Local Leadership Pledge
Members of Coastal 500 take the following pledge upon joining the network, committing themselves to sustain and support coastal communities.
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To support healthy and sustainable fishing communities
A GLOBAL CHALLENGE WITH A LOCAL SOLUTION
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Our coastal communities depend on healthy, productive oceans. As a leader in my community I recognize that coastal fisheries are essential for Our food, underpin Our economy and are an important part of our culture and way of life.
As a signatory to this pledge I am joining local leaders from around the world who seek to build healthy, prosperous, and sustainable coastal communities. Together we are empowering our constituencies to have clear access rights to their fisheries, good governance, local leadership, and participatory management to recover and Sustain Our coastal resources.
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Through my leadership and in support of my community I commit to:
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Promote responsible fisher behaviors that include registration, catch monitoring, participating in management and adhering to regulations;
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Recognize, prioritize and advocate for local communities in their access to and use of coastal fisheries;
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Build an empowered and informed community through participatory fisheries management that fairly and equitably regulates effort and employs an accountable and transparent decision-making process;
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Endorse no-take reserves to replenish and sustain fish populations by protecting coastal habitats like coral reefs, mangrove forests and sea grass beds;
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Invest in strengthening human capacity and financial resources to sustain community-based fisheries management;
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Continue learning, teaching and inspiring others, by sharing lessons and experiences from my community with leaders from across the country and around the world.
