| ANNUAL REPORT
FAUNA & FLORA INTERNATIONAL’S Arcadia Marine Initiative
2019 CONTENTS
3 Executive Summary Scotland – Improving advocacy for effective 49 marine protection 10 New Projects Supporting Scotland’s first demonstration and 51 São Tomé and Príncipe – Supporting the research MPA, Fair Isle 11 Nicaragua – Conserving sea turtles on the designation of a national MPA network 52 Vietnam – Identifying solutions to threats facing Pacific Coast 12 Improving policy and practice to reduce plastic marine biodiversity on the islands of Con Dao 54 Cambodia – Developing locally-led solutions to pollution 12 Supporting marine champions through the prevent plastic entering Cambodia's ocean 56 Honduras – Building a platform for evidence- Conservation Leadership Programme (CLP) Reducing the negative impacts of extractive based regional plastic policy on the Northern 13 57 Coast industries on the ocean
Active Projects 14
Cambodia – Underpinning the design and Legacy Projects 58 15 management of a national MPA network Kenya – Community Conserved Areas on the Community-led seahorse conservation in the 59 18 South Coast Koh Rong Archipelago Indonesia – Impact investing for marine Myanmar – Collaborative conservation of marine 60 20 conservation in Aceh biodiversity in the Myeik archipelago Indonesia: Protecting the coral reefs by Support to the Blue Marine Foundation 60 preserving traditional fishery management 23 Sustainability rating for the fisheries sector 61 systems in Aceh province Wider Marine Programme Outcomes 62 Honduras – Connecting coastal communities for 25 integrated seascape management in Atlántida Summary 67 Nicaragua – Expanding marine conservation on 28 the Pacific Coast’s Coral Corridor Annex 1: Historical Projects 73 Costa Rica – Reducing threats of destructive Ecuador – Galera San Francisco Marine 30 73 fishing and promoting fisher livelihoods Reserve Data collection and traceability trials in Tárcoles 32 Ecuador: trawling policy reform 73 Tanzania – Co-management of marine Central America – Building capacity for marine 33 74 resources on Pemba Island conservation Kenya – Coordinated Community Conservation Belize – Conserving the Mesoamerican Barrier 35 74 in Lamu and Tana River counties Reef at Turneffe Atoll Cape Verde – Participatory research and action Liberia – Community Management of 37 75 for conservation on Maio and Brava Islands Mangrove Ecosystems in Lake Piso Turkey – Expanding effective MPAs across the Philippines – Developing models of local 39 75 Turquoise Coast indigenous marine management Scotland – Supporting the development of Indonesia – Catalysing partnerships for marine 42 76 effective marine conservation NGOs conservation in Bali Documenting the impacts of no-take zones, Firth 44 Previous scoping projects 76 of Clyde Annex 2: Summary of Publications and 77 Ongoing Projects 45 Communications Eastern Caribbean – Mobilising partnerships for Open Access Publications 77 46 effective Marine Protected Area governance Georgia – Developing marine conservation on 48 the Black Sea coast
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Executive Summary
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www.fauna-flora.org 3 MARINE PROGRAMME FOCAL GEOGRAPHIES
4 ARCADIA MARINE This report provides an update on all Arcadia Marine Initiative projects supported since STATISTICS 2011, with a focus on activity in 2019.
Fauna & Flora International (FFI) is extremely grateful to Arcadia for the opportunity to undertake such strategic and long-term conservation. We are delighted that Arcadia has decided to renew and extend its support to FFI’s Marine Initiative and are very grateful for the opportunity that this presents to • Portfolio includes 39 projects across 20 increase our conservation impact. countries Arcadia funding supported four new projects in 2019 which were primarily focused on consolidating work at sites where we are already active. These projects were: work to establish MPAs in São Tomé and Príncipe; scoping for new marine work in Vietnam’s coastal waters; and two projects dealing with site-specific plastic pollution issues in • Catalysed designation of 21 new Marine Cambodia and Honduras. Nine ongoing Protected Areas – with a further 18 pending projects were further supported, all of which designation or approval – all with are leading to improved MPA management communities playing a key role in their and/or reduced threats, and five demonstrate governance and management evidence of biodiversity recovery as a result of increased protection. Four projects have not yet shown impacts, either because it is too soon to see any effect (two projects) or because of political instability or delays (two projects).
HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY • Facilitated improved collaborative ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2019 INCLUDE: management in 64 sites, covering 1.9 million ha of ocean, reducing illegal and destructive • Myanmar – Aligning local and national fishing in 52% of current focal sites and signs marine protection: In the Myeik of biodiversity recovery in 22 sites Archipelago, significant steps have been made in the development of three Marine National Parks. These will cover over 1,800km2 of ocean, increasing protection of the archipelago’s seas some seventeen- fold, benefiting many of Myanmar’s spectacular coral reefs, seagrass beds and marine species. These MPAs build on, and in some cases, overlap with the three • Secured 29 new marine-related laws or Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMA) policies in 15 countries, ranging from the UK designated in 2017. This layering of Microbeads ban to measures to restrict designations will ensure that biodiversity is bycatch-causing hooks in Nicaragua protected and that complementary small- scale fishing is maintained, putting both these needs at the heart of the country’s emerging MPA network.
• Built network of 190 partners including national NGOs, government bodies and small-scale fishing organisations, with evidence of enhanced capacity in 48 www.fauna-flora.org 5 Credit: FFI Credit:
• Honduras - National recognition of the Reserve, following three years of work by FFI Atlántida seascape: Management of the and partners. This strict reserve around the Atlántida paisaje marino (Spanish for uninhabited island of Redonda will be much seascape) on the northern, Atlantic coast of larger (240km2) than originally envisaged and Honduras is increasingly recognised as a will protect important marine and terrestrial model of good practice in that country. biodiversity, including some 30 globally Working across three MPAs, and with a new threatened species. Work over the last year Seascape Committee and a growing social has focused on the future governance system network of government bodies, NGOs and for the reserve and underwater monitoring to fisher organisations, this highly collaborative characterise its extensive coral reefs. project is meeting its joint aims of more • Scotland – Recognition of an area of ambitious marine protection and reduced community importance as a Hope Spot: conflict with and between fisheries. The term Four members of the Coastal Communities paisaje marino has been used increasingly in Network (a group of community-based the media, and also in the Honduran organisations from around Scotland’s coast Presidential Office’s National Plan (a political facilitated by FFI) nominated an area off document that sets national decision-making Argyll, on the West coast of Scotland, as a priorities), indicating high-level political Hope Spot. Hope Spots are a global network recognition of this approach. In addition, of important marine sites championed by the fisher representatives from the seascape are organisation Mission Blue. The Argyll coast engaging in national processes by being was confirmed as one this year, thus creating included in national fishing industry decision- the UK’s first Hope Spot and generating making. significant publicity for the groups involved, • Turkey – Replicating No-Fishing Zones Scotland’s MPA network and the habitats and along the Turquoise Coast: FFI’s partner species present in this area. Akdeniz Koruma Derneği (AKD) has been • Tanzania – Incentivising biodiversity- working closely with the Turkish Government positive actions through eco-credits: On to identify further sites for replicating the Pemba Island, an eco-credit scheme was successful Gökova Bay model of community trialled to give out small loans to community patrolled no-fishing zones on the coast of members in exchange for increased patrolling south-western Turkey. Proposals are now and help with habitat restoration. Through being finalised for a further 11,100 hectares provision of over 150 loans, borrowers have of new no-fishing zones in existing but so far in exchange conducted additional patrols of unmanaged MPAs along the Turquoise Coast, their fishing grounds – nearly tripling patrol expected to be announced in 2020. effort – and planted over 6,000 mangroves to • Eastern Caribbean – A new offshore MPA restore degraded coastal ecosystems. in Antigua & Barbuda: The Antiguan and Barbudan Government approved the designation of the Redonda Ecosystem
www.fauna-flora.org 6 SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES investigations demonstrated higher levels of IN 2019 INCLUDE: illegal SCUBA fishing around this village when compared to other project sites. The • Myanmar – Setbacks to locally-led apparent unwillingness of this village’s local patrolling: In early 2019, community-led fisheries body to enforce restrictions on this patrols were put on hold at two LMMAs where activity resulted in the replacement of this we work, in response to potential government body through re-elections, there is hope that restrictions on land use on their islands. A further trials will resume in 2020. series of rapid interventions from FFI, • Costa Rica – Decision to hand over the including facilitating dialogue between project: With significant capacity built in communities and the government, together Costa Rica, the decision was made to hand with perceived benefits of increased fish this work over to local partners and for FFI to abundance in the LMMAs, resulted in regular phase out over the coming months. A patrolling, which resumed towards the end of consolidated exit strategy has been planned the year. to ensure that lessons from a diverse range of • Tanzania – Fishing ground closure affected successes and challenges are captured and by illegal fishing: On Pemba Island, the shared, as well as ensuring that initiatives temporary closure of fishing grounds for that are still in development have a clear octopus at one village did not yield the trajectory and partners are able to implement expected improvements in catch after re- them without future FFI support.
