Strengthening governance across scales in aquatic agricultural systems

Aquatic agricultural systems in developing countries face increasing competition from multiple stakeholders operating from local to national and regional scales over rights to access and use natural resources—land, water, wetlands, and fisheries-essential to rural livelihoods. A key implication is the need to strengthen governance to enable equitable decision-making amidst such competition, building capacities for resilience and transformations that reduce poverty. This paper provides a simple framework to analyze the governance context for aquatic agricultural system development focused on three dimensions: stakeholder representation, distribution of power, and mechanisms of accountability. Case studies from Cambodia, Bangladesh, Malawi/Mozambique, and Solomon Islands illustrate the application of these concepts to fisheries and aquaculture livelihoods in the broader context of intersectoral and cross-scale governance interacti

Strengthening impact evaluation in natural resource management

The workshop on Strengthening Evaluation in Natural Resource Management Research is part of an ACIAR-funded Small Research and Development Activity (SRA) on Assessing the Impacts of Natural Resource Management and Policy Research in Development Programs, with WorldFish and Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) as partners. The SRA objectives included a review of literature to identify challenges in assessing the impact of NRMR programs and to propose a framework that addresses them. An exploratory workshop was held in February 2012 to initiate collective action within the CGIAR Research Programs (CRPs) to identify and address their impact challenges and led to the creation of the NRMR impact community of practice (COP). This follow-up workshop brought together members of the COP and partners in the SRA to discuss and reach agreement on how to progress on our collective goals of building new and appropriate approaches for NRMR IE and how to put these approaches into action through our research programs. This report is a documentation of the workshop process and outputs.

Strengthening community roles in aquatic resource governance in Uganda

Lake Victoria fisheries face severe environmental stresses. Stocks are declining in a context of increasing population and growing demand for the lake’s resources. Rising competition between users is putting conservation goals and rural livelihoods at risk. While Uganda’s co-management policy framework is well-developed, key resources for implementation are lacking, enforcement is poor, and the relations between stakeholders are unequal. Poor rural resource users face significant challenges to effectively participate in fisheries decision-making. This case study demonstrates the progress that can be made using a collaborative approach to catalyze community-led actions linking public health, sanitation and environmental conservation in difficult circumstances, even over a relatively short time period. Multistakeholder dialogue can bring to light the sources of conflict, pinpoint governance challenges, and identify opportunities for institutional collaboration to address community needs. At the same time, the process can help build trust, confidence in collective action and public accountability.

Strengthening collective action to address resource conflict in Lake Kariba, Zambia

Where natural resources are a key component of the rural economy, the ability of the poor to realize their visions for the future depends significantly on institutional structures that govern resource access and management. This case study reports on an initiative on the shores of Lake Kariba in Zambia, where lakeshore residents face competition over fishing, tourism, and commercial aquaculture. Multistakeholder dialogue produced agreements with investors and increased accountability of state agencies and traditional leaders, enabling communities to have greater influence over their futures through improvements in aquatic resource governance. The report documents the rationale for the approach followed and steps in the capacity-building process, discusses obstacles encountered, and identifies lessons for policymakers and practitioners seeking to implement a similar approach.

Strengthening the log book recording system for fishing vessels: Sri Lanka

Activities of the project included: preparation of awareness materials on data reporting; organizing stakeholder awareness programmes; setting and maintaining an electronic database; inputs from participants and recommendations

Strengthening effectiveness of policy directives of the LVFO Council of Ministers on Lake Victoria, Uganda

Research was done to assess the dissemination and implementation by the Fisheries Department, Local Govemments and beach management units and the awareness, acceptance and compliance among fishers to the CoM Directives on management of Lake Victoria fisheries. Conducted by the National Fisheries Resources Research Institute (NaFIRRI), the research focused on the implementation and effectiveness of measures following the LYFO Council of Ministers (CoM) Directives for improved management of the fisheries of Lake Victoria, with particular reference to the 2009 CoM Directives as a case study, it was established that many of the Directives have not been implemented. In cases where the directives were implemented, their effectiveness remains questionable. While steps were taken to disseminate and implement the Directives, there were some challenges, including the unclear legal status of the directives, limited dissemination materials and poor methods of dissemination, language barriers and inadequate resources for enforcement.

