Sharing of data collected during the monitoring period with key stakeholders during an IMET evaluation, this enabled the data collected to be included in the evaluation of the management of the PA.
Fundacao Tartaruga
Kenyjeer Rodrigues from Cabo Verde Natura 2000 presenting results on the monitoring method: Fisheries biology of Buzio-Cabra/Goat Whelk (Persististrombus latus)
Kate Yeoman - Fundacao Tartaruga
Inilton Tavares from Fundacao Tartaruga presenting the results of monitoring method: Recording of data related to man-made threats and impacts
Kate Yeoman - Fundacao Tartaruga
Nelson Semedo from Bios.CV presenting the results of monitoring method: Census of phoenix atlantica and ficus sycomorus plants and record of related human impact
Kate Yeoman - Fundacao Tartaruga
Following from the six monitoring methods, six databases were also created to collect and analyse the data from these activities. The results have been written up into formal reports in English and Portuguese and shared with the national government.
Each of the three fieldwork coordinators responsible for the data collection, processing and analysis of the data presented the results to other NGOs, the ministry of environment, Câmara Municipal Boa Vista (CMBV) (town council), Society of Tourism Development in Boa Vista and Maio (STDIBVM), Varandinha Association, Port Maritime Institute (IMP) and National Police including Maritime Police
We are also hoping to submit the data collected during this project to be published in national scientific journals.
Cooperation of the stakeholders.
Detailed and through databases produced by Dr Dario Cesarini with formulars for automatic calculation of indicators.
Division of workload.
Sharing data allows for constructive feedback to be given to improve methods in the future. It also brings more meaning to the work and data colelction that was implemented over many months.
Surveys conducted on species, habitats, resources and illegal or damaging practices inside reserve.
Monitoring of Phoenix Atlantica
Kate Yeoman Fundacao Tartaruga
Monitoring of introduced and potentially invasive plant species
Kate Yeoman - Fundacao Tartaruga
Recording of human pressures and impacts
Kate Yeoman - Fundacao Tartaruga
Studying the behavior and abundance of ravens
Rafaella Tavares - Fundacao Tartaruga
Collection of fisheries and morphological data of Buzio Cabra
Thomas Reischig - Fundacao Tartaruga
To complete the surveys, each NGO had a team composed of a coordinator and technicians, the Fundacao Tartaruga’s team was composed of a coordinator and 2 field technicians and 2 drone pilots. Bios.CV and Cabo Verde Natura 2000 had teams composed of a coordinator and 2 technicians. The field teams always consisted of at least 3 members plus volunteers. During this project, they aimed to collect data on biodiversity, pressures, threats, species and climate impacts in the two protected areas, namely: Parque Natural do Norte and Reserva Natural de Tartaruga divided into 6 activities mentioned below:
Behavior and abundance of ravens
Collection of fisheries and morphological data of Buzio Cabra
Monitoring of introduced and potentially invasive plant species
Study of the population of Phoenix Atlantica and Ficus Sycomorus
Recording of human pressures and impacts
Collection of atmospheric climate data in communities
Each NGO participated and contributed equally to the field work element of the project. All participants took part in training and field visits to collect data. Each NGO was responsible for entering and processing the data, preparing reports and presenting the results of two of the monitoring methods. The final results were presented to various stakeholders during the IMET evaluation, which took place in November 2024.
A summary of each activity is provided below, and full reports for each activity are available.
A total of 139 trips were made to complete field work during the 5 months.
19 for the recording of human pressures and impacts
25 for the study of the population of Phoenix Atlantica and Ficus Sycomorus
28 for the behavior and abundance of ravens
19 for the collection of atmospheric climate data in communities
38 for the collection of fisheries and morphological data of Buzio Cabra
10 for the monitoring of introduced and potentially invasive plant species
Provision of high quality training.
Cooperation and clear communication by all members of the team including between different NGOs.
Weekly meetings of the fielwork coordinators allowed them to troubleshoot any issues before they became large problems.
The use of an online data storage facility - onedrive and qfieldcloud allowed for several groups to work simultaneously on the same project in similar areas.
Communication and organisation was key to making this project a success.
Binoculars used for identifying anthropogenic impacts and moniting crows
Fundacao Tartaruga
Use of tablets to record and store data
Inilton Tavares - Fundacao Tartaruga
Materials used to assess the current status of buzio fisheries in Boa Vista
Fundacao Tartaruga
Drones bought to support the monitoring of biodiveristy in the protected areas.
Fundacao Tartaruga
All of the materials needed to implement the six defined monitoring methods were purchased. As Cabo Verde is an isolated achepelago, items needed to be brought from overseas. The three NGOs divided this equipment equally so that each organisation has its own set of equipment to be able to implement the six monitoring activities independently. In the planning phase we had defined 15 kits as the indicator value, however in reality, due to there being 6 monitoring activities implemented by 3 different NGOs, the total number of “kits” was 18 – 3 per monitoring activity.
Having a list of necessary equipment to purchase from the biodiversity consultant.
Multiple people willing to help us to transport monitring equipment from serveral different european countries.
Sufficient budget to pay for the monitoring materials needed
Flexibility was important in ensuring the success and implementation of this activity.
Diving the equipment by three to ensure each NGO received the equipment necessary to implement all 6 activities meant that the activity is now much more sustainable and have a good chance to be implemented over a long period of time.
Sustainable Livelihoods of Kuruwitu Beach Management Unit
Alternative Income Generating incomes
@oceansalive
AIG's
@oceansalive
AIG's
@oceansalive
The Sustainable Livelihoods component of K-BMU was a vital element in the project, aimed at supporting associated value chain actors to improve their livelihoods. This building block involved mapping actors in the fisheries value chain, identifying opportunities for improvement through business plan development, and testing pilot trials to demonstrate viable options. The project successfully met its primary objective under Sustainable Livelihoods, contributing to the enhancement of livelihoods for K-BMU members and associated value chain actors.
Collaborative Mapping of Value Chain Actors: The joint effort by OA, KDoF, and K-BMU Executive to map all actors in the fisheries value chain facilitated a comprehensive understanding of the sector, enabling the identification of opportunities for improvement and ensuring equitable representation.
Rapid Assessment and Business Plan Development: The rapid assessment of value chains and the development of business plan outlines for various options helped identify viable and feasible opportunities for up-scaling, supporting K-BMU in making informed decisions.
Knowledge Sharing and Peer-to-Peer Training: The project's facilitation of knowledge sharing through peer-to-peer training enabled the exchange of best practices, supporting K-BMU members in exploring options for improving their livelihoods and establishing pilot demonstrations.
Support for Pilot Demonstrations: The project's assistance in establishing pilot demonstrations for various Blue Economy value chain options (e.g., product hygiene, restaurants, deep water fish opportunities, eco-tourism, Tengefu options, and coral gardening) provided K-BMU members with hands-on experience and insights into potential livelihood improvements.
Partnership and Technical Support: The partnership between OA, KDoF, and K-BMU Executive, along with the technical support provided, was crucial in facilitating the development of sustainable livelihoods for K-BMU members and associated value chain actors.
Importance of Inclusive Value Chain Mapping: The project highlighted the value of comprehensive and inclusive mapping of value chain actors, ensuring that all stakeholders are considered and represented in decision-making processes.
Viability of Diversified Livelihood Options: The experience with pilot demonstrations showed that diversifying livelihood options, such as exploring eco-tourism, Tengefu management, and coral gardening, can provide viable alternatives for improving the livelihoods of K-BMU members.
Capacity Building through Peer-to-Peer Training: The peer-to-peer training approach demonstrated its effectiveness in building capacities and sharing knowledge among K-BMU members, facilitating the adoption of best practices and new livelihood opportunities.
Need for Continuous Support and Monitoring: The project underscored the importance of ongoing support and monitoring to ensure the sustainability and scaling up of livelihood improvement initiatives, such as the pilot demonstrations established during the project.
Partnerships and Collaborative Approaches: The project's success was largely due to the collaborative efforts among OA, KDoF, K-BMU Executive, and other stakeholders, emphasizing the value of partnerships in achieving sustainable livelihood outcomes.
Management effectiveness and enforcement of the Kuruwitu Beach Management Unit Co - Management Area
MOU discussion
@oceansalive
MCS
@oceansalive
The Legal Framework of K-BMU was a foundational element in implementing the KCMA Plan, aimed at strengthening sustainable livelihoods and effective biodiversity conservation. This component involved upgrading the K-BMU Constitution and operational Bylaws, enhancing awareness among stakeholders, establishing a Monitoring Control and Surveillance (MCS) system, and initiating the gazetting process for the Fishery Limitation Sites (FLS). The project achieved its primary objective under the Legal Framework, laying a solid groundwork for the sustainable management of marine resources.
Collaboration and Partnerships: The cooperation between K-BMU Executive, Kilifi Department of Fisheries ( KDoF), Oceans Alive, and other stakeholders like Kuruwitu Conservation Welfare-CBO (KCW-CBO) was instrumental in achieving the project's objectives, including the development of a joint MCS plan and a customized Marine Spatial Plan (MSP).
