Local | PANORAMA

Integrating scientific data and traditional knowledge to inform management

The Corridor ecosystem has been well-studied and over 200,000 geo-referenced data points are available to help establish spatial management plans. Fisher communities have participated in monitoring resources in the past and currently are generating data on their catch. This in combination with other data from the literature, and from interviews and mapping processes that fishermen participate in, help integrate a wealth of traditional knowledge and scientific information to produce realistic management proposals. Even when presented with complex analyses of this data resulting from computer models such as INVEST and ZONATION, fishers have shown confidence in the information presented to them and they validate it. By creating a decision-making process that uses evidence from these various sources that all stakeholders believe in, we are building a science-based decision making process. We plan to work with stakeholders to define the best indicators for tracking the impacts of management, and then design a participatory process for monitoring these, developing a common, science-based language for measuring the effectiveness of the program. The program is building a digital platform that will serve to communicate the advances.

CEDO has generated data on this ecosystem for the last 37 years, making it possible to integrate science into the process. The long history of fisher participation in monitoring is also helpful, as they have not questioned the validity of the data they are seeing, in general, and they have the opportunity to fine tune results as well. Government validation of the data generated is key. Government has contributed financially to producing the data and CEDO's work is known and respected.

Funding for long-term monitoring is important and it must include the resources for data management and analysis. Engaging fishers in monitoring, sharing other data sources with them, and producing results that are consistent with their understanding of the ecosystem are powerful in getting them to trust the results. The program also involves a technical team who understands the process and participates in evaluating critical components of analysis. Getting government buy-in is critical for getting them to use the data for policy. Sharing results, credit and ultimately publications with government researchers, can offer important incentives to the government to work together on production and analysis of data.

Inception phase

Implementation

Monitoring

Documentation and dissemination of results

Local

Participation throughout the process

This project involves fishermen and other actors in planning their future use of the coastal marine area of the Puerto Peñasco Corridor, but it also seeks meaningful engagement of stakeholders from the onset by engaging them in implementing actions to improve ecosystem management. Many practitioners of CMSP are frustrated with the timeframe involved in moving from planning to implementation. Stakeholders get frustrated too. This project gets stakeholders involved in activities such as cleaning beaches, monitoring resources, analyzing data, distributing materials to their communities and in supporting youth in their community. It shows them what collective action is and how it can be implemented in so many ways. It also serves in building their capactiy for ecosystem management.

CEDO is involved in programs for youth and other community members, such as resource monitoring and beach cleanups and we conduct other activities to engage people. We offer opportunities for stakeholders to be involved in concrete actions that have an immediate impact on their children, their beaches and their understanding of resources. While the long planning process takes place, these actions serve to inspire participants and to show them what they can accomplish by participating and working together.

Fishermen don't understand the time-scale required for an integrated management program. They get impatient and want immediate results, which is why it is important to engage them in the work that needs to be done to develop a functional managment system. Sometimes we forget to remind them of the big picture and the timeline that shows where they are going and what they have accomplished so far. They fear the government will not do their part in this process. Maintaining active engagement of all levels of the government is key, but also a challenge, as individuals are changing. Government is constantly being approached to solve problems in the short term rather than using a more comprehensive, integrated approach and so fishers must be encouraged to wait. Creating spaces for communities to meet with government is important. Long-term funding for such a comprehensive and integrated approach needs to be guaranteed.

Strengthening Capacity for Collective Action and Informed Decision-Making

The fishing communities of the Corridor are isolated from one another and are marginalized from the regional economy. They have few opportunities to interact at that scale. Even within a community there is little social structure. The project created a forum for interaction and collaboration for solving problems. To strengthen capacity to participate in this forum and planning process, we have focused on building fisher capacity to represent their communities in an Intercommunity Management Group. Workshops have been offered on communication, negotiation, and other leadership skills. We developed materials, held workshops and organized exchanges with other fishermen to give them a better understanding of the variety of management tools that can be applied to improve fisheries and reduce conflicts. This is key to setting the stage for informed decision-making and adopting new management instruments. For more comprehensive acceptance of the process, all community members should be informed. Through communication programs, messages on billboards, radio addresses, social media and workshops, the program involves the entire community to understand and support the process.

CEDO has a long history of promoting environmental literacy and culture in the region and has tools and resources that aid in this process. CEDO's ability to communicate in a language that fishermen understand facilitates learning. As a local organization, CEDO can adapt its scheduling of meetings and classes to the rhythm of fishing which is somewhat unpredictable due to environmental conditions. Fishermen and communities are eager to learn, but cannot afford to miss income from fishing.

One challenge is transportation. Communities are isolated from public transportation, and CEDO has tried to provide this, but without adequate resources. Solutions could be found if funds were available to purchase vans. One of the most important components for effective capacity building is to speak the language of your audience and to create experiences for interchange, rather than talking at the public. This creates a positive learning environment both for the facilitator as well as the fishermen. Capacity building is also strengthened through direct participation and opportunities to learn while doing, which we promote as another building block in this process.

