When creating a communications campaign about fisheries and aquaculture, it is essential to tailor the messaging to the target audience to ensure maximum impact and engagement. Consider the specific demographics, interests, and knowledge levels of the audience you are trying to reach. Understanding the target audience and traditions surrounding the perception, practices, and consumption of fish, can help in crafting messages that are relatable and impactful. Adapting the messages to the cultural context is also crucial when planning a media campaign, because it ensures that the content resonates with the target audience in a meaningful way.

The “Let Me Tell You” series animations, focusing on the nutrition value of fish, sustainable aquaculture practices, the fish value chain, and WASH elements, is particularly suitable for the rural Zambian context for several reasons. Firstly, the use of animations can effectively convey complex information in a visually engaging and easily understandable format, making it accessible to a wide audience, including those with low literacy levels.

Secondly, targeting school kids with this animation series is a strategic approach to start early sensitization on the importance of fish and the potential of the fisheries and aquaculture sector. By educating children about these topics, they can become advocates for sustainable practices within their families and communities, helping to instill a culture of responsible consumption and environmental stewardship from a young age. Additionally, animations have the ability to capture the attention and interest of children, making the learning process more enjoyable and memorable. This can lead to increased retention of information and a greater likelihood of behaviour change towards more sustainable practices related to fish consumption and the fisheries sector. While the animation is inspired by Zambia’s rural landscape and its communities’ culture and traditions, the series still resonates with other countries in the Southern African region.

Cultural context influences how individuals perceive and interpret messages. Adapting the messaging to align with cultural norms, values, beliefs, and language can enhance the effectiveness of the campaign. By considering these factors, the campaign can avoid misunderstandings, misinterpretations, or unintended offense. This also demonstrates respect for the diversity and uniqueness of different communities, fostering a sense of inclusivity and connection with the audience.
 

Communication campaigns play a vital role in advancing sustainability goals in these sectors. These campaigns educate various stakeholders in the fish value chain, including fishers, fish farmers, retailers, consumers, policymakers, and the general public, about the importance of sustainable practices and the nutritional value of fish. A communication campaign can effectively communicate the value of fish in nutrition, the potential of the fisheries and aquaculture sector to create jobs and income, the challenges facing the industry, and the importance of sustainable practices and innovations. By highlighting these key points, the campaign can foster collaboration among stakeholders in the sector to address common challenges and work towards shared goals. This collaboration can lead to the building of partnerships between government agencies, industry players, non-profit organisations, and other relevant stakeholders to promote sustainable practices, support innovation, and drive economic growth in the fisheries and aquaculture sector. Through communication campaigns, stakeholders can be mobilized to participate in training programmes aimed at improving skills, knowledge, and practices in the industry. These campaigns can also mobilize support for initiatives that promote sustainable fisheries management, conservation efforts, and responsible aquaculture practices. By engaging with stakeholders and raising awareness about the importance of these initiatives, communication campaigns can encourage behaviour change in both ­production and consumption patterns, leading to more sustainable practices and a healthier marine ecosystem.
 

The successful implementation and longevity of the MSP relies on several key factors: Establishing a system that maintains transparency and trust among stakeholders is a fundamental prerequisite and the basis of effective collaboration. Transparency can be achieved through open communication and honest sharing of information among the stakeholders. Open communication together with holding stakeholders accountable for their commitments as anchored in the governance framework helps to build trust.

Flexibility is another critical factor MSPs should endeavour in order to adapt to evolving sectoral priorities as well as to stakeholder dynamics. Therefore, the platform should be capable and open to react to changes and new information and accordingly revise its strategy and work plan or include emerging stakeholders. This can be achieved through regular evaluations and adjustments – also regarding the general MSP performance – which contributes to the achievement of its mission. 

As MSPs have the long-term purpose of sectoral improvement, members need to recognize that meaningful change may take time and requires sustained efforts. Developing and communicating a clear joint vision helps to keep stakeholders committed to the set goals over the long haul. In addition, creating ownership through the allocation of responsibilities keeps stakeholders engaged and should be considered as an essential aspect in terms of sustainability. 

