Aware of the vulnerability of the French Southern Lands’ (TAF) ecosystems, the scientific community advocated for their enhanced protection, leading to the creation of the nature reserve in 2006. The first management plan (2011-2015) defined 90 conservation and research actions to be conducted on the territory (mostly terrestrial), of which 35% of applied research actions. The second management plan (2018-2027) applies to the entire EEZ of TAF (mostly marine), in accordance with the extension decree and protection perimeter regulation around the nature reserve. In this context and given the knowledge gap on marine ecosystems, in particular for deep and offshore ecosystems, a whole new set of marine research and conservation actions were identified in close collaboration with scientists. While more than 40% of the actions defined by the management plan address knowledge improvement, 60% of them address specifically marine ecosystems. The extension of the nature reserve and the elaboration of this new management plan create new research dynamics and synergy opportunities for science and conservation actions. New international scientific collaborations are also sought in order to strengthen the socio-ecological network of the TAF.

Since 2011, the scientific community has engaged an ecoregionalization work, leading to the identification of important marine areas in the French Southern Lands (TAF) and neighbouring high sea. In this frame, Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas have been designated by the CBD that include a large part of TAF waters. In 2016, the outcomes of the CROMEBA program (Crozet Marine Ecosystem Based Approach) and a workshop on Kerguelen marine ecosystems informed the spatial conservation planning of the enlarged TAF nature reserve. Scientific inputs allowed designating more than 128 000 km2 of strict protection area (Cat. Ia. IUCN) and identifying priorities for actions for the new management plan. In a context of major knowledge gaps on marine ecosystems, the strengthening of research programs in poorly documented areas, in particular on deep-sea and offshore ecosystems, contribute to the regular update of the management objectives, regulations and protection status of the nature reserve. This work will also contribute to the development of the CCAMLR MPA network in Antarctica and the promotion of the creation of high sea MPAs.

Based on the results of the diagnostic evaluation conducted by our Impact team, SmartFish designs an improvement plan to ready the group and its products for preferential markets. After thorough review with fisher partners and any outside partners (eg facilitating NGO), SmartFish and the fishing group sign a formal contract that defines the terms of the intervention. 

Subsequently, SmartFish incubates the fishing group to improve their fishing, handling, processing and other business practices to produce premium quality seafood that is independently verifiable as socially and environmentally responsible or improving.

To bring their seafood to preferential markets, SmartFish helps partner fishers achieve the following:

• independent evaluation or certification of environmental sustainability (eg MSC, Seafood Watch, or FIP)
• independent evaluation of social sustainability (eg FairTrade)
• optimization of catch, handling, processing, packaging, transport, and other technical aspects
• optimization of general business practices
• incorporation of traceability system
• leveraging of local infrastructure to retain as much value locally as possible locally, including opportunities for women and other community members

To support the participatory approach and achieve sustainable outcomes, local capacities are continuously developed. Therefore, international and local experts have been invited to train local communities on implementing and maintaining erosion control measures, e.g.: afforestation, maintenance of tree nurseries, orchard management or beekeeping. Local and regional meetings among communities are used to promote activities and enhance knowledge exchange. Trainings on integrating ecosystem services into development planning are also provided to local authorities and representatives of partners.

To enable national and regional exchange, an erosion control handbook that reflects showcases of implemented ECM in pilot regions was developed and will be distributed among relevant ministries, research and training institutions, NGOs, construction companies and experts.

1.By consensus of the interested parties, INCOPESCA, ADIO, UCR, and SINAC created a commission of co-management and created a legal framework established with executive decree DAJ-020-2005, in order to work together and this group of Co-management launches a management plan for the conservation and sustainable use of turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) nesting on Ostional beach.

At the community level in Guatemala, WANI facilitated the development of collaborations with the Community Development Committees and coordinated with Municipal and National Development Councils to enable integration of microwatershed planning and management with community-led action on development. Implementation has demonstrated that projects formulated by the communities rather than external institutions respond to the real demands of communities.

At the department level in San Marcos, in Guatemala, an alliance was created with 16 government and NGOs, to form the Inter-Institutional Coordination for Natural Resources and the Environment of San Marcos. CORNASAM has adopted the microwatershed as the unit of planning and, together, these groups have coordinated outreach and training in the micro-watershed approach.

As a result of the success of the Microwatershed model at the local level, the National Microwatershed Commission of Guatemala was established, comprising several government ministries and NGOs/ IGOs (Action Against Hunger, FAO and IUCN) to lead application of governance reform through microwatershed management country-wide. This National Commission will facilitate the preparation of national public water policies.

Small business enterprise: In Guatemala, WANI was instrumental in supporting the emergence of a youth-run cooperative enterprise called ‘Jóvenes en la Missión’ (Youth in Mission, JEM). JEM began as a Catholic environmental education initiative run by a group of young volunteers promoting sustainable water use and watershed restoration.

Microwatershed model: The Tacaná project developed a water planning and community management model based on:

• Broad community participation and recognition of Microwatersheds as a planning unit.
• The involvement of local political authorities in environmental management,
• Building community capacity in IWRM, and
• Forging strategic collaborations with government and nongovernmental organisations.

The Microwatershed model is inclusive, highly participatory and based on strategic collaborations. In Guatemala, Microwatershed councils encompass 10 to 20 communities who share water resources in the watersheds of tributary streams. The councils are organized to coordinate resource management and, critically, how this can be integrated with community development. The Microwatershed councils join each other together and therefore expand their actions to include watershed management at different scales.

Mobilisation was achieved through economic valuation of water resources, provision of locally available information and capacity building for learning and leadership.

• The project’s Living Water Partnership established a Payment for Ecosystem Services scheme in Guatemala to protect and restore the Tacaná Watersheds’ natural resources, focussing primarily on water. 
• WANI facilitated grassroots mobilisation in Mexico through the establishment of the ‘virtual water resource libraries’ in the town halls of five municipalities. These provided access to up-to-date information and knowledge on water resources and the environment in the region. 
• Learning from the pilot projects under WANI has been incorporated into the University of San Carlos’s academic studies through 10-month internships. These programmes are creating a critical mass of professionals trained in WANI concepts, approaches and practice who will eventually go into professional positions in different institutions and organizations active in the area, creating an influential feedback loop.

Demonstrating the value of the protected area, community involvement, and conservation is important to align the project with political and bureaucratic imperatives. Provincial authorities have recognised this project as an example of best practice, particularly in terms of community zoning. The method has been replicated in other communities in the protected area, and the Provincial Director of the Ministry of the Environment also advised to apply the method in other wildlife sanctuaries.

A partnership with the Sam Veasna Center for Conservation (SVC), a Cambodian NGO, has provided expertise in promoting responsible tourism. SVC have ensured promotion of the ecotourism project to national and international tourists, as well as supporting tourist visit logistics. SVC also work with the local community to build their capacity for providing tourism services.

The actual expert elicitation assessment is carried out during a workshop or series of workshops, attended by appointed marine experts in the field of marine environmental or socio-economic sciences. The experts collaborate and discuss the status and trends on the different parameters for the marine assessment and come to a consensus score. The scores are recorded during the workshop and entered into the SOME website. Notes are taken by a rapporteur on the discussion and the details of relevant reports, papers or other documents are recorded . The interaction and discussions during the workshop should allow the editorial board to identify potential authors to participate in the subsequent report-writing phase of the process.