National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Final Programmatic Report
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National Fish and Wildlife foundation Final Programmatic Report Project name and number: Enforcement and Education Outreach in Malaysia (2007-083-018) Recipient Organization/Agency: Reef Guardian Sdn Bhd Recipient Contact: +60-89-675999 Recipient Email: [email protected] Recipient Phone: +60-89-234000 Recipient Web Address: www.reef-guardian.org 1) Summary Project was to enforce a 46, 317 hectare marine conservation area in Sulu Sea in collaboration with state and federal agencies, and raise marine conservation awareness through community outreach. 2) Introduction Reef Guardian’s long term goal is to have healthier, more resilient coral reef communities within Sugud Islands Marine conservation Area (SIMCA), and aims to achieve this by strengthening its enforcement and education capabilities. This project is designed at a localized scale, as all activities will be carried out within SIMCA or in the immediate region (Sandakan), and conservation outcomes will directly impact the coral reef environment of SIMCA. Trawling and dynamite fishing are two fishing methods which are widely known to cause direct damage to coral reef habitat, and is one of the primary conservation needs to be addressed. Enforcement of illegal fishing is a key component of the Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997, and combating against illegal entry of fishing vessels (mainly trawlers) and dynamite fishing has been a major challenge in protecting the integrity of SIMCA’s coral reef ecosystems. Sea patrols of SIMCA have been carried out since 2005 to enforce SIMCA boundaries and to eliminate destructive fishing methods. These patrols have successfully prevented some illegal intrusions and dynamite fishing. However, a substantial number of illegal entrants are not being stopped or apprehended due to a shortage of Reef Guardian personnel to carry out more frequent sea patrols. Reducing the occurrence of these illegal fishing activities involves no only tighter enforcement, but also education fishers through an active interpretive programme. However, Reef Guardian’s team consists of only ten full time staff on site, and lacks sufficient personnel to carry out the required heightened level of enforcement. Understaffing also prevents expanding the implementation of the fisher interpretive programme. At the same time, ongoing education and outreach efforts targeted at nearby communities are equally important for increasing awareness of coral reef conservation and of SIMCA regulations. These activities further stretch Reef Guardian’s already strained human resources. As such, priority conservation needs in the short term focus on hiring additional staff to achieve Reef Guardian’s enforcement and education objectives. 1. Strengthen existing enforcement capacity by increasing manpower, and improving the prosecution rate of SIMCA enforcement actions. The project plans to recruit four additional staff who will be trained by the Sabah Wildlife Department to be certified as Honorary Wildlife Wardens to carry out daily sea patrols to improve SIMCA stewardship and effectiveness. 2. Recruit two education program coordinators to create, organize, and deliver education and outreach programmes for local schools, Lankayan Island Dive Resort guests, the general public, and fishers via distributing posters, presenting talks, and organizing “Adopt- A- Reef “programme for schools. 3. To implement an interpretative enforcement approach that involves verbally explaining conservation area regulations to fishers. For the long term, Reef Guardian’s conservation needs are to maintain and enhance the team’s capacity for protecting SIMCA’s coral reef ecosystems as well as expanding the conservation awareness programmes. The specific needs involve: 1. Ensuring a sustainable source of financing is available for Reef Guardian’s various conservation activities; 2. Expanding coral reef conservation awareness programme 3. Maintaining and upgrading the team’s skills and capacity for carrying out enforcement, monitoring, and education through training programmes; 4. Increase and maintain adequate enforcement presence within SIMCA. 3) Method Project implemented as below; 1. Recruitment of education officer & program coordinator were advertised in the local newspaper. Recruitment of the enforcement crews were by walk in interviews. 2. Honorary Wildlife Warden training program was conducted in partnership with Sabah Wildlife Department and WWF – Malaysia on Lankayan Island from 26-28 April 2008. Total 18 participants were from WWF-Malaysia, Reef Guardian, Sabah Wildlife Department and Fisher Association from Banggi & Kudat Sabah. Total of 6 Reef Guardian staff were trained and certified as Honorary Wildlife Warden. The training included course works and field practical. The participants were trained in identifying activities that against Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997, and familiar with endangered species & CITES lists and also procedure to stop, carries out check, search or inspect fishing vessels. The training also involved writing test as the assessment to their course participation. 3. Co-organized EERace III 2008 together with Sabah Forestry Department, Sepilok Rehabilitation Center, HUTAN (an NGO advocating wildlife conservation in Kinabatangan River, Sabah), Rainforest Discovery Center and Sabah Wildlife Department. The EERace program was to raise environmental awareness among local teacher. Total of 30 teachers were participant in the program. Teachers were divided into six groups and each group was sent to different conservation area for hand on experiences on environmental and conservation issues. About 5 teachers and 4 facilitators were sent to Lankayan Island for the 3 days and 2 nights program. On Lankayan Island, teachers were tasked to collect information of Reef Guardian conservation works that consist of sea turtle monitoring program, marine research and environment conservation such as Hydroponics Wastewater Treatment System. At the end of the two days field experiences, teachers were requested to present their findings to Reef Guardian staffs. At the end of the EERace III program, the group was requested to present their conservation knowledge to other teachers groups and local school in Sandakan. 4. Reef Guardian implemented four marine education programs to local schools. Total of 40 students and 8 teachers were participant in 2 days and 1 night program on Lankayan Island. Activities of the program were : SIMCA video presentation, talk on sea turtle conservation and coral reef, visit to Hydroponics Wastewater Treatment System, visit to sea turtle hatchery, snorkeling lesson and reef fish identification and feeding frenzy game that demonstrating the importance of sustainable fishing. 5. SIMCA video presentation and “Saving Sea Turtle” video were presented to SIMCA visitors. Reef Guardian designed two presentation daily to attract more visitors to attend the video presentation. The SIMCA video last for 15 minutes features Reef Guardian conservation works such as enforcement, marine research, sea turtle monitoring program, wastewater treatment system and the cooperation with tour operators in generate sustainable funding. The “Saving Sea Turtle” video last for 10 minutes was program with Conservation International- Philippines that features Reef Guardian works in protecting sea turtle from nest guarding to hatchery incubation and releasing baby turtle to the sea. 6. Two pages of Marine Education Program posters were created and printed in 120cm x 120cm and distributed to three schools as education material. The similar poster is displayed at the SIMCA Interpretative Center on Lankayan Island for SIMCA visitor information. 7. Reef Guardian’s marine kit was created and printed as information package to SIMCA visitor. The package contents general information on coral reef, sea turtle and Sugud Islands Marine Conservation Area. The marine kit urge as information tool to engage SIMCA visitors to be participant in marine conservation and understand the need of SIMCA formation as No-Take Zone. 8. Reef Guardian implemented interpretative enforcement to fisher. Every stop of fishing vessel within SIMCA was brief on SIMCA’s concept and rules. A short notice/flyer that content general SIMCA rules & regulation, and area map that show SIMCA area with detail coordinates were gave to fishers. Fishers were brief not to fish/trawling within the SIMCA. 9. A database of violation occurrences was created to record fisher information, boat registration number, boat owner detail, fishing method and dates of offences. The database has been updated in monthly basic. 10. Conducted pre and post project evaluate to 60 participants from the Marine Education Program (MEP). Results were presented in percentage of knowledge pre- MEP and post- MEP. Sample of the questionnaire in Appendix 4 4) Results 4(a)Outputs Predicted Post-Project Actual Output of Project Activities Project Outputs Indicator Baseline Value Value Project Outcomes Outcome Output Recruit 4 additional Additional 72 man Increase Number of full time staff 10 staff 14 staff Total full time staff range 12-14 staff hours available per monitoring and staff and 2 part-time worker from week for enforcement enforcement resort operator duties. This includes 48 capacity of Reef additional hours of sea Guardian team patrol, and frequency of sea patrol increases to Increase frequency 4 per week. Also, and coverage of additional 24 hours of enforcement radar operation time per activities week. 80% of detected illegal intrusions (by radar) are stopped