opening, in contrast to previous trials. Further
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AKD Turkey AKD sponge sponge survey
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Mejia, Nicaragua Mejia,Nicaragua Coral corridor corridor Coral
ARCADIA MARINE INITIATIVE: BACKGROUND
The world’s ocean and coasts are host to some • Develop the capacity of in-country of the most productive ecosystems on earth, organisations to enhance their operations and providing food and livelihoods for one billion help them to deliver effective marine people living in local communities, and conservation; sustaining local and national economies. • Build a strong evidence base for However, the threats to our ocean and dissemination and further replication of coastlines are severe and increasing. Past successful approaches. decades of neglect and over-exploitation have proved that the marine environment is not only EFFECTIVE MARINE MANAGEMENT vulnerable but becoming increasingly and rapidly degraded. The unprecedented rate of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are among the change and the scale of the threats necessitate most effective tools for tackling many of the urgent and coordinated global action. In threats and pressures on the marine and coastal response, FFI is committed to increasing our environment and its resources. Research conservation impact on marine and coastal suggests that when combined with other habitats. management strategies (such as integrated coastal management and ecosystem-based The generous funding provided by Lisbet fisheries management), appropriately placed Rausing and Peter Baldwin in 2010 and and well managed MPAs can restore the health subsequent funding from Arcadia has enabled of marine life inside their boundaries and have FFI to develop a diverse and effective marine lasting economic benefits for human societies. conservation programme under the Arcadia FFI believes that encouraging an increase in the Marine Initiative. area of the oceans under effective protection needs to be a central part of international This funding is now enabling FFI to: efforts. However, equally important is the need • Deliver effective site-based marine to ensure that designated sites are effectively management (MPAs, fisheries and species managed. Through a suite of site-based projects focused conservation at focal sites); at local and sub-national scale we are • Improve policy and practices in order to showcasing approaches to effective governance address wider-scale threats to species and and improved management of marine and habitats coastal resources, crafted to suit each local situation. • (national fisheries reforms, responsible business practices);
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Credit: Credit: FFI Costa Rica FFI Rica Costa
MARINE POLICY & PRACTICE governance, reduced threats and indications of biological recovery and are using these Whilst MPAs are vital as refuges for biodiversity, learnings to inform practice within our project they will not, on their own, lead to a sustainably portfolio. We also disseminate lessons learnt managed ocean. There is, therefore, a need for externally to inform our wider practitioner approaches that address the connected nature network and to feed into processes associated of ecosystems and the cumulative impacts of with marine management and policy. human use. Through influencing marine-related government policy in focal geographies and 2019 REPORT undertaking constructive advocacy with Previously we organised reports by their corporate sectors that can impact the marine alignment to Arcadia Marine Initiative’s three environment, we aim to strengthen the enabling principle aims. However, this year we have environment for MPAs and other, localised grouped projects by their stage of forms of marine management. implementation to make it easier to identify what DEVELOPING CAPACITY has been achieved in the current year of funding. The report structure is based around: Many of the most biodiverse marine areas lie within countries that have limited technical, • New projects – projects that the Arcadia human and financial resources for their effective Marine Initiative has supported for the first management. However, the most effective and time this year; long-term solutions for safeguarding species • Active projects – projects that have received and habitats lie in local hands; strong and finance from the Arcadia Marine Initiative this effective local and national and institutions are year; the key to successful conservation. FFI is committed to identifying organisations • Ongoing projects – projects that FFI is still (government agencies, NGOs, academic active in delivering, but that did not receive institutions and community-based organisations) Arcadia Marine Initiative funding this year; within our regions of operation that can have the • Legacy projects – projects where we track greatest impact for marine conservation and ongoing progress, but are no longer actively assisting them to reach their full potential. engaged, except in cases where support is BUILDING AN EVIDENCE BASE specifically requested, and; • Historical projects – projects where FFI is Demonstrating the impact and benefits of no longer actively engaged and it is no longer improved management for people and appropriate to expect ongoing updates. ecosystems is central to securing commitment to make these improvements. Through our marine Within each category, project reports are projects we are collecting data on improved organised by geography.
www.fauna-flora.org 9 New Projects
These are projects that Arcadia Marine Initiative has supported for the first time this year.
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Bruget
, Neptune’s , Neptune’s cup cup sponge
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Aveiro
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São Tomé And Príncipe: Supporting The Development of a National MPA Network
São Tomé and Príncipe is a small nation of two been used to improve understanding of the islands off the coast of West Africa. The islands spatial distribution of fish species, and local and waters surrounding São Tomé and Príncipe partner staff have been trained to perform these include important breeding grounds, habitats surveys. Community representatives have been and nesting areas for sea turtles and seabirds, recruited on both islands to conduct landing and the country is known for its high levels of surveys to determine quantity and composition fish endemism and important shark and of fish catches. The project has initiated cetacean populations. The islands’ communities discussions with some key stakeholders, are dependent on fisheries for livelihoods and including government actors and local protein but have experienced a decline in catch. communities, regarding MPA design, with a With local and international NGO partners, formal consultation process on proposed ‘co- government and local communities, FFI is management' (management by both government supporting the designation of an MPA network and fishing communities) due to start imminently and encouraging local communities to be on São Tomé. engaged with the process of MPA management to ensure local support and ownership, while Arcadia’s critical investment has leveraged also working with these communities to reduce considerable funding from the Blue Action Fund, their dependence on fishing. which collectively has enabled this exciting and ambitious project to become a reality. Over the FFI supported surveys in 2019 which will inform next year, continued surveys, consultations and the designation of the proposed MPA network mapping will provide groundwork for future and/or provide baselines for assessing its designation of an evidence-based and impact. The project recruited local students to participatory MPA network for São Tomé and complete community surveys, gathering data on Príncipe that will benefit both biodiversity and people’s perceptions regarding the condition of people. the marine environment and MPAs, and information on how and where local people fish. Baited remote underwater video systems have
www.fauna-flora.org 11 Vietnam: Identifying solutions to threats facing marine biodiversity on the islands of Con Dao
The Con Dao Islands are refuges for flagship In 2019, FFI undertook a scoping study to marine species such as nesting turtles and identify how we could improve the viability of dugongs, which have otherwise disappeared Con Dao National Park – focusing on its marine from much of Vietnam’s waters, and also component. Preliminary discussions have support reefs with high coral cover. Whilst focussed primarily on the growing threat (and tourism is well established, these islands have opportunity) of tourism, as the island becomes not experienced the intense development seen more accessible through rapidly increasing in most of Vietnam’s coastal areas and islands, provision of ferries and flights from the and many of Con Dao’s islands remain mainland. There is concern that infrastructure undeveloped. Con Dao was designated as a development could lead to a rapid expansion of National Park in 1993 and covers a 199km 2 tourism-related coastal development, potentially including an archipelago of 16 islands and the impacting currently healthy marine habitats. In surrounding marine waters. The site’s 2020, we will continue to map out how FFI management, the National Park Authority, is support could improve marine conservation work committed to improving MPA effectiveness but on Con Dao, particularly through gaining an has limitations, particularly around maritime enhanced understanding of the status of the enforcement and the issue of illegal fishing island’s marine biodiversity as well as the within the MPA. FFI identified Con Dao as an current trajectory of tourism-related planning at opportunity to protect relatively pristine systems regional and national levels. and add value to the efforts of others, whilst transferring learning from our growing Asia- Pacific marine programme.
