25

G

Caribbean

9

G

Latin America

14

G

Northern America

2

G

Asia

25

G

Central Asia

2

G

Eastern Asia

2

G

Southern Asia

6

G

South-Eastern Asia

8

G

Western Asia

8

G

Europe

35

G

Eastern Europe

8

G

Northern Europe

9

G

Southern Europe

9

G

Western Europe

9

G

Oceania

7

G

Australia and New Zealand

2

G

Melanesia

2

G

Micronesia

2

G

Polynesia

1

G

Time series:

2016 (baseline)

Disaggregation:

The disaggregation level is the national level. No demographic features are included in the indicators and are thus excluded from the consideration of level of disaggregation.

Calendar

Data collection:

The next data collection cycle will be conducted and completed by May 2018.

Data release:

The data will be processed and released by July 2018.

Data providers

Data is typically provided by the National Fishery Ministries/departments.

Data compilers

FAO

References

URL:

SDG 14.b http://www.fao.org/sustainable-development-goals/indicators/14.b.1/en/

e-learning course on SDG indicator 14.b.1: http://www.fao.org/elearning/#/elc/en/course/SDG14B1

References:

32nd Session of the FAO Committee on Fisheries – relevant documents: