Unlike Social Marketing, the Technical Assistance (TA) is based on more personal interactions with the fishers at the fishing group level (cooperatives or associations) or at the individual fisher level. This allows the issues to be addressed with more detail and depth, although larger groups of people are not reached. The overarching goal is to promote fishers´ support for conservation actions (e.g., creation of FRZ, adoption of sustainable fishing practices). Technical assistance tools are targeted towards building capacity in coastal communities and removing technical barriers, emphasizing leadership among fishers to improve the management of fisheries resources. Examples of technical assistance activities include one-on-one conversations, fishing trips, fisher exchanges among sites, formal training in specific fishing methods through workshops and courses, informal training, meetings with the authorities, follow-up with administrative and legal processes (e.g., fishing concession/permit renewal) and providing organizational materials (e.g., file cabinets, blackboards, etc.).

Alternative adaptation options were analyzed via the Marine InVest tool to identify costs and benefits of these approaches. Costs were incorporated directly into the scenarios and InVEST. This included the costs of implementation of adaptation options combined with any associated costs to ecosystem services quantified by our models, and benefits represented by the positive return in ecosystem service values quantified by our models. Local experts helped in reviewing the selected ecosystem services and adaptation options. A technical report was developed on the activities.

We carefully prepared our maps and other data and then wrote a supporting letter to one of the organizers of the IUCN CBD EBSA meeting in Moscow in March 2013. After some back and forth, we managed to get a formal invitation and to raise the funds to send researcher Mikhail Nagaylik. He attended and submitted a strong case for a large EBSA covering most of the east coast of Kamchatka. This EBSA was accepted and supported both by the scientists as well as the Ministry in Moscow.

The Fishermen Association of the Rural Municipality of Mangagoulack (Casamance, Senegal) was informed that— following international CBD decisions and IUCN recommendations— Senegal was promoting and respecting locally established “community conserved areas”. The association thus mobilized the community to create Kawawana ¬ (“our local heritage to be preserved by us all”) in its ancien estuarine territory. In Kawawana, the ancient governance and management rules– renovated and agreed upon also by the municipal and regional governments – are finally again respected.

The Israel Marine Plan’s basic approach emphasizes that the marine space is essentially (ultimately) public. It aspires to view the different interests of all the stakeholders fairly and guarantee the provision of its ecosystem services over time. Through its goals, the plan offers way for informed and responsible management of the sea, applying an overall ecological approach. It aims to develop marine knowledge, to improve public awareness of what exists in the marine space, and to shape the way it is depicted spatially. Stakeholders are actively involved in the planning process and accompanied by local and international professional scientific advisory committees. The planning process is supported by the use of the interactive GIS tool that helps to visualize resource use, potential conflicts, and management scenarios and thus enables comprehensive planning.

This building block focuses on documenting and disseminating results so that the experience can be captured and replicated elsewhere. Sharing and disseminating successful project results can encourage other interested parties to conduct site visits to observe the project first hand and meet the people involved. This kind of peer to peer learning can often be the first step towards replication. Documentation can also be used as a powerful advocacy tool to create leverage for greater commitment to waste management policies at regional and national scales. Documentation can be in many different formats ranging from a brief project summary or personal testimonies from the people involved, to powerful images that show the project in action or short film clips that can be embedded in websites and shared on social media etc. The greater variety of visual documentation the project has, the greater influence it can have on decision making processes related to waste management (or any other issue of concern). Documentation of results also plays an important role in the review and evaluation phase so that project leaders can identify the contribution of each building block to the overall outcome.

A Theory of Change (ToC) is a road map that plots the journey from where we are now to where we want to be. The ToC serves to create a common vision of long-term goals, how they will be reached, and how progress will be measured along the way. A ToC forms the basis for strategic planning, and it clearly articulates how shifting behaviors and social norms will reduce threats to biodiversity. There are seven elements of a Pride campaign ToC: Conservation Result points to the conservation target (ecosystem or species) the campaign is trying to conserve, and what the expected long-term result is. Threat Reduction points to the main threats to the conservation target that can be reduced. Behavior Change focus on the human behavior that must change in order to reduce the identified threat. Barrier Removal identifies the barriers to adoption of the new behavior and how can they be removed. Interpersonal Communication describes what conversations are needed to encourage people to adopt the new behavior. Attitude identifies what attitudes must shift for these conversations to happen. Knowledge is the cognition needed to increase awareness and help shift these attitudes.

Networking and linking up with other organisations to support fishers’ initiatives.

Lionfish management requires the involvement of all affected parties, coupled with tailored strategies to reflect ecological, cultural and social differences within the region. Legal policies regulate the aquarium trade of lionfish, as well as conditions and gear for lionfish removal.

We presented our work in the local schools and community centres through talks and slides, and we were interviewed by local newspapers to explain our work and gain support within the community. We also offered to talk about our work on tourist ships. Outreach is an important part of gaining community support among local people, including researchers, fishers, and of course media. The rationale is that without their support, marine habitat protection will be less likely to be respected.