Inception phase

Implementation

Documentation and dissemination of results

Local

Building trust and meaningful relationships

Our initial approach with fishermen was to have them identify the problems they were facing. Since fishing is their main economic activity, we gave focus to addressing their needs through this lens. They expressed a need for fishing permits, so we began helping them through the process for registering their boats - a first step, and by connecting them with the government who is responsible for giving them permits. We helped build a governance structure and transparent and inclusive process which gives fishers access to the government by bringing the government to the table to address their problems. Individually they were unable to get the government's attention. This has helped build working relationships with authorities where they have to respond directly to stakeholders, building meaningful relationships along the way. The Corridor program addresses their needs, especially their economic needs. In addition to helping resolve fishers need for clarifying their rights to fish and helping them move towards more sustainable fisheries, we also are identifying alternative economic options of interest to communities, such as ecotourism and will help find resources to move these forward as sustainable economic options. We will also connect fishers to sustainable markets.

Trust. It is a difficult for an environmental organization to lead such a process with fishermen, as this sector is known for being strongly focused on conservation outcomes. The leading organization facilitating this process, CEDO, has worked in the communities of the region for 37 years and built trust with fishers to work together. CEDO's persistence and willingness to help them with their issues as well as our own agenda, helped build a working relationship and trust with fishers.

Fishermen trust is influenced by many factors. There are some that try to undermine the trust that fishermen have in CEDO by starting rumors that fishermen listen to about CEDO's motives for conservation. It is important to maintain regular dialogue with fishers and to have transparent, well documented processes that show social equity. Through CEDO's many environmental education programs throughout the years, and through this program, fishermen have the opportunity to learn about the ecosystem and ultimately to decide for themselves whether it is important to manage their ecosystem well and support conservation.

Planning phase

Inception phase

Local

Financial literacy and resiliency

To shift to more sustainable fishing, fishers needed to build up their savings to cushion their households against crises and shocks. Savings clubs were organized across the municipalitiy using the Village Savings and Loan Association model. After 9 months, 4 clubs with 95 members had been formed and clubs had an average of Php 3200 saved per member.

VSLA approach has strong safeguards to promote accountaibility among members; Word of mouth encouraged other fishing households to join.

Wives of the fishermen are critical to building household savings and must be reached out to. It is also important to share stories of what the savings have been used for, such as medical emergencies, or tiding family over during days when weather is bad for fishing, to inspire each other to continue.

Implementation

Local

Fisheries reform, one coastal town at a time, Business Mirror, April 2, 2017

Organizational Development and Capacity-building

There are several critical organizations within the community that need to be developed or strengthened. The campaign must ensure that the fishery councils, the management bodies, and the fisher associations are organized and well-functioning. They are trained on topics like Adaptive Fisheries Management, Management Essentials, Volunteer Management, and Team Building.

Openness for cooperation and learning.

The functioning and support of fishery councils, the management bodies and the fisher associations is necessary for the success of the fish forever campaign.

Implementation

Local

Subnational

Community Engagement & Behavior Change

The campaign team at each municipality uses a mix of creative materials and community mobilization activities to inspire and educate fishers and their families about the benefits of working together to manage their fisheries better. In the ‘Readiness’ phase, the messages are focused on getting the fishers to become registered fishers, comply with basic fishing laws, and participate in meetings. In the second phase after the managed access areas are legalized, the messages focus on building compliance for the rules of the MAA+S and continued monitoring of their catch.

Strong sense of place and identity among fishers on the island; Active support of municipal and village leaders; Motivated and efficient staff.

Many commonalities exist between sites, so the campaign was able to use materials adopted from the other municipalities that have also pushed for basic fisheries management. Local adaptation, especially of mobilization activities, helped to make the campaigns more site-specific and ‘ownable’ by the community.

Implementation

Local

Subnational

Participatory Managed Access Design & Implementation

Using the data from profiling, fishers and community leaders are engaged in a series of workshops that guides them through a) defining their community goals for fisheries and conservation, b) zoning and marking off their municipal waters, c) evaluating their reserves, d) delineating areas for managed access, and e) agreeing on the rules within their managed access areas. When these have been agreed on, they are codified in policy and institutional arrangements for ongoing implementation.

Buy-in of the mayor and local legislative council helped drive process in communities, and previously designated management areas served as starting points for further spatial planning.

Inputs from first stage were critical for building trust for this stage. It was important that all discussions and agreements during the workshops would be shared with communities in feedback and consultation sessions before proceeding to the next stage of the design process.

Implementation

Local

Subnational

Understanding People and Context

Qualitative and quantitative research is conducted to produce profiles of both the fisheries and the fishers, so that current fishing grounds, gears and practices are documented. Current knowledge, attitudes and sources of information are also measured.

Participatry processes ensured that community validated the information and accepted it as a basis for future decisions • A partner academic institution provided technical expertise and credibility with the community. • Previous projects in the area also yielded valuable scientific information.

The amount of time needed to educate the fishers and the community on basic coastal resource and fisheries management should not be underestimated. Multiple listening sessions and discussions are important to build understanding and support.

Creating a rooftop farmers network

Involving children in rooftop farming activities

GIZ

A rooftop farmers network established with all participating community members/ households focused on creating a community of practice. As people are more likely to lose interest and get demotivated, creating a support system where beneficaries can exchange, share experiences, challenges, thoughts, and even dreams has proved to keep people motivated and also strengthen social ties between community members.

A platform for regular exchanges that mobilizes the rooftop farmers

Regular exchanges focusing on different topics to spark the farmer's interests
visits could be integrated in these exchanges
ongoing communication, especially during extreme weather events is cruicial. A whatsapp group was initiated to keep participants in close communication with Hub Enablers, and to also share photos of unusual plant conditions

Implementation

Monitoring

Documentation and dissemination of results

Entirety

Local