Technical Support and Capacity Building: The provision of technical support by OA to K-BMU and KDoF, along with capacity-building initiatives for enforcement teams, played a crucial role in the effective implementation of the Legal Framework.
Clear Division of Roles and Responsibilities: The project facilitated the clarification of roles between KDoF and K-BMU, particularly in enforcement and reporting, contributing to a more streamlined and effective conservation effort.
Involvement of Community-Based Organizations (CBOs): The participation of KCW-CBO in the project, including the agreement on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for cooperation, ensured that community interests and management practices (like those for Tengefu) were integrated into the overall conservation strategy.
Support for the Gazettement Process: The assistance provided to K-BMU Executive in negotiating with KDoF for the gazettement of the KCMA, Fish Landing Sites and other areas, contributed to securing tenure and legal standing for these protected areas.
Importance of Customised Solutions: The development of a customised MSP, tailored to the specific needs and user groups within the KCMA, highlighted the value of adaptive management approaches in conservation.
Community Engagement and Awareness: The project demonstrated that creating mass awareness and training members in sustainable resource use are essential components of successful conservation initiatives.
Partnerships and Agreements: The experience with the MoU between K-BMU, KCW-CBO, and KDoF showed that formal agreements can facilitate cooperation, joint operations, and benefit-sharing, leading to more effective conservation outcomes.
Legal Recognition and Security of Tenure: The process of gazettement for the KCMA and associated areas underscored the importance of legal recognition and secure tenure for the long-term protection and management of marine conservation areas.
Capacity Building for Enforcement: The project's focus on building capacity and equipping enforcement teams emphasized the critical role of effective enforcement in the success of conservation initiatives.
The governance component of the KCMA project, led by K-BMU, was designed to enhance the management and sustainability of coastal fisheries resources in Kilifi County. This involved enhancing the capacity of K-BMU and its executive to effectively govern and manage the fisheries, ensuring that all actors whose livelihoods depend on these resources are registered, licensed, and aware of their rights and duties. The governance framework was pivotal in achieving the project's primary objective of ensuring sustainable livelihoods from coastal fisheries resources.
Collaboration and Partnerships: The partnership between Oceans Alive, KDoF, and K-BMU Executive was crucial in providing technical assistance, awareness, and capacity building.
Legal and Policy Framework: The Fisheries Act, which devolves authority of territorial fishing rights to local artisanal fishermen, provided a legal basis for the co-partnership in management and implementation of the CMA of K-BMU.
Community Engagement: Wide awareness and inclusion of all members in the BMU Assembly meetings and the democratic election of K-BMU leaders ensured equitable representation and buy-in from the community.
Capacity Building: Training and provision of technical knowledge, toolboxes, and templates for data collection and M&E empowered the K-BMU leadership to effectively implement the CMA plan.
Importance of Legal Recognition: The process highlighted the importance of legal recognition and registration of all actors involved in the fishery to ensure security of tenure and empowerment of artisanal fishers.
Community Participation: The success of the project underscored the need for widespread community participation and awareness in governance and management decisions affecting their livelihoods.
Capacity Building: Continuous capacity building of local leadership and communities is essential for sustainable management and governance of fisheries resources.
Partnerships and Collaborations: Effective partnerships between government agencies, NGOs, and local communities can significantly enhance the governance and sustainability of natural resources.
Policy and Legal Frameworks: The existence of supportive policy and legal frameworks is critical for the successful implementation of governance and management plans for fisheries resources.
A consistent monitoring program was set up in coordination with the Viceministry of Biodiversity and Protected Areas, where every month biologists would visit the nesting site areas, and trained the park rangers on site to contribute to the replicability. The data that is generated identifies both climate and human-related risks, and measures the impact year to year of the ongoing project to augment the crocodile population.
Availability and dedication of specialists
Availability of resources
Integration of local park rangers
To ensure success of these actions, long-term monitoring programas must be setup, with adequate resources. It's also necessary to deepen the knowledge of nesting practices and the impacts of climate change related fluctuations in water and salinity levels.
Multi-Sectoral Stakeholder Approach to Addressing Gender Equality and Environmental Sustainability
Multi-Sectoral Stakeholder engagement
unknown
Multistakeholder Engagements.
Action Aid Zambia, by Samantha Mungan'andu
STakeholder engagements and policy review.
