FAO
Organizational Setting
With an average consumption of 25.3 kg/capita/year, the UAE population consumes more seafood than the global average, but imports (301,982 t in 2016) largely outpace the national production from fisheries and aquaculture (72,780 t) in the supply of the domestic market, while almost 87,016 t are also (re)exported. Yet, some studies indicate that some stocks may be overfished. In 2018, a scientific study by the Environment Agency of the Abu Dhabi Emirate gave alarming findings on the status of some highly praised fish stocks. In order to protect them, a fishing ban was decided, after which the status of the endangered stocks dramatically improved in just 2 years as a study published in 2021 highlighted. However, in the meantime, the fish production in the Emirate collapsed by 63 percent, from more than 4000 tons to less than 2000 tons. It is thus important to implement tools and monitoring to ensure that fish stocks can be exploited in a sustainable manner.
Aquaculture and Fisheries is indeed one of the sectors that the UAE government wants to support in the coming years through its National Food Security Strategy. The project UTF/UAE/009/UAE BABY 2 aims at supporting this objective.
Reporting Lines
Under the supervision of the Subregional Coordinator (SRC) for the Gulf Cooperation Council States and Yemen, and under direct technical supervision of the Senior Fisheries and Aquaculture Officer, the incumbent will support the formulation and implementation of FAO’s agenda with regards to fisheries stock assessment in UAE, and contribute to the objectives of the UTF/UAE/009/UAE BABY 2 Project.
Technical Focus
The International Fisheries Stock Assessment Specialist, in close coordination with technical staff and stakeholders, will train the UAE institutions on how to conduct a fisheries stock assessment for the priority marine fisheries.
The fisheries stock assessment will provide further information on the local capture fisheries including the status of fish stocks to inform decision-making and design effective management plans for UAE’s fisheries. The assessment will include the ecological, social and economic performance of fisheries and test different management interventions. It will aim to assess how improved fishery sector management can better contribute to food security, livelihoods and jobs and reduce poverty by ensuring sustainable utilization of the resources for the benefit of the UAE people.
Tasks And Responsibilities
Conduct an assessment mission of the UAE capacities in fisheries data collection and analysis, and make recommendations for investing in a modern fisheries data collection and monitoring.
Analyse the gaps and determine the requirements for conducting a fisheries stocks assessment in UAE based on literature review and contacts with local scientists, research institutes and governmental agencies;
Conduct an inception technical workshop with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) and the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre (FCSC) as well as relevant local/national scientists and agencies, key stakeholders to identify, collect, review and update the data available;
Identify the priority species, best strategy and approaches to be used for the assessment of the stock(s) in the context of UAE;
Propose a plan of action for developing and conducting a theoretical and practical training for the national teams and working groups on the methodologies selected to assess the UAE fisheries stock assessment through most adequate approaches and related software tools for the UAE.
Propose a plan of action for implementing a fishery stock assessment system for UAE to become capable to report on SDG 14.4.1. and monitor the data collection by the government during one year.
The FAO office in Abu Dhabi will provide transport for the consultant during the mission to enable institutional visits, with staff from FAO/Government travelling with the consultant to provide logistical support. Government staff will also facilitate in arranging consultations in the different landing sites.
CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING
Minimum Requirements
University degree in Fisheries
5 and more years of relevant experience
Working knowledge (Level C) of English and limited knowledge (Level B) of Arabic or any other official FAO language. For PSA, working knowledge of English is required.
FAO Core Competencies
Results Focus
Teamwork
Communication
Building Effective Relationships
Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement
Call For Expressions Of Interest – Vacancy Announcement
Job Posting
04/Jan/2023
Closure Date
26/Jan/2023, 4:29:00 AM
Organizational Unit
SNG
Job Type
Non-staff opportunities
Type of Requisition
Consultant
Grade Level
N/A
Primary Location
United Arab Emirates-Abu Dhabi
Duration
20 Days WAE
Post Number
N/A
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device
FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture.
Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply;
Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold FAO’s values
FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination
All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
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To apply for this job please visit jobs.fao.org.