1. POLICY INITIATIVES TO STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION
Coastal Fisheries Policy and Planning Course, 28/01/08 – 8/02/08, Apia, Samoa
POLICY INITIATIVES TO STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION
UNIT 1
Pio E. Manoa
School of Marine Studies
Faculty of Islands & Oceans
University of the South Pacific
Secretariat of the Pacific Community

2. Unit 1 Objective:
Understand the fisheries policy processes, institutions and systems: How does it work?

3. Unit 1 Learning Outcomes:
Understand the process, influences and trends in fisheries policy
Identify and apply relevant international and regional instruments in the development of national policy
Appreciate the different types of national and local institutions in the Pacific Islands region and their basis in law and policy

4. Unit 1 - Topics covered: Overview of fisheries policy processes
International and regional instruments and their relevance to national coastal fisheries policy
Review of national institutions and systems and their policy and legislative framework
Policy initiatives for strengthening the participation of Pacific Island communities in coastal fisheries management and decision-making

5. Overview Importance of Community Participation Community Initiatives
Policy Initiatives that Strengthen Community Participation

6. Importance of Community Participation
Rights and interests over coastal environments
Reliance on marine resources for subsistence, traditional and commercial purposes
Monitoring, control and surveillance
Existing of traditional/customary protocols and rules in most countries

7. Importance of Community Participation cont’d
Traditional knowledge
Control over local and adjacent communities
Future aspirations
Long term sustainability interests

8. Examples of existing initiatives
Locally Managed Marine Areas
Marine Protected Areas
Marine Reserves
Community Conservation Areas
Other forms of traditional management
Role in monitoring, control and surveillance

9. Examples of existing initiatives
Locally Managed Marine Areas:
Community involvement in identification of site, monitoring and data collection, ongoing management and other activities
Government recognition beneficial
Bottom-up approach

10. Examples of existing initiatives
Marine Protected Areas:
Community role may be similar to LMMA;
National government endorsement and recognition
Bottom-up and/or Top-down approach

11. Examples of existing initiatives
Marine Reserves:
Can be established under Traditional rules and protocols
Can also be established under national legislation in almost all countries
Bottom-up and/or Top-down approach

12. Examples of existing initiatives
Community Conservation Areas:
Unique to Vanuatu but parallels in other countries
Can be applied to marine and coastal areas where community has ownership rights and interests
Bottom-up approach endorsed at the national level

13. Examples of existing initiatives
Role in MCS:
Community has vital role in Monitoring, Control and Surveillance of fishery
Examples:
Honorary Fish Wardens (Fiji)
Island enforcement officers
Koror State rangers (Palau)
Traditional enforcement

14. Policy Initiatives that Strengthen Community Participation
Promote responsible and sustainable fisheries
Take into account relevant concepts and principles in FAO Code of Conduct and other international and regional instruments
Need for recognition of role of communities in management in national policy and practice

15. Policy Initiatives that Strengthen Community Participation
Broad policy considerations include:
Recognition that traditional resource owners and coastal communities can potentially play a vital role in coastal fisheries management;
Acknowledgement in relevant jurisdictions that traditional policies and rules relating to coastal areas and fisheries are an effective regulatory tool;
Establishing a capacity development strategy in national policy for traditional resource owners and coastal communities.