Implementation | PANORAMA

Adapting international law to novel conservation requirement

The revision of the Protocol on Specially Protected Areas to the Barcelona Convention, concluded in 1995, allowed to include the possibility for Mediterranean States to extend place-based protection to the Mediterranean high seas. This inclusion was proposed by legal experts who had been involved in the Pelagos Sanctuary negotiations, and eventually led to the listing of the Pelagos Sanctuary as a SPAMI.

Simultaneous revision of the Barcelona Convention and its Protocols; coincidence of Pelagos Sanctuary negotiators with Barcelona Convention revision negotiators.

This building block was in large part serendipitous, as it wouldn't have been possible to plan it ahead of time. However it demonstrates the advantages of ensuring that there is cross-cutting communication among the conservation and policy actors at the regional level.

Implementation

Multi-national

Insertion in the community

A requirement to a community led participatory monitoring program is the prior development of strong relationship with the community leaders. The nature, objectives and methods to be used were discussed and agreed with the community before its implementation. Awareness on the lack of and the great value of fisheries landing data was clearly established within the community at the onset of the monitoring program.

Keeping the same staff interacting with the communities so that trust is generated among people representing each party. Prior negotiation on how projects were going to be undertaken and which role the community will have in the activities. Maintaining constant communication with community representatives. Periodically reporting the results of the projects being implemented in the community.

Set in advance the "rules of the game" with community representatives creates an environment of trust. The community involvement in the identification and design process, as well as in the activities, is also very beneficial. The return to the community of the information that was generated and the conclusions drawn from the data collected enables community ownership of the process. The development of this confidence and joint work allows MarViva to be inserted in the community and to be perceived as part of it, facilitating the implementation of processes.

Planning, designing and implementing an awareness campaign

We took a stock of all the existing activities that SGNP was doing relating to outreach and education. I have been working in this space for all my career and I could provide valuable input with the plans I presented. This was easy as I had already proven myself with the website and Facebook page responsibilities. We looked at a multiple range of activities to engage with the people visiting SGNP. I lead a number of pilot nature trails, to demonstrate how these walks can be used as effective medium for biodiversity as well as conservation communications. I drew up small plans for events ranging from half day events to overnight camps. I personally became involved a diversity of topics, from biodiversity, history, archaeology to adventure sports in these activities. SGNP had a campsite (with permanent tents) which they upgraded and made available for longer events. When this plan was ready and agreed on, we invited the print and electronic media and invited them to be a part of these programs. We organised our events for the media free and managed to win their support and participation. Constant engagement and training with SGNP staff happens about backend management and (standard operating procedures) for these events.

Not Applicable

1. Diversifying your means to achieve your objective. 2. Working in close and constant coordination with the regional as well national media. 3. Demonstrating success rather than explaining it. 4. Setting up day-to-day processes and monitoring them.

Inception phase

Implementation

Local

Developing and implementing an international agreement

After the signature (Brussels, 1993) of a joint declaration leading to the designation of a marine mammal sanctuary by the ministers of the Environment of France, Italy and Monaco, negotiations for a trilateral Agreement started. After several negotiation meetings, an agreement text was developed and the Agreement was signed in Rome in November 1999. The Agreement came into force in 2002.

Political support by the Prince of Monaco and others.

More stringent agreements leading to implementation of management plans and proper funding commitments.

Implementation

Documentation and dissemination of results

Multi-national

Developing a proposal for the MPA designation

Based on a decade of ecological data collected since the early 1980s, emphasizing the ecological importance of the area for marine mammals, a proposal (“Project Pelagos”) prepared by Tethys in cooperation with Europe Conservation (an Italian NGO), envisaging the ecological, socio-economic and governance aspects of establishing an international MPA in the area. The proposal was presented on 2 March 1991 to Rainier III, Prince of Monaco.

“Progetto Pelagos” was endorsed and strongly supported by the Rotary Club (Milano, Monaco, St. Tropez), which created a conduit with the Monaco Principality and organised the March 1991 meeting during which the proposal was presented to the Prince of Monaco.

Involving many players from several countries was crucial to the success of achieving an MPA. In retrospect, getting formal agreement that a management body would be properly funded and put in place and that the area would focus fundamentally on conservation with specific directives is essential.

Implementation

Multi-national

A financing scheme through vessel registration and licensing

Fishing vessels are required to be “registered” as a fishing vessel before they can obtain a fishing vessel license. The Department of Surface Transport issues a vessel registration document, on the basis of a letter of support from the DFO, containing vessel name and other specifications. Subsequently, the local government’s fisheries department, specifically the DFO, needs to be approached to obtain a fishing vessel license. Upon evaluation that the vessel is duly registered, DFO issues a fishing license for the specific vessel, and a District alpha numeric code and number are attributed to it, for example TEM – 1001.