In terms of communication, the development and sharing of a clear strategy to all new members helps to facilitate communication inside and outside the MSP. 

Another important aspect is the promotion and coordination of research and data collection through the MSP with the goal of ensuring evidence-based decision-making and strategies, and to remain the MSP effective in its mission. One example is a feasibility study on authorizing catch and release during the fish ban, aimed at establishing a peak period for tourism. Catch and release is a key activity in tourism, and this study seeks to harmonize evidence-based legislation between tourism and fisheries.

Identifying sustainable funding sources or mechanisms is essential for the long-term viability of MSP, because without adequate financial support, the platform will struggle to maintain its activities. Considering this aspect already in the planning and formation phase of the MSP avoids problems later, especially when the platform is initiated with the financial support of donors that have only limited time and resources for the facilitation. 
 

Avoiding risks

For the successful establishment and management of MSPs, it is also important to consider potential internal risks that exist. One of them being the dominance of powerful stakeholders which marginalizes the voices of smaller or less influential groups. This highlights the importance to implement mechanisms that ensure power balance, especially when developing the governance framework. The rotation of leadership positions and equal say for all members regardless of their size or lobbying power are two possible ways of addressing this. 

Another potential risk is the occurrence of conflicting interests due to the wide array of stakeholders engaged. This can slow down consensus building and the joint decision-making. Striking a balance between inclusivity and efficiency is a continual challenge.
 

The organisational structure of the MSP can vary according to the agreed governance framework, but a common set-up includes a governance body and several working groups. The governance body usually comprises a chair and co-chairs, and a limited amount of members which should represent the stakeholder groups engaged in the MSP. The positions can be appointed from within the membership of the MSP and should be rotated from time to time.

The task of the governance body is the general steering and successful operation of the MSP, and it accounts for its strategic evolution. It also oversees the working groups, reviews strategic plans, and ensures the engagement of stakeholders. Moreover, it is responsible for the continuous collaboration between the platform and the government, especially in terms of policy formulation. The governance body should meet regularly, e.g. twice per year.

Another important position closely linked to the governance body is the secretariat. Responsibilities and tasks of the secretariat can be supporting the governance body in its mandate, facilitating meetings and workshops of the MSP, the communication within the platform, and the development of a sustainability plan.

The working groups work on specific topics that are of importance for the MSP, which could be fingerling production, fish trade, or fisheries management and conservation. Membership in the groups is usually voluntary, but members should preferably have a certain expertise regarding the specific topics they work on. The respective groups report to the governance body, give recommendations, contribute to formulating policies, and assist with technical matters. They should also meet on a regular basis (depending on the urgency of the topic and desired results it could be between three to six times per year). 

Other organisational components in MSPs can be established, e.g. general assemblies, or a specific voting system for decision-making. The exact structures, roles, tasks, and processes are stated in the governance framework. In any case, the principals of participatory governance, inclusivity, and equity of the different stakeholders as well as transparency should always be incorporated to respect the integrative and transparent nature of MSPs. 

Clear and effective communication is another vital aspect for the successful functioning of the MSP. Internal communication among stakeholders – usually facilitated through the secretariat – ensures that everyone is well informed and engaged. External communication and outreach efforts help to convey objectives, outcomes, and benefits of the MSP to the broader community, potential partners and funders. 
 

Once roles and responsibilities are allocated, a work plan can be developed, defining concrete steps needed to achieve the MSP’s objectives. The work plan is typically developed collaboratively with input from all stakeholders to ensure that activities are aligned with the platform’s goals and objectives. Clear activities, timelines, and resources should be outlined in the plan. In this step the crucial aspect of funding is addressed as well. Necessary funds and ways to obtain them are elaborated to ensure the smooth implementation of the activities and the overall operation of the MSP. There are several ways how financial resources can be secured, such as through contributions of MSP members, grants and donations, or funding through the government. 
 

