If you’ve heard of the Blue Economy, you may be especially interested in the concept of the Blue Commons.

Independent fishermen around the world increasingly feel the effects of large-scale ocean-based development like net-pen farming, oil and gas extraction, massive wind farms, and some marine conservation initiatives.

Join me Friday at 1:15 p.m. EST, as I host a deep dive into the concept of the Blue Commons, courtesy of Slow Fish USA’s virtual 2021 event. (The second week of the gathering kicks off Thursday, March 25, with a session on Aquaculture.)

Harvesters have little control over the health of the fisheries they depend on, which is made much worse by a coordinated global effort to commodify the ocean under the guise of the Blue Economy.

A panel of experts and industry stakeholders, including NF Highliner and Heinz Award winner Linda Behnken, will dive into the global and localized impacts of the Blue Economy’s widespread privatization and consolidation on community-based fisheries.

Join us for a discussion of the Blue Commons, a counter-movement that seeks a collaborative approach to managing the ocean as a shared resource, providing equal and fair access to opportunities to fish for and grow seafood responsibly.