Fabio Hazin ©FAO/Greco

The Food and Agriculture Organization has paid tribute to the esteemed international consultant, Fabio Hazin, who worked with FAO on global issues related to fisheries and aquaculture. He passed away in Brazil in early June.

Hazin, an academic and respected shark scientist, was the chair of FAO's Committee on Fisheries from 2014-2016. He also chaired technical consultations for guidelines on Small-Scale Fisheries 2013-2014 and technical consultations that led to the adoption of the FAO Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA). The PSMA is the first binding international agreement designed to prevent and eliminate IUU fishing.

FAO Director-General, QU Dongyu, expressed his condolences and acknowledged Hazin's contribution to the organization's initiatives.

Manuel Barange, Director of FAO Fisheries, also expressed his profound loss at the passing of his colleague and friend.

"Fabio was not just a consultant. He was an excellent chair of FAO COFI," Barange said. "He also chaired two FAO SSF Guidelines Technical Consultations, which he managed with a great diplomacy and technical excellence."

"FAO and NFI have lost a great man and many of us have lost a friend. My thoughts are with his family."

Hazin was a professor in the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture at the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco (UFRPE). He graduated in Fisheries Engineering from UFRPE and received his master's degree and doctorate in Marine Science and Technology/Fisheries Oceanography at the Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology.

In recent years Hazin chaired meetings of the UN Fish Stocks Agreement and played a key role in UN negotiations on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ). He was also a former Chair of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) as well as head of the Brazilian delegation for the same organization.

Alejandro Anganuzzi, the Global Coordinator of the FAO-led Common Oceans Program, said Hazin was a well-known scientist in the field of biology and shark conservation and a recognized leader at international forums and events.

"His inquisitive mind, professional integrity, and clear and organized approach to lead a process, meant that he was often elected to chair important international meetings," Anganuzzi noted.

Hazin left an important legacy to colleagues and the international community.

"It was always a pleasure with work with Fabio, thanks to his positive attitude, his endless energy and the clarity of his ideas, which he was able to communicate effectively to many audiences.