The multi-stakeholder’s approach is at the core of the regional dialogue on Blue Economy and at the heart of the UfM mandate. In this regard, the Mediterranean Blue Economy Stakeholder Platform (MedBESP) was created to ensure the involvement of different stakeholders in a dynamic and interactive way, being a regional networking platform for sharing knowledge and supporting the development of the blue economy. It allows the facilitation of coordination and links among initiatives, programs and projects of relevance to blue economy, triggering the final impact of the existing initiatives.

The Mediterranean Blue Economy Stakeholder Platform has been proven to expand the Blue Economy community, to ensure flow of information and communicate all content types in an appealing, engaging, shareable way, to engage the community, to get platform users to share content and connect with each other. 

In order to ensure sustainability and long-term effectiveness, those areas are managed by the community, alongside with: 

• Development of a sustainable fish consumer guide for restaurants and tourists through research on sustainable fish, fishing practices, fish supply chains and demand
• Establishment of 5 livelihood associations such as VSLAs
• Feasibility study for the development of sustainable fishing cooperatives
• Training and equipment of fishermen as Ocean Rangers to monitor fishing practices.

These activities have resulted in the reduction of destructive, indiscriminate artisanal fishing methods and over-fishing in four fishing communities in order to reduce unsustainable pressure on fish stocks and the catch of vulnerable species (Tofo, Barra, Rocha, Morrungulo and potentially Bazaruto).

With the creation of an effective network of Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs) along Inhambane´s coast and sustainable fishing activity throughout the most bio-diverse waters, MMF aims to mitigate threats to vulnerable species.

Community activities were succesfully achieved through monitoring the conservation outcomes and threats and preventing destructive fishing activities (Tofo, Barra, Rocha, Morrungulo).

Management of surface and groundwater resources is a serious concern to local communities. Efforts at the individual or household level are not sufficient to plan and manage water. Hence it is essential that the diverse groups associated with a particular water resource come together to understand, plan and manage the resource judiciously, equitably and sustainably.

Watershed development, for example, through the Village Watershed/ Development Committee supported by the local governing body, brings all inhabitants of the entire village(s) together to regenerate their degraded watershed to enhance soil and water harvesting potential.

Two types of ShE events are:

1) Engaging the primary and secondary stakeholders at cluster level: these involve participation of direct water users and the neighbouring (upstream and downstream) communities to understand the scientific knowledge shared and active engagement in exercises.

2) Engaging representatives of the primary, secondary and tertiary stakeholders at block or district levels: These are mainly the government officials, experts in water, agriculture and allied sectors, practitioners, academics and research institutes. At this level of stakeholder engagement, participants discuss the larger perspectives of policy, advocacy and legal dynamics of water resources.

Regular monitoring of the NEPL NP’s ecotourism program is essential to ensure the conservation objectives as well as continuous visitor satisfaction and therefore the overall project sustainability. The NEPL NP ecotourism program monitors the following information:

• Wildlife monitoring is adapted to the ecotourism area and incorporates all or some of the following techniques: Camera trapping, GPS recorded all direct/indirect observations, Species recording of direct observations.
• Financial data is entered in the system for every tour and is analysed on monthly and annual basis
• Visitor Feedback data is collected from all visitors after every tour and allows to identify and improve tour services at the best delay as well as offers an opportunity to consider new ideas and further improvement needs.
• Visitor Arrival and Profile is collected from all visitors on every tour and allows to identify the visitor trends and profile and therefore better understand and communicate to the market, as well as identify new opportunities.

Two ranger stations are located in the two NEPL NP ecotourism sites. The law enforcement teams in the ecotourism area apprehend illegal activities, protect the tourism infrastructures and contribute data to the Ecotourism Benefit Fund calculation. In addition, the NEPL NP ecotours deliver benefits to the NEPL NP law enforcement program through the following activities: (1) regular presence in NEPL NP, (2) illegal activity identification (3) communication on the protected area's regulations to communities & visitors

A total of 24 Common Loon chicks were successfully moved from New York and Maine to southeastern Massachusetts as part of BRI’s Massachusetts loon translocation project conducted from 2015-2017 -- 

• 15 were reared in aquatic enclosures before being released onto Pocksha, Assawompset, or Little Quittacas Ponds (APC). 
• 9 older chicks were directly released after being transported. 

In 2017, an immature loon chick translocated the previous year was re-confirmed on the APC, marking the first record of a loon chick returning to the release site after its release year. 

As of spring 2020, nine adult loons returned to the lakes in Massachusetts to which they were translocated and captive-reared, and then from which they fledged. Their return marks a major milestone in the efforts to translocate Common Loons.

Chicks are reared for various lengths of time depending on age and how well they acclimate to the pen. Prior to release to the wild, chicks are given a full health assessment, and banded with a unique color and number combination. 

Once released, chicks adapt quickly, foraging on their own almost immediately. BRI biologists monitor the chicks daily when first released, then weekly until they fledge.

Project oversight plays an important role in implementing lessons learned, and there is a constant flow of information between our team in Congo and the UK office. Beyond the core team access to other key professionals is also continuously available, such as our UK veterinary team, should their advice be needed. Setting effective baselines at the start of the project is an effective tool when evaluating progress. The project has no defined end date, and future planning is always under review. Information and data gained through oversight and evaluation are key elements of future planning.

Camera traps are an important tool for monitoring and gathering information, and have been used by the team for a number of years. More recently we have been able to train, and equip patrol teams in using the Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART).