Ecosystem Approach to Small
Scale Tropical Marine
Fisheries (EAFM)
Solomon Islands Project updates
Reuben John Sulu
EU EAFM Project Objectives
• Assess existing institutional arrangements and understand
how an EAF can overcome barriers to effective integrated
small-scale fisheries (SSF) management
• Develop EAF strategies and actions for SSF management
suitable for developing country context
• Strengthen the capacity of local fishery stakeholders and
government agencies and work within an EAF
Target groups and final beneficiaries
• Members of coastal communities including women with
broader benefits to regional and national economies of target
countries
Estimated results
I. Increased commitment to implementing EAF for SSF management in focal countries achieved through better understanding of its potential contributions to poverty reduction and environmental sustainability
II. Better integration of EAF and existing institutional arrangements in focal sites
III. Enhanced understanding of the roles of MPA‟s in the effective implementation of EAF in developing country context
IV. Active participation of final beneficiaries including women in participatory research and collaborative implementation of EAF strategies in focal sites
V. Capacity development of target groups achieved through collaborative research and implementation of EAF strategies in project sites
VI. Practical guidelines for EAF action programmes and policy recommendations for long-term EAF planning produced and disseminated
Participatory Diagnosis and Adaptive Management
(in the framework of EAFM) T
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Characteristics of Langalanga Lagoon
People live within very thin strip of
coastal area/ artificial islands
Limited land for crop cultivation
Livelihood revolves mostly around
the sea for several hundred years –
“soltwata pipol”
Declining marine resources over the
years due to population growth,
increasing livelihood demands,
market pressures and destructive
fishing practices
Several ongoing initiatives at the
moment to rehabilitate some of the
destroyed ecosystems.
Main livelihood activities at present
• Shell money and shell jewelry
production and trade
• Fishing and selling of fish
• Boat building, inter-Island shipping
services and stevedoring
• Small business enterprises
• Food gardening
• Remittances
From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laulasi_Island
From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laulasi_Island
Resource Ownership, Governance and Resource
Management
• Land and sea area owned under customary system by tribes
and rights to use are inherited patrilineally, although different
types of user rights exist.
• Traditional resource management mechanism was access
control (Taboos) which were usually preceded by traditional
rituals involving sacrifices. This however has waned in
modern times due to Christianization of the area. Most LLL
people do not want their return as they are considered too
dangerous.
• Presently “open access” seems to be the norm
• Christian taboos at present are sometimes enacted but are
mostly ignored
What do we know about small-scale fisheries in LLL?
1. No quantitative data available on fisheries related
parameters such as
I. Number of boats
II. Types of boats
III. Fishing methods
IV. Species targeted and sizes,
V. Catch landings
VI. Trophic characteristics over time of landed catches
VII. Coral cover and other ecosystem characteristics/indicators
VIII.Socio-ecological relationships
2. A few studies on socioeconomics and anthropology do exist
which provide back ground understanding of the location and
some aspects of livelihoods, resource use & consumption
patterns.
Participatory Diagnosis and Adaptive Management
(in the framework of EAFM)
1. DiagnosisA. Review of EAFM in Sol. Is
Which was done by a consultant:
Gillian Goby
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Brief over-view of EAFM Policy on the National Level (Gillian Goby
report) for CTI
• Progressed with offshore fisheries, which remained a draft in 2012 and up to now,
owing to: i) support from South Pacific Forum Fisheries Agency and ii) economic and
national interest and support for tuna fisheries
• Focus is on offshore fisheries and little attention to developing an EAFM framework
for inshore fisheries
• EAFM concepts however are embodied in some relevant environment related
legislations and policies (Fisheries Act, Environment Act, Protected Areas Act etc.)
and practices (e.g. SILMMA , CBRM, CTI working group). Again raises the whole
question of „how different is it from some existing practices‟.
• Solomon Islands signatory to the FAO code of conduct for responsible fisheries
• According to the Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Fisheries, EAFM will be spelled
out more clearly in the currently revised Fisheries Act
• The EAFM policy is not as well advanced in Solomon Islands compared to other
implementing countries
Participatory Diagnosis and Adaptive Management
(in the framework of EAFM)
1. DiagnosisA.Review of EAFM in Sol. Is - Consultant
B.Inception meeting on 24th May 2012
Workshop
• Target species, uses & status
• Opportunities for mgt
• Past and ongoing activities
which are EAFM in nature
• Discussion on links, NGO
• Coordination and synergies
• Voting of priorities: Thematic
and specific
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Management plans Mangrove habitat awareness & Information
Value adding and productivity
Mangrove alternatives
Vo
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General thematic groups
Adaptive Management (in the framework of EAFM)
Management constituency• Steering Committee selection and
meeting to decide on activities
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Activities subsequent to the inception cum diagnosis
meeting: Management constituency
• Selection of a steering committee – 26th July 2012
• EAFM Activities – 11th September 2012
Summary of activities to date after inception meeting and
steering committee meeting
• Dynamite awareness – December 2012
• Mangrove replanting workshop – March 2013
• Household Socio-economic survey – March/April 2013
• Policy brief on mangrove – May 2013
• Construction of Fish Aggregating Devices (FAD) and Awareness – June
2013
• Deployment of FADs and FAD fishing training – October 2013
• Coral replanting training – November 2013
• Production of an EAFM newsletter for Langalanga –Oct 2013
• Shooting for production of a Langalanga Lagoon DVD – Oct/Nov 2013.
Released in Sept 2014
Summary of activities to date after inception meeting and
steering committee meeting
• Monitoring of FADs continues from Feb – Nov 2014
• Processes in establishing a marine managed area is also
continuing, major issues are around social issues, marine
tenure etc
• Analysis of Household survey data also continuing from
2013/2014
Collaborative Initiatives and Activities with other NGO’s
• Save the Children
– Mangrove nursery for disaster risk reduction
• Foundations for the People of the South Pacific International
– Mangroves replanting/rehabilitation
– Coral farming
Participatory Diagnosis and Adaptive Management
(in the framework of EAFM)
3. Building an EAFM Plan•Desired outcomes
•Actions needed
•Indicators to evaluate
4. Testing & Implementation•Compatible Livelihood options
•Sustainable Management systems
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Quite unlikely that the last
steps in the framework will
be achieved in the life of this
project
However……..
• We hope to have a better understanding of EAFM and where
it can or cannot work, particularly in a location where:-
– There is weak governance
– Intense pressure and livelihood demands
– Fragmented land/marine tenure systems
• The understanding generated from other work on CBRM
combined with what we understand about LLL on the EU
EAFM project may feed into the national EAFM policy/Coral
Triangle objectives