Cambodia: Developing locally-led solutions to prevent plastic entering Cambodia's ocean
During 2018 FFI catalysed the development of By identifying the complex social dynamics of plastics initiatives in some of our existing marine plastic use (for example, recycling plastic bottles sites, ensuring that the growth in our core is seen as an indicator of poverty) and by technical capacity for plastics was available to collecting data on plastic types found in marine sites threatened by plastic pollution. In and coastal environments (primarily fishing nets Cambodia this project is documenting and and water bottles), we are designing a longer- developing solutions to plastic waste in the Koh term programme of work to find both immediate Sdach archipelago, islands where FFI is also and systemic solutions to this issue. By supporting MPA work. Despite its remote identifying some of the inherent drivers of plastic location, Koh Sdach presents a familiar South- waste in Cambodia – such as recognising that East Asian problem with growing use of under-investment in potable water drives bottle disposable plastic overwhelming any existing use, and the fact that plastic nets are now waste management systems in place. Rapid viewed as low-value and expendable – we can assessments of the composition of plastic utilise this understanding alongside our strong pollution (thought to be the first of their kind in in-country relationships with national Cambodia) and of the attitudes of island government, corporate partners and multilateral communities towards plastic pollution have bodies, to develop solutions targeting how provided a much needed understanding of the Cambodia uses and disposes of plastic waste. context. FFI has now started to work closely with its existing Community Fishery Institution partners to co-design interventions to respond to this threat. www.fauna-flora.org 12 Honduras: Building a platform for evidence-based regional plastic policy on the Northern Coast
UtilisingThese the are dynamic projects thatnetwork Arcadia of national Marine Initiative NGOs, hasour supported international for the work first timeon microplastics this year. . Through government bodies and community actors within this, we are working to ensure that laws will the Atlántida seascape (p. 26), FFI and its restrict the most frequent and preventable partners have identified the need to address sources of plastic waste found in the seascape. plastic pollution in Honduras. Municipal By learning from our work elsewhere we aim to government bodies are a key partner in the avoid the pitfalls of some other policy attempts seascape, and the project will work with them on to restrict plastic use. FFI and its partners will a policy development process for a single-use help to generate an evidence base to inform plastic ban – known locally as ‘Zero Plastics’ in legislation through co-ordinated systematic the key coastal city of La Ceiba, which is the monitoring of plastic waste on shorelines and gateway port to two island MPAs we support in subtidal habitats in the project area, as well as this area. sampling commercially and ecologically important fish species for ingested We are providing expert technical guidance on microplastics.
the development of plastic legislation, built on
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, Neptune’s , Neptune’s cup cup sponge
www.fauna-flora.org 13 Active Projects
These are ongoing projects that have received finance from Arcadia Marine Initiative this year.
