Dear <<First Name>>

The global number of people succumbing to the coronavirus exceeds a million and many more are affected by the pandemic socially, economically and, of course, health-wise.

Small-scale fishers and other artisans operating along value chains relying on natural resources have been particularly impacted by the ensuing restrictions while perhaps understanding better than many how important it is to keep the ocean, nature and its ecosystems in good shape and health. Their livelihoods are intertwined more closely than many others with functioning and productive natural systems. They need our care and protection to keep delivering the goods and services so important to all. In tropical regions these systems are already feeling the heat of climate change which makes fish move polewards to remain within suitable temperature ranges and sees Mediterranean fish species arrive in the North Sea.

The small-scale fishers, men and women, are trying to adapt but can not by themselves change that. Turning back the tsunami of climate change and biodiversity loss requires efforts of everybody, but particularly those responsible for the biggest drivers of biodiversity loss and the fossil guzzlers together with a massive effort in favour of renewables. It's a matter of blue justice..

Likewise, small-scale fishers suffer overproportionately from IUU fishing and harmful subsidies, 85 percent of which go to industrials and “pull the rug under their feet” or the fish from under their boats. They need a level playing field to continue providing nutritious and valuable seafood to continue meeting the demand of hundreds of millions of people..

So, limited in our field activities as a result of corona, we are using electronic media to keep sharing information and opportunities. In this vein, we have completed the Wolof sound track of a short video on the Small-scale Fisheries Guidelines. This way we hope to reach those in Senegal and neighbouring countries where the language is spoken and many depend on the trade and need to know, but often do not speak the official UN languages..

One word again on developing the Book of the Marine World – check out the invitation in five languages – now open to everyone without age restrictions

Hurry up with your contribution so that it's ready for sharing at World Fisheries Day, 21 November. Join all the others to make this a truly remarkable celebration of living sustainably with the ocean.

And we have more to celebrate. For our 10^th anniversary we start sharing now until the end of the year video messages and statements of what inspired members and others to support Mundus maris. Get inspired too! Become a supporting member or regular donor of Mundus maris to make even bigger waves to protect and connect to the ocean.

Contact us any time at info@mundusmaris.org. We'll shortly send you a questionnaire so that you can have your say in what we tackle together in the future and how best to go about it. Thanks in advance for your feedback.

Cornelia E. Nauen and the entire Mundus maris team

Activities around the world