Another crucial step in the formation is the development of a governance framework that builds the core of the MSP. It defines the rules of operation, roles, and responsibilities of participating stakeholders. This also includes the appointment of leadership positions within the MSP steering- and implementation structure. The stakeholders should work together to draft governance documents that outline these aspects, in order to ensure wide acceptance for these documents. The governance framework ensures that the MSP operates efficiently and that decision-making processes are clear and transparent with mechanisms for dispute resolution and conflict management in place. 
 

After the stakeholders have been mapped, they are brought together to find common grounds and build consensus. During engagement meetings, which can be facilitated by a moderator of a neutral third party, the stakeholders cooperatively identify and discuss joint challenges, define shared objectives, and formulate a common vision that should align with national and global agendas. These collective discussions ensure the inclusion of the different perspectives in the strategic and content-related orientation of the MSP. The creation of a shared vision and joint goals help to align efforts, create ownership, and maintain momentum amongst the members. 
 

To ensure comprehensive representation, stakeholder groups and actors that are directly and indirectly connected to fisheries and aquaculture have to be mapped. This can be done through workshops where key stakeholders, in the case of aquaculture, e.g. the responsible ministry and fish farmer associations, jointly identify other relevant stakeholders. Due to different constellation in each country, stakeholder types can vary. In the case of fisheries and aquaculture, general key stakeholder groups and actors that are involved are:

• Public sector: ministries and departments responsible for fisheries and aquaculture and, potentially, other governmental bodies that are connected to the sector, e.g. dealing with forestry, water, or agriculture;
• Private sector: various actors including small scale fishers and fish farmers, large scale operators and companies, as well as actors along the value chain, operating in e.g. feed and gear production, fish processing, transportation, or marketing;
• Agriculture farmers having impact on water quality and use;
• Other user of water bodies related to aquaculture and fisheries;
• Civil society organisations and the media;
• Cooperating partners: international and national development agencies, international organisations (e.g. FAO, World Bank, WorldFish, WWF, etc.), and development banks;
• Academia and research: universities and research institutions;
• Traditional leaders, indigenous communities, and community members; and
• Conservation groups: agencies working in environmental protection and conservation.
   

 Enhance publicity and guidance to elevate public awareness of wildlife protection. The Dalaoling Reserve prioritizes ongoing public engagement, frequently organizing nature education activities centered on wildlife conservation, particularly during significant events such as National Ecology Day. Additionally, the short video footage of forest musk deer captured by infrared cameras has been featured multiple times on CCTV's "The Eye of the Secret Environment," achieving commendable results in science popularization and significantly enhancing public awareness of forest musk deer conservation.
Develop green industries and encourage surrounding villagers to join the protection army. With good mountains and good water as the medium, the green development model of "tea - fruit - bee - wine" is constructed for Qianjinyuan Village, and the rural green industry chain is created. To promote the development of the bird-watching industry around Dalaoling, attracting more than 400 bird watchers from outside to watch birds in the Dalaoling Reserve every year, creating an average economic income of more than 100,000 yuan for local farmers. Assisted in the establishment of the Dalaoling Forest Health Association, promoted the development of the surrounding farm music industry, and increased the average household income of nearly 20,000 yuan in 2024, so that villagers can change the tradition of relying on natural resources as the main economic source, serve the "green bowl" at the door, eat the "ecological meal", and join the wild resources "protection group".

Strengthen cooperation in scientific research and continue to carry out scientific research monitoring. The application of infrared cameras and other modern monitoring technology for research, in-depth understanding of forest musk deer habits and survival methods, in-depth cooperation with the Three Gorges University, the Chinese Academy of Forestry and other scientific research institutions, with the help of professional forces to improve the level of protection, jointly carried out forest musk deer protection research. More than 160 cameras have been continuously deployed in Dalaoling Reserve for more than 7 years, and the population dynamics and habitat distribution of forest musk deer have been obtained in real time, so as to strengthen the protection of forest musk deer activity sites and reduce the corresponding human interference.