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Wright/FFI, Wright/FFI, Juvenile batfish, batfish, Indonesia
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Credit: Jeremy Jeremy Credit: Holden Holden
Cambodia: Underpinning the design and management of a national MPA network
BACKGROUND PROGRESS TO DECEMBER 2018 In 2012, FFI started work in the Koh Rong • Effective local governance in Koh Rong: In Archipelago, an area rich in coral reefs, sea collaboration with local communities, grasses and associated marine biodiversity, and management plans for each community a hotspot for globally threatened seahorses. fisheries area (areas managed by Community Damaging fishing practices and rapid tourism Fishing Institutions) within Koh Rong were development are major threats and so this area prepared and legally approved in 2014 (these was a priority for MPA designation. Working include no-take zones), and subsequently initially within the framework that fishing used to develop the zoning plan including communities have the legal authority to manage multiple-use areas and fishing closures for their own fishing grounds (through Community the MPA. Fishing Institutions), FFI began by catalysing • Cambodia’s first Marine National Park: As relationships with these community-based fisher a result of the project, Koh Rong Marine organisations to collaboratively design Fisheries Management Area was designated protection at a local level in Koh Rong. A small in 2016, building on management already put network of community managed areas then in place by fishing communities with FFI evolved, through close government support (the process of designing the site is collaboration, first into a Marine Fisheries documented in this open access paper). The Management Area (2016) and then into the site was then re-designated in 2018 as Koh country’s first Marine National Park (2018). Rong Marine National Park (hereafter referred As of 2019, there are signs of reduced threats to as Koh Rong MNP), retaining this original and biodiversity recovery at the MPA at Koh zoning plan and community-based patrol Rong. The project has expanded to encompass activities which have proved effective to date. another proposed Marine Fisheries Management • New designation at Koh Sdach: Support has Area at a second archipelago (Koh Sdach), and been provided since 2017 to additional is now working towards connecting the country’s Community Fishery Institutions as part of disparate designations into a cohesive national preparatory activities towards creating a new MPA network. designation (mirroring the process in Koh Rong MNP).
FOCAL SITES AREA OF • Koh Rong Marine IMPACT National Park (containing three 56,527 fishery areas) hectares • Koh Sdach Community Fishery Area
www.fauna-flora.org 15 • Improved compliance with regulations at some highly protected zones of the site. In Koh Rong: A patrolling system was 2018, the super-sized and very rare established for community fishing areas Neptune’s cup sponge, previously thought to within the Koh Rong MNP in 2015, led by the be extinct in Cambodia, was found within the communities and supported by the Fisheries Koh Rong Marine National Park. Administration who have powers to issue • Sustainable financing for Koh Rong: warnings and fines, confiscate illegal fishing Potential financing options for Koh Rong MNP gear, and prosecute offenders. Patrols use have been identified and an action plan to the Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool diversify and increase funding sources has (SMART) system which provides information been in development since 2017. that allows enforcement to focus on areas with greatest likelihood of illegal fishing. • Capacity built for marine conservation: Key Illegal fishing incidents have declined by government partner the Fisheries about 30% since 2014, and there is anecdotal Administration has been trained in MPA evidence that fishing boats from outside the management and is now independently community fishing grounds are entering the leading patrols. The project has also provided Koh Rong MNP less frequently. The SMART opportunities for Cambodian scientists and system has led to more effective patrolling as students to gain skills and experience. better information is available (as • Improved national policy for marine documented in this open access paper). conservation: FFI participates in the national • Marine biodiversity understood and/or Taskforce that is finalising a National Action benefiting from protection: Reefs and Plan on Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated mangroves in Koh Rong were mapped, (IUU) fishing. In 2016, the work of the biological and socio-economic indicators taskforce led to a ban on foreign-owned ships identified, and a monitoring programme put in using Cambodia as a ‘flag of convenience’, place (ongoing coral reef monitoring is and a requirement for the national fishing documented in a series of open access fleet to be registered. In 2018, the project papers from 2013, 2014 and 2015). Live coral partnered with OceanMind, a UK-based not- cover is stable and sea grass cover has for-profit, in order to assess monitoring, increased in some areas due to reduced control and surveillance for Cambodia’s fishing pressure (baseline seagrass surveys territorial waters, and more specifically Koh are documented in this open access paper). Rong MNP. Parrotfish abundance has remained stable,