South and South-East Asian coastal fisheries: their status and directions for improved management: conference synopsis and recommendations

As a step to address the problems of coastal fisheries in Asia, the WorldFish Center joined forces with fisheries agencies from eight developing Asian countries (Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, The Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam) and the Asian Development Bank, to implement a project entitled “Sustainable Management of Coastal Fish Stocks in Asia” (also known as the “TrawlBase” project). The project was implemented between 1998 and 2001. The main achievements of this partnership were: (a) Development of a database called “Fisheries Resource Information System and Tools” (FiRST), which contains trawl research survey data and socioeconomic information for selected fisheries, and facilitates its analysis; (b) Evaluation of the extent of resource decline and over-fishing, both biological and economic, in the region; (c) Identification of the measures needed to manage coastal fisheries in the participating countries, resulting in draft strategies and action plans; and (d) Strengthening of national capacity in coastal fisheries assessment, planning and management.

Strategic planning for long-term financing of Pacific leatherback conservation and recovery:Proceedings of the Bellagio Sea Turtle Conservation Initiative, Terengganu, Malaysia; July 2007

On 17-20 July 2007, 45 experts on sea turtles, fisheries, conservation and finance from 10 countries convened at the Bellagio Sea Turtle Conservation Initiative workshop in Terengganu to focus on methods to save the imperiled Pacific leatherback from extinction. The group developed a strategic plan to guide the prioritization and long term financing of Pacific leatherback turtle conservation and recovery objectives. Participants identified critical conservation actions and agreed that a business plan is urgently needed to reverse the trajectory towards extinction of the Pacific leatherback. The conservation actions prioritized by the participants encompassed protecting nesting beaches including eggs and nesting females; reducing direct and indirect turtle take in coastal fisheries; and strengthening regional and sub-regional cooperation. The group committed to work together on fundraising and implementation of these urgent conservation actions. This report presents outputs and the plan that was produced from the workshop.

Supporting regional coastal and ocean managers: Linking ocean observing tools and capabilities to the priority needs of managers and users in the southeast region

Ocean observing has been recognized by the US Commission on Ocean Policy, the Ocean Research and Resources Advisory Panel, the Joint Ocean Commission Initiative, and many other ocean policy entities and initiatives as foundational to meeting the nation’s need for more effective coastal and ocean management. The Interim Report of the Interagency Task Force on Ocean Policy (September 2009) has called for strengthening the nation’s capacity for observing the nation’s ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes systems. (PDF contains 3 pages)

125 Jahre Deutsche Fischereiforschung

In the year of its foundation, in 1870, the German Fisheries Association proposed that a commission should be formed for the strengthening of the German coastal and high sea fisheries by research. The resulting Prussian "Commission zur Erforschung der Deutschen Meere" Commission for Scientific Research on German Seas) in Kiel started its work on July 13th, 1870. With 125 years of organization and scientific continuity, the original institutions were transformed by internal and external influences into the Bundesforschungsanstalt für Fischerei and the Deutsche Wissenschaftliche Kommission für Meeresforschung (Federal Research Center for Fisheries; German Scientific Commission for Marine Research) of today. Their actual fisheries research is of special importance due to the background of increased fisheries activities against decreasing fish stocks.

Charter and Party Boat Operators in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico: A Social Structure Perspective

To better address the charter and party boat fishery needs in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, fishery managers must understand the linkages between the industry and other groups and organizations that affect its success. Gulf state charter and party boat operators were interviewed to ascertain the extent of their social network linkages, membership in community organizations, business community relationships, and linkages to information sources. Approximately one-third to one-half of the charter and party boat operators did not belong to local community organizations that could assist their business through tourism promotion or natural resource protection. Despite their limited integration in the community, the vast majority of operators gave and received referrals from other businesses. Of four major information sources, the National Weather Service and the County Marine Extension agents were rated highest and lowest, respectively, in mean importance to charter and party boat operators. Results suggest that business success can be enhanced by strengthening network ties between operators and local businesses, chambers of commerce, and tourism organizations. For this to occur, individual operators and charter/party boat organizations need to become more effective in representing industry interests. Informational linkages between industry and govemment agencies also need improvement.

