Coastal Fisheries Management challenges Moses J Amos, FAME, SPC

Presentation Overview Coastal Fisheries management Major drivers Challenges Threats Current approach Key impacts of current approach New Song for Change Composition of the new Song Role of CROP Agencies Reporting and evaluation of the new Song

Coastal fisheries management Unlike the industrial tuna fishery, there is no regional approach to coastal fisheries management. Ineffective coastal fisheries management is a real tragedy for the Pacific region. Failure of the management techniques has resulted in closing down of fisheries to prevent collapse of the resource Production will not expand in future. Production will decline and the situation will become worse in the future

Major Drivers Population Growth High dependence on Fish Significant growth forecast in all three regions Highest in Melanesia Substantial urbanization – most growth in urban areas Rural populations in Micronesia and Polynesia likely to decline Very high consumption Great dependence in rural areas Mainly subsistence Most fish consumed fresh Fish supplies most animal protein

Challenges – Food security Gap Assume a whole snapper: 25-30 cm or around 250g Plate size fish Fish gap within 15 years 115,000 metric t of Coastal fish 460,000,000 pieces of coastal fish

Challenges _ Livelihoods Very important for local incomes - provides around 50% of coastal households with 1st or 2nd source of income.

Challenges - Patterns of Economic Development Many people without jobs will seek income and food security from harvesting of coastal fisheries “Willingness to compromise tomorrow’s sustainability for today’s food security and income”

Threat- Urbanization Coastal fishery resources are over-exploited, close to urban areas where population creates the greatest demand for fish Increase population in urban areas Higher proportion of people not having access to sufficient fish for consumption More coastal fish shipped in from less populous areas Exporting urban-type fisheries problems to rural areas

Threats – Habitat degradation Coastal production depends on good habitat Production decline affected by habitat destruction or degradation NO HABITAT NO FISH!!

Threat – Climate Change Frequency of tropical cyclones Rising sea surface temperatures and more acidic oceans impacting on: coral reefs, coastal habitats, growth and survival coastal fishery resources and food webs Changes in rainfall or sea level impacts migration patterns of fish affecting production levels

Current Approach Inshore Fisheries Sub-national Regional Sub-regional NGOs

WHICH MANAGEMENT PATHWAY?

Key Impacts of the current approach Limited coastal fisheries policies backed up by legislation to manage coastal fisheries Limited budget allocation to Coastal Fisheries management Limited and unfocused human resources on Coastal Fisheries management

New song for Change A new Song for change from – business as usual – for Coastal fisheries management is urgently needed The new Song must be sang in harmony by all stakeholders from the same song book.

Sustainability of CF Resources Composition of the new Song for Change for Coastal Fisheries Management Sustainability of CF Resources Climate Change Culture NCD/Health Livelihood Food security

The role of CROP Agencies Council of Regional Organisations in the Pacific Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) Major political initiatives Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) Provide management advice on tuna fisheries and increasing benefits to Pacific island countries from tuna fishing activities Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) Environmental aspects of fisheries University of the South Pacific (USP) The School of Marine Studies is involved in a wide range of training. Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) Most aspects of coastal fisheries and scientific research on tuna.

Harmonization of CROP Agencies’ roles for coastal fisheries management SPREP PIFS SPC FFA USP

Reporting & evaluation of the effectiveness of the new Song HOF9 FFC SPC CRGA FFC MIN PIF/POC PIF LEADERS

Thank you Merci beaucoup