and grouper abundance has increased in
Credit: Jeremy Jeremy Credit:
Holden, Holden, Turtle conservation, conservation, Cambodia
www.fauna-flora.org 16 PROGRESS IN 2019 • New designation at Koh Sdach: At FFI’s • Sustainable financing in place for MPAs: second focal site of Koh Sdach, work started Partnerships have been formed with Blue to bring together all the Community Fisheries Finance, an NGO that specialises in MPA Institutions, dive operators and provincial sustainable financing, and Green Equity Asia, government bodies to collaborate on the a local organisation, to explore sustainable development of the proposed new designation financing options for Koh Rong, which will for this area. This group will make decisions ensure that future income streams can for all protected marine sites in the province. support conservation efforts. Koh Sdach’s first patrol was assembled this • Capacity built for marine conservation: year and initial training was completed. Training was completed for three Community • Improved compliance with regulations at Fishery Institutions that focused on meeting Koh Rong: Patrolling led by the local their self-identified needs. Similarly, an Community Fisheries Institutions at Koh Rong exchange programme allowed 42 participants continued to be supported by the project from eight community fisheries in the project (through boat maintenance, SMART training area to share experiences and to receive and purchase of equipment). Communities training in people management, budgeting are also now providing some co-financing for and stakeholder engagement. These this. Finally, processes were refined to exchanges show that the most long- ensure effective and consistent data established of these local organisations are collection across all areas. increasingly independent and are influencing their more nascent peers. • Marine biodiversity understood and/or benefitting: Resurvey of 20 reef sites in Koh • Improved national policy for marine Rong showed that hard coral cover had conservation: FFI’s fisheries assessment remained stable, and there was no decline in completed in collaboration with OceanMind in abundance and biomass of commercially 2018 was approved by the government this important and herbivorous fish. These results year. This assessment used satellite data to appear to reflect the fact that effective show levels of fishing effort and identify patrolling has removed key threats to these illegal activity across the country’s territorial reefs. In addition, a range of other survey waters. It found hotspots of illegal fishing work was conducted, including five reef sites activity on the boundaries of both focal FFI in the outer island archipelagos and seagrass sites at Koh Rong and Koh Sdach, surveys in both Koh Rong and Koh Sdach widespread illegal trawling by Cambodian where eight areas of seagrass and six vessels (mostly outside of MPAs), and species of seagrass were found. Monitoring frequent incursions by non-Cambodian approaches for seagrasses have been vessels fishing for squid in Cambodian improved, given the importance of this habitat waters, especially along the borders with in terms of both species and blue carbon. Thailand and Vietnam. FFI will feed these Finally, for the first time in over 10 years, a results into the National Taskforce on IUU whale shark was observed within the MPA. fishing where they will be used to better co- ordinate and target government and
community-led patrolling.
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Bergman/FFI, Hermit Bergman/FFI, crab, Cambodia Cambodia crab,
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Community-led seahorse conservation in the Koh Rong Archipelago
BACKGROUND PROGRESS TO DECEMBER 2018 Seahorses live in seagrass beds, mangroves, • Capacity built to protect seahorses: reefs and estuaries in temperate and tropical Technical training in seahorse identification waters, and are poorly known: IUCN lists 12 and surveying was provided to local Fisheries threatened species and a further 27 as Data Administration staff and dive shop partners. Deficient (insufficient evidence to make an In addition, a locally appropriate identification assessment). Seahorses are very vulnerable to guide has been developed, which is now used habitat destruction, and large numbers are by the Fisheries Administration to identify caught as bycatch in trawl nets. The annual illegally caught seahorse specimens. global trade in seahorses for traditional • Tracking seahorse trade: Market surveys of medicine, aquariums, souvenirs and tonic foods seahorses in three coastal provinces showed involves 15-20 million specimens and is that seven species are involved in trade and regulated through the Convention on that dried specimens are ultimately destined International Trade in Endangered Species of for China, Thailand and Vietnam. Since Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES). In Cambodia, training and tracking began through this seahorses for export are usually caught as project, authorities have intervened to prevent bycatch and local fishers receive little benefit illegal capture and/or transit of seahorses on from the trade. This project focuses on at least two occasions. interventions to reduce sale and export and explores the potential for using seahorses as flagship species to generate support for MPAs.