Local governments’ willingness and thorough conduct
A financial system and audit trail
Staff to undertake the work
Outreach and local buy-in

In more urban areas with large concentrations of fishing vessels, it was easier for district officers to license vessels and achieve higher numbers / revenues. Where there were numerous landing sites spread out over a large area, the effort became more costly and time intensive.
BMUs have been co-opted in some districts to undertake the licensing and registration based on a cost recovery basis, however, these are still developing concepts for Tanzania and beyond the current scope of this solution.
District authorities collected improved revenues in most districts compared to the previous registration period (between 20 and 600% increase, see project report for detail) as boat owners licensed and registered IUU fishing vessels, and fishers registered themselves to took out licenses to fish.
Financial resources from licensing revenues to the local fisheries organisations have increased on a year by year basis as an initial result of the pilot project.

Implementation

Local

Subnational

Cable tie tags for licensing fishing vessels

Color coded (small plastic zip-lock cable tie) tags are attached to licensed fishing vessels in a pilot approach to determine their identification effectiveness, using two colors per district: one purple for registration on a long duration tag with alpha numeric number, and one orange for the annual fishing vessel license.

Local government political leadership, as well as local department, approval and buy-in
National government approval and buy-in for project
Community sensitization, approval and buy-in
Staff to deploy the tags
Seed funding to purchase the equipment
Fisheries officers and local community-based structures can visually determine if a vessel is legal and has paid the relevant fees for a particular district; licensed fishing vessels can be identified with 100% confidence on the landing site

Robust tools are required to operate in sometimes harsh oceanic conditions. This holds especially for electrical equipment.
Local BMUs know the timing and whereabouts of (legal and illegal) boats. It is therefore essential to obtain their cooperation and support.
Tags cannot be copied easily, minimizing unauthorized or illegal tagging / delinquent vessels.

Implementation

Local

Subnational

Strengthening the management ability of local government

District fisheries officers are supported to travel to fish landing sites and carry out briefing sessions with the local management unit (BMU), vessel owners and fishers to explain the tagging purpose and legal implications of non-compliance.

Local governments’ willingness and leadership to undertake resource management
Local department approval and buy-in
Community approval and buy-in
Staff to undertake the work

Local governments are willing to invest / spend funds if there is a return on their investment.
Local communities, for the most part, are willing to assist in the implementation of compliance activities, if it will improve the fish stocks and/or reduce illegal fishing that impacts on them.
If chances of effective enforcement / penalties are small, fishers tend to be delinquent and will not comply with the set laws and conditions.
Governance and management improve as the actual numbers of fishing vessels and fishermen are known per district.
Improved compliance with licensing and registration provisions of fisheries regulations, up to 110 % in one district, lead to a decrease in the number of delinquent fishing vessels and fishers.
Improvement in registration and licensing resulted in reduction in the number of IUU fishing vessels and fishers as vessels and fishers were now in compliance with regulations.

Implementation

Local

Capacity-building of local people in agroforestry

Rehabilitation of coastal areas through agroforestry reforestation

Gervais Munyororo Yade

Embers production from trees planted by the project - modern carbonization technique

Gervais Munyororo Yade

Formation on chicken breeding techniques

Gervais Munyororo Yade

Agricultural technicians formed the population in the sustainable use of land, tree planting, charcoal production and crop management.

Only available in French. To read this section in French, please download the document "Blue Solution Template in French: ‘Réhabilitation des espaces côtiers par le reboisement agro forestier” from the bottom of this page, under 'Resources'.

Blue Solution Template in French: ‘Réhabilitation des espaces côtiers par le reboisement agro forestier'

Rehabilitation of the banks of the mouth of Lake Togo

Structure built in the ocean to protect the city of Aného.

Pessièzoum Adjoussi

Bank of the lagoon and rehabilitated road.

Pessièzoum Adjoussi

Southern embankment in the city of Aného. The stabilized bank enables the resumption of fishing activities.

Pessièzoum Adjoussi

Embankment in the city of Aného.

Pessièzoum Adjoussi

Phosphate mud in Kpémé.

Pessièzoum Adjoussi

Primary school threatened by erosion in the village of Agbodrafo.

Pessièzoum Adjoussi

Beach erosion before construction work.

Pessièzoum Adjoussi

Abandoned house in the city of Aného.

Pessièzoum Adjoussi

Several abandoned houses in an area subject to erosion.

Pessièzoum Adjoussi

Proposition for a protection plan.

Pessièzoum Adjoussi

Resource extraction.

Pessièzoum Adjoussi

Unprotected sectors in Baguida.

Pessièzoum Adjoussi

Rehabilitated mangroves.

Pessièzoum Adjoussi

Reinforcement of embankments of the mouth of Lake Togo: construction of a rocky structure, paving of the street and creation of a parking area.

Only available in French. To read this section in French, please download the document "Blue Solution Template in French: ‘Contribution à l’amélioration de la résilience à l‘érosion côtière au Togo’” from the bottom of this page, under 'Resources'.

Planning phase

Implementation

Documentation and dissemination of results

Local

Subnational

National

Blue Solution Template in French: ‘Contribution à l’amélioration de la résilience à l‘érosion côtière au Togo’