Topic 6Community based fisheries management

Michael King

Coastal Fisheries Policy and Planning Course, 28/01/08 – 8/02/08, Apia, Samoa

Secretariat of the Pacific Community

Community-based fisheries management

The co-management of fisheriesThere is a continuum of possibilities in

fisheries co-management

Total control by government (agency)

Control by government with some input from stakeholders

Equal control by stakeholders and government agency

Control by stakeholders with some input from government

Total control by stakeholders

Who are the stakeholders in fisheries?besides the government, which should look after

broad community interests.

In commercial fisheries;fishers, boat builders, processors, public etc

In subsistence fisheries;fishers, fish-sellers, community, community leaders

Note: The general public has interests in the country’s resources (resource rents?)

The community-based managementof subsistence fisheries

Usually means some degree of control of fisheries by fishing communities

Full control by government (agency)

Control by government with some input from community

Equal control by community and government agency

Control by community with some input from government

Full control by community

for several reasons either extreme is undesirable

Why involve community stake-holders

in fisheries management?

a) Broadens expertise available for management

b) Promotes ownership of management plans

c) Promotes compliance with rules & regulations(and a reduction in enforcement costs)

Community (stakeholder) involvement

a) Broadens knowledge available for management

Fishing communities generally know more (inc. traditional knowledge) about their fisheries than agency staff

Community-based fisheries management …

b) Promotes ownership of management plans

Community commitment and pride(plans not regarded as government plans)

Takes “pressure” off government(agency no longer has sole responsibility)

Community-based fisheries management …

c) Promotes compliance with rules & regulations

Rules are those of the fishing community

Rules respected (enforced) by community

Reduction in government enforcement costs

The community-based managementof subsistence fisheries

Even if management is by communities,What does this mean …

management by chiefs?(as in Raui system in Cooks?)

management by broader community?(eg by representative committee?)

Before embarking on CBFM►Is government willing to empower communities? - governments often reluctant to relinquish power- government agencies hold the “expertise” ►Are communities willing to act?– many communities rely heavily on assistance►Do communities have control over their waters?- Open access fisheries? or - Customary Marine Tenure (CMT)? Customary “ownership” in some countries (eg Samoa)Open access fisheries in some countries (but note “special management areas” in Tonga)

Manual available from SPC

Example from Samoawhere CBFM project started in 1995

Goalvillages effectively managingtheir own fisheries resources

Strategycommunities develop their own

fisheries management plan.

Processa culturally appropriate method

of achieving this

Requirements for a “new age” extension officerto promote CBFM

►good listener ►ability to make people feel comfortable

►enough technical knowledge to understand what people are talking about

“old style” extension officers are too accustomed to telling people what they should be doing!

Key considerations in strategy

Maximum community participation.

Motivation not education

A demand-based programme

Alternative sources of seafood

Maximum community participation.

● involvement of as many groups as possible(women, untitled men, chiefs)

● an extended extension process in each village(many months required for ownership

by the community)

That which is acquired the quickest is lost the easiest

Motivation not education.

the knowledge of fishing communitiesis often underestimated

the prime need is formotivation and support

A demand-based programme

It is desirable to work in communities with

►awareness of problems►concern for the future

►willingness to take conservation actions

community-based management will not work unless the community has a strong desire

to address its own problems.

Alternative sources of seafood

All imposed fisheries regulations (including banning destructive fishing methods)result in short-term decreases in catches.

Therefore, need foralternative sources of seafood

In the short term

Group meetings – the key to full involvement

problem/solution trees – a participatory tool

CBFM -what it CAN do

communities set their own fishing regulations high compliance with conservation rules

savings on government enforcement costs increase awareness of agency

increase catches in inshore areasIn Samoa – villages with CBFM - 2.8 kg per person per hour

villages without CBFM - 1.8 kg.

CBFM - what it CANNOT do

►Secure short-term results(time is required for ownership)

►Replace national fisheries regulations(eg minimum size rules)

►Address extensive environmental problems. eg for siltation caused by poor land management

Integrated Coastal zone Management (ICM) is necessary.

Some environmental problems have to be addressed at the national level (eg by ICM) rather than at the local level (eg by CBFM).

Regardless of national legislation and enforcement,

the responsible management of fisheries resources will only be achieved

when fishing communities themselves see it as their responsibility

rather than that of the government.

Exercise in using a problem solving technique and

encouraging community participation.

The problem/solution tree*

Based on the belief that nobody knows problems better than those affected

(in this case, the community)

* also used in industry “brainstorming”

Exercise: We all live in a community with no school.The nearest school is in a neighboring community 15 km away

The key problem is “Village youths do not go to school”