With the support of WCS and under the guidance of the Government fisheries enforcement agency, each association has set up a local Control and Surveillance Committee (CCS) that is made up of volunteer community rangers, who are officially recognized by the Government and provided with a registered, numbered identification badge. The CCS allows the application and enforcement of the rules and regulations set out in both the management plan and the dinas. Rangers are equipped and trained to carry out surveillance and enforcement missions and given focused training on: knowledge of regulations; awareness raising methods; dissuasion/sanctions; repression; registration of offenses; and definition of strategies and organization for surveillance and control missions. Rangers come from a range of social backgrounds and include men & women, village chiefs, traditional & religious authorities, private sector operators, school teachers, and fishermen. The CCS carry out missions according to varying schedules and depending on the circumstances with joint patrols by several associations to cover larger areas or joint missions of CCS rangers and Government fisheries enforcement representatives when significant infractions are observed.
- Willingness of Government to formally transfer certain enforcement responsibilities to communities and to formally recognize the role of local communities.
- In the initial stages, a technical and financial partner that can provide substantial external support for the establishment, piloting and initial implementation of systems.
- Communities willing to play the role of enforcer and understand the benefits that will result.
It is necessary to consider the longer term funding and put in place systems for financial sustainability from the outset of project develop. In the same way it is important to plan for technical autonomy for CCSs so that there can be a progressive withdrawing of technical partners. Such community led systems have many positive aspects – proximity, flexibility, engagement etc. – but it is important to ensure that they are not developed in a manner that attempts to duplicate or replace the regulatory role of the Government. This is particularly true in situations such as Madagascar where Government agents are significantly under-resourced and are largely absent from regular field based enforcement activities. From a practical point of view uniforms and badges are extremely important to give the rangers an elevated status in communities so that they are respected and to encourage others to join the CCS.