SWIOTUNA at the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference 2025: Championing The Rights Of Small-Scale Fishers In The South West Indian Ocean Region.

Written by Divon Mwamba and Doreen Simiyu.

The third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3), held from June 9–13, 2025, in Nice, France, convened global leaders, civil society, scientists, and ocean advocates under the theme: “Scaling Up Ocean Action Based on Science and Innovation for the Implementation of SDG 14.”
For SWIOTUNA, the conference served as a powerful platform to amplify the voices of small-scale fishers, share regional experiences, and push for more inclusive and sustainable marine governance.

Key events and activities by SWIOTUNA at UNOC3
1. Taking the Stage: Advocating for the Human Right to a Healthy Ocean

SWIOTUNA participated as a key panelist in two side events that explored the intersection between ocean health and human rights. The events brought together ocean defenders, policymakers, and grassroots organizations to share insights on operationalizing the human right to a healthy ocean. SWIOTUNA emphasized the need to recognize the interdependence of ocean sustainability, environmental justice, and community well-being.
"Protecting human rights related to the ocean environment begins first with recognizing that the ocean, sustainability, and social justice are interconnected." This message resonated throughout the conference, reinforcing the urgency of coordinated, multi-stakeholder action.

2. Hosting Our Own Side Event: Securing Fishers’ Socio-Economic Rights

One of SWIOTUNA’s flagship engagements at UNOC3 was the side event titled “Securing the Socio-Economic Rights of Small-Scale Fishers in the SWIO Region.” The session brought together diverse actors to share the findings of a regional assessment on the implementation of the FAO Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries (SSF Guidelines) across Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, and Madagascar.
Discussions highlighted persistent challenges and emerging opportunities in applying the SSF Guidelines and featured real-life experiences from small-scale fishers. The event focused on strengthening civil society advocacy, promoting equitable benefit sharing, and encouraging governments to align national policies with international frameworks. SWIOTUNA reaffirmed its commitment to supporting fishers' rights through inclusive policy development, improved governance systems, and robust accountability mechanisms.

Coverage in the Comoros Gazette
The event drew regional media attention and was featured in the Comoros Gazette. The article spotlighted the passionate intervention of Ahmed Youssouf, a representative from MOSC, a SWIOTUNA member organization. “Artisanal fishing is the beating heart of coastal communities in our region, but it is still too often overlooked in political decisions. Our goal is to make their voices heard and ensure fair and sustainable management of marine resources,” Youssouf said.
Read the article HERE.
3. Data for Impact: Building Inclusive Small Scale Fisheries Data Systems

SWIOTUNA also contributed to the workshop “Advancing the Small-Scale Fisheries Guidelines through Fisher-Led, Inclusive, and Scalable Data Systems.” Drawing on regional experiences, SWIOTUNA emphasized the data gaps that persist in remote areas, ungazetted landing sites, and across species reporting. These gaps limit the visibility and influence of small-scale fishers in national policy.
SWIOTUNA promotes inclusive, community-driven data collection approaches and advocates for integrating SSF data into marine spatial planning and reporting to the FAO and IOTC. Our core message: data systems must be co-developed with fishers not only for compliance, but as tools to empower local governance and uphold socio-economic rights.

4. Telling Our Story to the World: SeaVoice and the UN Ocean Decade


Through the SeaVoice platform, an initiative by the University of Edinburgh and the UN Ocean Decade, SWIOTUNA shared its journey and vision for a just ocean future. In a featured interview, we emphasized that small-scale fishers are not just resource users, but knowledge holders, stewards, and defenders of the ocean.
Too often, however, they remain excluded from key policy and governance spaces. We called for the creation of safe, empowering environments where coastal communities can meaningfully influence decisions that affect their lives and livelihoods.
Through advocacy, regional representation, and strategic partnerships, SWIOTUNA continues to elevate the voices of small-scale fishers across international platforms such as the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) and the Southwest Indian Ocean Fisheries Commission (SWIOFC).
In the words of Divon Mwamba, “We invite partners and allies to explore SWIOTUNA’s work, amplify our advocacy, and join us in creating spaces for dialogue, knowledge exchange, and coordinated action that supports resilient, sustainable fisheries.”
The full SeaVoice interview is available on the SEAVOICE media channels.