SPC/FAO Workshop on Climate Change June 5th to 8th Key messages and outcomes of relevance to small scale fisheries

SPC/FAO Workshop on Climate Change Fifteen PICTs, senior fisheries officers, national focal points for climate change and disaster risk management in PICTs, Not-for-profit organisations and Funding bodies The objective: i) Use information from a comprehensive vulnerability assessment of climate change implications for fisheries to ii) identify priority actions

How much fish do we eat? Fish consumption in rural areas (kg/person/year) % % Animal protein 50-94 % Subsistence fishing 47-91 % 90 150 98 50 >150 61 115 62 43 25 21 55 33 75 77 % % % 11 % 11 % 10 % Examples only Range x-y% Source: Bell et al. (2009), Gillett (2009)

Plans to use fish for food security Provide 35 kg of fish per person per year Maintain traditional fish consumption where it is >35 kg

Factors affecting availability of fish Population growth Year Population 2012 10 2035 15 2050 18 2100 27? (million) Source: SPC Statistics for Development Programme

Effects of population growth on availability of fish per person 35 32 26 3 9 10 20 30 40 50 Fiji 35 kg Year 2035 2050 2100 Availability of reef fish per person (kg) 28 22 14 7 13 21 10 20 30 40 50 Solomon Islands 35 kg Year 2035 2050 2100 Availability of reef fish per person (kg)

Effects of climate change 2035 (-2 to -5%) 2050 (-20%) 2100 (-20 to -50%) Today

Additional effects of climate change 35 34 32 28 26 20 3 7 9 15 10 30 40 50 Fiji 35 kg Year 2035 2050 2100 Availability of reef fish per capita (kg) 28 22 19 14 11 7 13 16 21 24 10 20 30 40 50 Solomon Islands 35 kg Year 2035 2050 2100 Availability of reef fish per capita (kg) Effects of population growth Additional effects of climate change

How best to fill the gap? Fish needed for food security tonnes (x1000) Coastal fisheries Freshwater fisheries Pond aquaculture Tuna (and bycatch)

Key facts Population growth will have a much stronger effect on availability of fish from reef fisheries than climate change Shortages of reef fish will occur in many PICTs Most of the gap will need to be filled by tuna

Adaptations and policies Practical measures are needed to minimise and fill the gap

Adaptation decision framework Addresses climate change Long-term Loss Long-term Gain Lose-Lose X Lose-Win Win-Win x Near-term Loss Addresses present drivers Win-Lose Near-term Gain After Grafton (2010)

Win-win adaptations to minimise gap L-W W-W L-L W-L Manage and restore vegetation cover in catchments Improves resilience of coral reef, mangrove and seagrass habitats The following measures should help reduce the threats to the food security and livelihood benefits derived from coastal fisheries.

Win-win adaptations to minimise gap L-W W-W L-L W-L Sustain production of fish stocks Maintaining spawning adults will help ensure replenishment and build resilience of key species

Win-win adaptations to fill gap L-W W-W L-L W-L Increase access to tuna with anchored inshore Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs)

Win-win adaptations to fill gap L-W W-W L-L W-L Improve post-harvest methods

Win-win adaptations to fill the gap L-W W-W L-L W-L Develop coastal fisheries for small pelagic species ?

Other adaptations Moratoriums to rebuild sea cucumber fisheries L-W W-W L-L W-L Moratoriums to rebuild sea cucumber fisheries

Suggested supporting policies Strengthen governance of agriculture, forestry and mining practices to prevent soil loss and pollution, to safeguard fish habitats and water quality Apply ‘primary fisheries management’ to coastal and freshwater stocks to maintain their potential for replenishment

Suggested supporting policies Restrict export of reef fish to retain them for national food security (does not apply to deepwater snapper) Increase access to tuna for the food security by reducing national allocations to industrial fleets

Key investments Revegetation of catchments to trap sediment and maintain riparian (stream side) buffer zones Implement community-based ecosystem approach to fisheries management

Key investments Surveys of best sites for installing inshore FADs Programmes to install and maintain FADs Evaluate merits of micro-credit schemes to develop fisheries around FADs; expand pond aquaculture; and scale-up post-harvest processing

Conclusions Win-win adaptations are available to reduce risks and capitalise on opportunities Supporting policies and investments are needed Integrate adaptations, policies and investments into national strategies and action plans for climate change, including community-based actions supported by partners

Thank you