Blue Economy or Blue Growth initiatives see the ocean as the new economic frontier. The vast developmental opportunities offered by the world’s coasts and oceans have attracted the attention of governments, private enterprises, philanthropic organizations, and international conservation organizations.
The largest group of ocean-users – women and men who service, fish and trade from small-scale fisheries (SSF) – argue that they have been marginalized from the dialogue between international environmental and economic actors that is determining strategies for the future of the ocean.
Many commentators argue that policies favouring larger scale economic and environmental conservation interests jeopardize the livelihoods of millions of women and men, risking the food security of around four billion consumers globally, including a billion low-income consumers in the developing world.
The Assessment Task
This assignment comprises two main deliverables, a Literature Review and a Whitepaper. These two parts are to be joined into a single, professional report by appropriate linking text.
a. Conduct a literature review on the schools of thought promoting the Blue Economy. Identify the seminal works on the subject and discuss the role that key authors have played in establishing the Blue Economy as a key goal of sustainable development. (50% of wordcount).
b. Summarise the concerns of the supporters of small-scale fisheries (SSF) in respect to current international policies. In your view, have SSF received the attention from international stakeholders that they deserve? (40% of wordcount
Sample Solution
