A National Consultation on the VG SSF Guidelines was organized by the Nicaraguan Fisheries Federation (FENICPESCA) on 25 and 25 January 2012, in the city of Chinandega. The 45 participants included men and women fishworkers from cooperative organizations, representatives and leaders of fishworkers cooperative organizations, representatives from the Nicaraguan Fisheries and Aquaculture Institute (INPESCA), and FAO Country Representative for Nicaragua.

Participants came from Pacific and Gulf of Fonseca coasts, from the coasts and islands of Lake Cocibolca, and from the coasts, keys and islands of the Caribbean. Reflecting the ethnic diversity of the Nicaraguan people, participants included mestizos, indigenous people from the Pacifica and lake areas, and miskitos and people of African descent from the Caribbean. 

After formal introductions and a formal presentation by the FAO Country Representative, there followed a presentation, discussion and question and answer session on the VG SSF Guidelines. Participants then divided into three working groups as follows: 

Group 1: Analyzed and made recommendations on issues of concern arising from the Governance of Artisanal Fisheries and Civil and Political Rights, i.e. the general norms and laws of the country and the way equality before the law and democracy are dealt with, and the particularities that govern or influence the activity, and the role of the authorities (INPESCA, MARENA, the military (navy), police etc.). 

Group 2: Analyzed the problems and needs relating to Economic Rights, Access to Productive Resources, Credit, Technical Training, Obtaining a Fair Return on Labour, including Post Harvest etc, as well as the relationships between other members of the sector, including storage and processing plants, suppliers of inputs etc. The group also looked at Access to Markets, at both national and international level, as well as problems of communication and restrictive legislation etc. 

Group 3: Focussed on Social Rights, including Education, Health, Housing, Development of Associative Organizations, Social Services etc, as well as the way in which society at large, the fisheries sector and the State facilitate or make it more difficult for the full enjoyment of these rights.

The main output from the meeting was a report with recommendations to be fed into the process to develop the VG SSF.