Yemaya, No. 43, July 2013

South Africa- Shifting livelihoods, Viet Nam-Strengthening livelihoods, Chile - gains and challenges, Uganda- making changes possible, Maritza Mena from Costa Rica, Ground-breaking gender indicators, You tube resources

Poverty in the fisheries, inductors, causes and intervention

The study is prompted by the poverty that persisted among the fishing communities of lake victoria at time of considerable cash inflow into the fisheries development of fish processing industry. There has been need for understanding of the poverty and what strategies would be most appreciate for it's reduction.This study has attempted to respond to the needby identifying the nature and distribution of the poverty within the fisheries lake victoria,Uganda, the factor responsible for itand the options for poverty reduction intervention. The study examined the global and regional perspectives of poverty and wealth distribution, noting that wide disparities existed between the developed and the developing world and also between the developing countries themselves. A historical review of development policies and strategies revealed that while successive strategies were able to contribute to growth, their achievement towards poverty alleviation were less than satisfactory, hence the need for continually developing new strategies. A background to Uganda’s society and economy is provided, examining the demographic, political, environmental and economic conditions of the country. Uganda’s development strategies are reviewed, highlighting the role of the Poverty Eradication Action Plan, Uganda’s main strategy for implementing the policy of poverty reduction and wealth distribution. At the agricultural sector level, the Plan for the Modernisation of Agriculture has been formulated, followed by the National Fisheries Policy, aimed at providing a policy framework for the management and development of the fisheries. An appropriate definition of poverty was formulated, considered relevant to the situation of Lake Victoria. The dimensions of poverty included inadequate basic necessities, low education and health achievements, a sense of insecurity and exposure to risk. The research methodology was enhanced by the examination of the Lélé Model of the Poverty–Environmental Degradation problem, the World Bank Model of Poverty Causation and the subsequent Lake Victoria Model developed in this study. It has provided a plan for the research, the consideration of criteria and a data collection plan. The data collection instruments included secondary data search, key informant interviews and a sample survey based on a structured questionnaire. The study identified all the four dimensions of poverty in the fisheries, provided poverty profiles with respect to the different activities, groups of people and regions in the fisheries, based on consumption poverty. Among the people identified to be in poverty were the fishing labourers, fishers of Oreochromis niloticus and those operating with non-powered boats. In the post-harvest fisheries, large proportions of processors involved in salting and sun-drying, market stall and bicycle traders were in the poverty category. The ethnic groups most affected included the Samia, Basoga and Bakenye while the Districts of Jinja, Bugiri and Busia had the highest proportions of fishers in the poverty category. With respect to the other dimensions of poverty, the study showed that educational achievement was low within the fishing communities. The health status was poor, due mainly to the prevalence of malaria, diarrhoea, bilharzia and HIV/AIDS. There was a sense of insecurity within certain sections of the fishing community, due to leadership weaknesses within the local as well as the Government institutions. Some community members operated in a state of risk because they were vulnerable to episodes of income, health and education. The causes of poverty in fisheries included weaknesses within the institutional and social environment, limitations in the technology available to the poor, resource degradation and unfavourable economic factors. The recommendations of the study for poverty reduction included strengthening of policies, developing links, improving capacities and increasing resources, to be applied at the levels of Central Government, Local Government and of the community. In view of the achievements of the methodology used on this study, involving reference to the models, it is recommended that future research should build upon this model approach, as it will continue to produce results, especially when attempting to forecast changes relating to interventions.

A report of the Fisheries Catch Assessment Survey in the Ugandan waters of Lake Victoria for the August 2007 survey

The monitoring of fish stocks as well as the magnitude, distribution and trends of fishing effort and fish catches is required for sound fisheries resources management. Conducting regular Catch Assessment Surveys (CASs) in Lake Victoria is one of the ways through which the partner states sharing the lake are generating information to contribute to the above process. The EU funded Implementation of a Fisheries Management Plan (IFMP) project for Lake Victoria through the Lake Victoria Fisheries Organisation (LVFO) is supporting the implementation of regionally harmonised CASs in Lake Victoria . The CASs under IFMP are following a statistical design laid down in Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) agreed by the three partner states of the East African Community sharing the lake. In the Ugandan part of the lake, the CASs are carried out at 54 fish landing sites selected in the eleven riparian districts sharing the lake. The National Fisheries Resources Research Institute (NAFIRRI), Jinja; the Department of Fisheries Resources (DFR), Entebbe; and the Districts of Busia, Bugiri, Mayuge, Jinja, Mukono, Wakiso, Kampala, Mpigi, Masaka, Kalangala and Rakai jointly conduct the surveys. The CAS enumerators are recruited from the fishing communities and work under direct supervision of subcounty Fisheries Officers. NaFIRRI seeks to continue strengthening the engagement of the Beach Management Units (BMUs) and other fisheries Co-management Institutions in fisheries data collection .