ASCLME Agulhas & Somali Current Large Marine Ecosystems Project The Agulhas and Somali Current Large Marine Ecosystems Project A Brief Update Joint Meeting on Policy & Governance Assessment and Cost Benefit Analysis

ASCLME Agulhas & Somali Current Large Marine Ecosystems Project The Agulhas and Somali Current LME Project 9 Countries: Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, (France) FUNDING:GEF = US$12.2 Million TIMEFRAME:5 Years, until mid-2012 Actually three nested Projects… 1. ASCLME 2. WIO-LaB (Western Indian Ocean Land Based Activities) 3. SWIOFP (South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Project) Ultimate objective is a combined Strategic Action Programme for the western Indian Ocean LMEs supported by long-term mechanisms for Governance and Adaptive Management based on continuous monitoring of Indicators

ASCLME Agulhas & Somali Current Large Marine Ecosystems Project Marine Ecosystem Diagnostic Analyses The Country Level Approach The ASCLME project is approaching the TDA-SAP process initially at the country level through a national Marine Ecosystem Diagnostic Analysis (MEDA) The MEDAs represent the national level Analysis and input into the regional TDAs. The MEDAs aim to develop long-term in-country ecosystem monitoring of indicators which ‘reflect’ the regional monitoring and indicator needs at the TDA level The long-term aim would be to update the MEDAs and the TDAs on a regular (5-10 year?) basis The MEDA approach builds ownership of the regional ecosystem management approach at the country level The MEDAs directly engage national technical experts and specialists into the overall regional TDA development process and therefore into the SAP They also act as an in-country vehicle to inform and raise awareness about the Project aims and the overall value and need for an ecosystem approach

ASCLME Agulhas & Somali Current Large Marine Ecosystems Project Marine Ecosystem Diagnostic Analyses The Country Level Networking The MEDAs require input from all sectors within governments as well as from the private sectors, NGOs and communities. They address issues that include:  Inshore fisheries, pollution, habitat distribution and health, observed changes and variability in the ecosystem  Socioeconomic linkages  Governance structures and their shortfalls  Capacity building needs  Data management and data networking  Community involvement and empowerment The MEDAs also aim to develop long-term in-country ecosystem monitoring and selection of indicators which ‘reflect’ the regional monitoring and indicator needs at the TDA level

ASCLME Agulhas & Somali Current Large Marine Ecosystems Project ASCLME Road-Map to governance & adaptive management in the LMEs Data collection and analysis has driven the development of the national Marine Ecosystem Diagnostic Analyses for each country (which will also capture national concerns in terms of transboundary impacts and issues) These will be amalgamated into the TDA to capture the regional ‘transboundary’ management needs This creates the foundation for an effective regional SAP with associated governance mechanisms The scientific monitoring informs the regional (and national) governance process to drive Adaptive LME Management Long-term monitoring of Indicators will provide the ‘fine- tuning’ process for this Adaptive Management

ASCLME Agulhas & Somali Current Large Marine Ecosystems Project ASCLME Offshore Monitoring 12°

ASCLME Agulhas & Somali Current Large Marine Ecosystems Project Dr. Fridtjof Nansen (Norway – via FAO EAF Project)

ASCLME Agulhas & Somali Current Large Marine Ecosystems Project The Algoa (South Africa)

ASCLME Agulhas & Somali Current Large Marine Ecosystems Project Primary Activities of the ASCLME Project Offshore Ecosystem Assessment Cruises All cruises are being developed in conjunction with the FAO-EAF Nansen Project and with SWIOFP to ensure an effective ecosystem monitoring approach is employed. All cruises focus on: Meteorological and hydrographical sampling Air and sea temperature, salinity, chlorophyll, current and wind speed and direction Plankton Sampling Phytoplankton and zooplankton abundance and distribution; Biological Fish Sampling Weight and length measurements; genetic (DNA) analysis Echo Sounder Multibeam (Seabed mapping & acoustic biomass estimation)

