About the Fishery Friendly Climate Action Campaign
The Fishery Friendly Climate Action Campaign provides members of the U.S. commercial fishing community with tools, networking, knowledge, and opportunities to advance robust climate solutions that work for U.S. fisheries and not at their expense.
What is “fishery friendly climate action”?
Seafood has among the lowest carbon footprints of any protein source, and is a vital part of the United States’ economy, coastal identity, and food system. Commercial fishermen are dependent on and devoted to ocean ecosystems, and as we witness firsthand the impacts of climate change, we are compelled to advocate for strong and comprehensive strategies to reduce and sequester atmospheric greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
The Fishery Friendly Climate Action campaign supports members of the U.S. commercial fishing industry in advocating for climate action that simultaneously reduces, sequesters, or avoids GHG emissions at scales sufficient to hold warming well below 2°C (while pursuing efforts to limit warming to 1.5°C), while also :
● Avoiding collateral impacts on ocean, coastal, estuarine, and watershed environments;
● Avoiding interference with the harvest and provision of wild seafood for the public;
● Contributing conservation co-benefits that enhance the resilience of these ecosystems to climate change and other stressors; and/or
● Facilitating the voluntary adoption of cost-effective, locally appropriate technologies and practices to reduce fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions by fishing vessels and shoreside businesses.
Our Approach
The Fishery Friendly Climate Action Campaign uses community-building and peer leadership to unlock a groundswell of fishermen-driven climate leadership. It convenes conversations, circulates opportunities, builds capacity, and facilitates collaborative problem solving, with the goal of enabling members of the fishing community to become champions for climate action at their own pace and on their own terms.
Led by fishermen, for fishermen
The Campaign is led through a partnership between a Campaign Director and an Advisory Council, all of whom are current or retired commercial fishermen with a history of dedicated service to their communities.
A big tent
Participation in the Campaign’s activities is open to all members of the U.S. fishing community. Whether you’re a captain, boat owner, or deckhand; a seafood company executive, forklift driver, fish cutter, or port engineer; and whether you’re a seasoned climate leader or just a bit climate-curious: you will find a welcoming place in the Campaign to expand your learning and engagement. The Campaign is nonpartisan and welcomes the participation of fishing community members from all points along the political spectrum.
What we don’t do
The Campaign’s focus is on addressing the root causes of climate change (i.e., greenhouse gas emissions and declines in global carbon sequestration capacity). While adaptation and resilience to the effects of climate change are incredibly important, the Campaign does not focus there, nor does it get involved in fisheries science and management. The Campaign selectively advocates for fishery friendly climate action (as defined above), and does not lead advocacy against climate solutions that pose risks to fisheries. The Campaign does not seek consensus, nor does it take policy stances of its own, but instead facilitates collaboration among its participants to identify and advocate for solutions that feel most appropriate to them.