Venezuela presented its successful fisheries policy in Rome during the PPE 2026 summit

The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela presented this Sunday, during the Small-Scale Fisheries Summit (PPE) 2026, its experience of organizing and directly participating with fishing and aquaculture communities, through the Councils of the Popular Power of Fishermen, Fishermen, Aquaculturists and Aquaculturists (CONPPA).

During his speech, the Deputy Minister emphasized that Venezuelan fisheries policy has placed grassroots organizations at the center of the management of the sector, under a model in which the State acts as a facilitator and guarantor of rights, providing material, technical and legal support to these communities.

Guerra reported that currently more than 113,000 fishermen, aquaculturists and aquaculturists are organized in 1,597 CONPPA throughout the country, strengthening their direct participation in fisheries and aquaculture governance.

In addition, the Venezuelan representation addressed policies aimed at the sustainability of artisanal fishing, social protection, safety at sea, the leading participation of women and the strengthening of the productive and self-management capacities of communities.

In this context, Venezuela highlighted the incorporation of more than 32,000 fishermen and women fishermen to the social security system, as well as the development of infrastructure linked to the CONPPA, which have 24 processing plants in 12 states and 26 fishermen's houses in 13 states.

In addition, she highlighted the role of women in fishing and aquaculture production chains and the consolidation of CONPPA as the country's first collective artisanal fishing brand, designed to recognize the productive capacity and knowledge of communities.

At the regional level, Venezuela reaffirmed its commitment to South-South cooperation based on the exchange of knowledge between artisanal fishing organizations, the sustainable management of shared resources and regional coordination.

In this regard, the intervention highlighted the ALBA Azul initiative and the technical coordination with mechanisms such as the Central and Western Atlantic Fisheries Commission (COPACO), as part of a vision that recognizes that the challenges of artisanal fishing require shared responses among countries in the region.

Venezuela's participation in the PPE 2026 Summit reaffirms its willingness to share experiences, learn from the good practices of other countries and strengthen multilateral cooperation, placing fishermen and organized communities at the center of policies aimed at food security, sustainability and the defense of livelihoods.

The participation is accompanied by the Permanent Representation of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to FAO, IFAD and WFP, as part of the institutional coordination work to project national experiences and strengthen exchange and cooperation in multilateral spaces.

MPPRE