ASCLME Agulhas & Somali Current Large Marine Ecosystems Project Additional activities for ecosystem monitoring and early warning Deployment of ocean-atmosphere data capture moorings (ATLAS) for climate and ecosystem change early warning (in collaboration with NOAA) Deployment of drifters and Argo floats for long-term data capture of water column parameters (in collaboration with NOAA) Servicing and maintenance of seabed deployed Underwater Temperature Recorders (in collaboration with Royal Dutch Institute for Marine Research) Comparative surveys of dipole eddies and productivity within the Mozambique channel (in collaboration with SWIOFP and IRD)

ASCLME Agulhas & Somali Current Large Marine Ecosystems Project Long-term data collection ATLAS Moorings Argo floats Satellite drifters ADCP moorings UTRs

ASCLME Agulhas & Somali Current Large Marine Ecosystems Project Other Important Activities for Sustainability Capacity Building and Training A 3-week programme for local scientific trainees (2008 and 2009). 21 scientists now trained to work in Ecosystem Assessment (11 already undertaken extensive cruises and publishing papers) In-country ecosystem approach training programme customised to national needs Communications and Participation A participatory Communications Strategy for stakeholder engagement and community involvement Media activities (e.g. Educational film and Promotional film)

ASCLME Agulhas & Somali Current Large Marine Ecosystems Project NEXT STEPS ASCLME is building a very comprehensive baseline of data to drive the TDA process Recognising the importance of continued data collection to identify changes in the ecosystem and to drive adaptive management decisions, ASCLME is also developing a long-term monitoring programme for the western Indian Ocean LMEs It is now imperative that we start to focus our concentration on developing governance mechanisms and policy guidelines. These need to be justified and driven by a reliable and credible Cost Benefit Analysis of the LME approach Most importantly we now need to build ownership of the project at the level of senior management and policy makers and to foster political level support for the SAP

ASCLME Agulhas & Somali Current Large Marine Ecosystems Project Addressing the Science-to- Governance Disconnect In addition, plans are under development to host a Science-to- Governance Workshop (in cooperation with the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association):  Predictive scientific papers that specifically draw conclusions identifying implications for management and policy  Position papers that, as a consequence of these predictions and implications, A. provide initial guidance for management and policy adoption and B. propose and justify further research (which should receive priority funding)  The focus of these papers should be guided by managers and policy-makers from the region so as to address high-priority questions (i.e. on adaptation requirements for climate change, food security, community stability, sustainability of livelihoods, other socioeconomic concerns) This workshop should be seen as a pilot for developing a more long- term and sustainable process of translating science into policy and governance

ASCLME Agulhas & Somali Current Large Marine Ecosystems Project Conclusions from the GEF LME WIO Stock-Taking Meeting In March 2010, GEF requested a Stock-Taking Meeting in Nairobi to discuss the ‘way forward’ in terms of Agency cooperation within the WIO LMEs. This meeting defined…  The Importance of both a Policy and Governance Assessment and a Cost-Benefit Analysis to drive the SAP development process. It was also proposed that this should be a joint process between ASLME and SWIOFP  The need for a WIO Sustainable Ecosystem Alliance tosupport LME Management and Governance (all stakeholders)  Agreement to implement the LBA SAP As soon as possible through the Nairobi Convention Protocol  Close cooperation between ASCLME and SWIOFP to develop a Coasts & Oceans SAP for final amalgamation with the LBASAP  A further stock-taking meeting to be convened as a more comprehensive stakeholder Policy and Governance Advisory Committee following the report from the P&G Assessment

ASCLME Agulhas & Somali Current Large Marine Ecosystems Project Policy and Governance Advisory Committee As per the recommendations from the Stock-taking meeting, a Policy and Governance Advisory Committee would be convened following the science-to- governance workshop to discuss the outcomes and implications of that workshop This Advisory Committee would consist of PS and DG level representation This P&G Advisory Committee would also need to have the P&G Assessment Report as a guidance document This meeting would therefore need to be planned very strategically in order to pull together these logistics

ASCLME Agulhas & Somali Current Large Marine Ecosystems Project Joint Meeting on Policy & Governance Assessment and Cost Benefit Analysis To read more about the Project and for links to the research studies and results from the cruises please visit