Action Aid Zambia, Wezi Nyalazi
This building block fosters collaboration among diverse stakeholders to address the structural and systemic issues intersecting gender equality and environmental sustainability. Through activities such as training sessions, conflict management meetings, and leadership support, stakeholders from the gender sector (led by the Division of Gender) and the environmental sector (led by the Ministry of Fisheries) engage in cross-sectoral discussions to align objectives and integrate solutions. For example, fisheries stakeholders provide insights into resource management and illegal practices, while gender sector members contribute expertise on GBV prevention and response mechanisms. The initiative also influences policy by advocating for and supporting the revision of legal instruments like the Fisheries Act and the Anti-GBV Act of 2011, ensuring they address the unique challenges at this intersection. Additionally, technical support is provided for mainstreaming gender considerations in other sectors and integrating cross-cutting issues into broader policy frameworks. By aligning community-level efforts with institutional policies, this approach ensures scalable, sustainable, and contextually relevant interventions.
Policy and Legal Advocacy: Engaging stakeholders in revising key policies, such as the Fisheries Act and Anti-GBV Act, ensures the alignment of national frameworks with the realities of community-level challenges.
Cross-Sector Collaboration: Inclusion of diverse stakeholders—district committees, line ministries, community leaders, and local institutions—promotes synergy in addressing interconnected challenges.
Institutional Support for Integration: Providing technical assistance for mainstreaming gender across sectors ensures that interventions align with broader national development goals.
Accountability Mechanisms: Regular reporting and feedback loops between community actors and state-level stakeholders strengthen coordination, transparency, and long-term support.
Contextual Awareness: Recognizing the socio-political and cultural dynamics, such as cross-border issues in Sesheke, enables flexible and tailored solutions.
Policy Influence Requires Persistence: Revising laws and policies to reflect grassroots realities, such as integrating "sex for fish" dynamics into the Fisheries Act, is a gradual but essential process.
Integration Enhances Impact: Addressing GBV and environmental issues in isolation is less effective than integrating these efforts into other sectors, such as health and education, to reflect the interconnectedness of societal challenges.
Collaboration Fosters Sustainability: Strong partnerships between gender and fisheries sectors help stakeholders appreciate mutual dependencies, resulting in better coordination and ownership of interventions.
Respecting Local Dynamics Is Critical: Communities dependent on resources may resist government interventions due to historical or systemic inequalities. A participatory approach rooted in respect and understanding is essential.
Adaptability in Complex Contexts: Addressing intersectional challenges which are deeply embeded in neoliberal systems and structures such as intersectional inequality, rural marginalization and cross-border security issues, requires flexibility and innovative resource use to sustain project momentum.
Awareness Raising and Gender Training on the Interlinkages Between GBV and Environmental Degradation in the Fisheries Sector
Awareness Raising of GBV in the fisheries sector.
Marcus Sakubita, Prime T>V News, Zambia.
Awareness Raising.
Action Aid Zambia, by Samantha Mungan'andu
T his building block focuses on raising awareness and providing tailored gender training to highlight the interconnectedness of GBV, particularly exploitative practices like "sex for fish," and environmental degradation in the fisheries sector. With men dominating fish harvesting and women constituting 90% of post-harvest activities, the sector reveals stark gender dynamics. The initiative educates communities and stakeholders on how these transactional relationships exacerbate resource depletion, harm biodiversity, and perpetuate power imbalances between men and women. Using diverse forms of communication, such as roadshows, community dramas, and GBV Watch Committee activities, the project aims to transform perceptions, foster collaboration, and inspire action to address these interwoven challenges.
Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration: State actors, resource custodians, and legal systems working together to tackle the dual challenges of GBV and resource depletion.
Diverse Communication Strategies: Using roadshows, drama, community awareness sessions, and GBV Watch Committees to effectively convey complex issues to different audiences.
Local and Cross-Border Contexts: Acknowledging the unique socioeconomic and cultural contexts of communities along the Zambezi River, which spans multiple countries.
Understanding Power Dynamics: Addressing the control and access to resources as central to the exploitation, rather than blaming victims or perpetuating stereotypes.
Lessons Learned
Sensitivity Is Critical: Miscommunication or misrepresentation, such as media captions, can harm awareness efforts; careful messaging is essential.
Continuous Engagement: Awareness raising is an ongoing process that requires sustained efforts and integration into existing platforms.
Community Dynamics Matter: Resource-dependent communities can resist government-led resource management; respect and understanding of their perspectives are crucial.
Challenging Stereotypes: Awareness efforts must emphasize that "sex for fish" is rooted in power imbalances rather than reducing women to instigators or sex workers.
Resource Management Challenges: Disputes over ownership and responsibility for natural resources highlight the need for clear roles and strengthened governance.