A Pan-European Platform for Low Impact Small-Scale Fishers

Thanks to a grant from the Oak Foundation provided to the International Collective in Support of Fishworkers (ICSF), small-scale fisher representatives were able to come together and participate in the “Green Paper” consultation process in 2009 and 2010. This process enabled them to have a voice in shaping the 2014 Common Fisheries Policy.

Later, The Pew Foundation established a coalition of NGOs and fishers’ organisations called Ocean 2012. One of the actions of the coalition was to lobby for fishing rights to be granted to those who fish in the most sustainable way in the reformed CFP. The Oak Foundation funded SSF platform established by ICSF joined this coalition.

The MedArtNet initiative – the Mediterranean Platform of Artisanal Fishers, which included small-scale fishers from Spain, France, Italy and Greece, was also incorporated into a common small-scale fishers’ (SSF) platform lobbying the Green Paper process.

Greenpeace launched a campaign in 2011 that brought these initiatives together, calling for the reallocation of fishing rights from larger to smaller scale fishers.

The International Collective in Support of Fishworkers (ICSF), Ocean 2012 and  the Mediterranean Platform of Artisanal Fishers (MedArtNet) came together to give rise to LIFE. Greenpeace subsequently supported and facilitated the first (organized in Brussels in 2012) and second (organized in Santiago de Compostella in 2013) European Artisanal Fishermen Congresses. LIFE was launched at the Second Congress in 2013, as a response to the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). During these 2 meetings, LIFE’s vision and mission were defined.

LIFE then represented 14 members organization in 8 members States (approx. 2.500 fishers).

Although launched in 2013, LIFE was registered in the UK in 2014.

LIFE was now recognized by the European institutions as the voice for small-scale fishers at EU level and became active in 6 of the 10 Advisory Councils.

Greenpeace helped LIFE to obtain a start-up grant from the Underwood Foundation. The grant was a co-financing grant for both Greenpeace and LIFE to

• develop a stronger voice for inshore fishermen across Europe,
• get representation for small-scale fishermen at a European level in Brussels and
• support national organisations representing small-scale fishers. 

LIFE is awarded one off grant from European Commission under a specific scheme entitled “Support measures for small-scale fishing’ pilot project”, to establish a programme of work in the Baltic and North Sea. The project had the aim to build the capacity of European smaller scale, low impact fishers and their organisations to participate in the decision taking processes that affect their livelihoods. It supported the exchange of information and experience of good practice between SSF to this end.

LIFE enabled 5 of its members to be elected to Executive Committee of the Baltic Sea Advisory Council.

In October 2016, LIFE started working in partnership with AKTEA, the European network of women’s organizations in fisheries and aquaculture. 

LIFE becomes a founder member of the “Friends of Small-scale Fisheries” in the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean and Black Sea (GFCM).

The European Parliament votes in plenary to ban fishing with high impact electric “pulse trawls” thanks to campaigns by LIFE and its partners.

At the end of 2018, LIFE faced an existential crisis precipitated by the end of the EC funding, the ending of the Underwood Trust start-up grant, and Brexit. To continue its work LIFE needed to re-register in an EU Member State; to remain financially viable, LIFE needed to close down its UK office and to secure bridging finance.

LIFE obtained a small grant from the MAVA Foundation to enable it to transition to Brussels from the UK and became a MAVA partner in the 3-year Mediterranean Basin Programme.

The Pech Committee of the  European Parliament highlights inequitable treatment of SSF under discussion on “A  fair deal for SSF in the allocation of  fishing opportunities” thanks to LIFE.

LIFE now represents 31 members in 15 Member States (approx. 10.000 fishers).

In 2020, LIFE became a partner of the Marilles Foundation to work in the Balearic Islands over a 3-year period.

By 2025 LIFE will be a cohesive, well governed and financially stable European umbrella organisation, made up of national and local level organisations dedicated to small-scale low impact fish (SSF) production, including SSF fish producer organizations, with a strong presence in Brussels and at sea basin level, having staff and members spread throughout Europe. LIFE Members will be actors of change, having their say in European policies, with fair access to resources and markets,  engaged in the co-management of their fishing areas, and with their children training as fishers thanks to the development of LIFE’s Fishers of the Future Programme .