FOCAL SITES AREA OF • Koh Rong Marine National IMPACT Park (containing three fishery areas) 56,527 • Koh Sdach Community hectares Fishery Area
www.fauna-flora.org 18 • Seahorse populations healthy: Surveys of seahorses. In addition, a Cambodian student Koh Rong MNP, using a globally recognised is undertaking seahorse research in Koh methodology (iSeahorse), suggest seahorse Sdach, supported by a scholarship from this density has increased over the last three project. years. During this time, increased patrolling • Reduction in seahorse trade: Information on has prevented illegal fishing, and improved seahorse trade, from fisher and vendor enforcement of trade regulations have helped surveys across all four coastal provinces in to reduce threats to seahorses. Two species Cambodia has been compiled and shared are recorded at the site (Hippocampus with the Department of Fisheries spinosissimus and Hippocampus comes) and Conservation. This shows the hotspots for the presence of a large number of juveniles seahorse bycatch, a perceived decline in indicates a healthy population. seahorse abundance by fishers and vendors, an increase in market value over time, and identifies the market chain through to Vietnam PROGRESS IN 2019 and China. Recommendations were also provided for greater restrictions, enforcement • Capacity built to protect seahorses: The on the use of non-selective gear, and better information gathered on seahorse hotspots monitoring of the trade to meet CITES and seagrass habitats has been incorporated requirements. into management plans developed for community fishery areas (see above), with • Seahorse populations healthy: Long-term recommendations for gear limitations to monitoring sites in Koh Rong Marine National reduce accidental bycatch. Guidelines were Park continue to be surveyed regularly and
prepared for release of accidentally captured have shown seasonal stability of populations.
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Hazel Akester Hazel Akester Octopus
on on
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Myanmar: Collaborative conservation of marine biodiversity in the Myeik archipelago
BACKGROUND Government and local civil society to deliver marine conservation was critically low, scientific The Myeik Archipelago, in Myanmar’s knowledge of marine ecosystems was very Tanintharyi region on the Bay of Bengal, limited and only one MPA had been declared. comprises over 800 islands and a wide range of Initial support (from Lisbet Rausing and Peter marine and coastal habitats including mangrove Baldwin) in 2010 led to the development of a forests, coral reefs of regional importance, project to (i) build in-country knowledge and mudflats and seagrass beds. These provide a technical skills, particularly in terms of data home for turtles, sharks, and a diversity of collection and basic MPA management skills, (ii) corals, birds and fish. The area is also of vital design appropriate governance and importance to thousands of artisanal and management models for MPAs in the Myeik commercial fishers. Archipelago, and (iii) support replication of In 2010, when FFI initiated work in Myanmar, these models and introduction of the LMMA the technical and institutional capacity of the concept where appropriate.
FOCAL SITES AREA OF IMPACT
• Langann Locally Managed Marine Area 24,165 • Don Pale Aw Locally Managed hectares Marine Area • Ling Long-Parawah Locally Managed Marine Area
www.fauna-flora.org 20 Based on work conducted in 2018, Myanmar • Improved compliance with regulations: A may be home to as many as 58 shark and 71 ray collaborative enforcement programme has species, including several listed as threatened been set up with the Myanmar Navy and the on the IUCN Red List. Despite a nationwide ban, Department of Fisheries for the three an active fishery for sharks and rays persists, established LMMAs, and boats and training contributing to ongoing concerns about the has been provided to communities to enable health of these populations. Based on this, the them to patrol their respective LMMAs. project has expanded to work explicitly on shark • Marine biodiversity: Extensive research, conservation, aiming to build the capacity of involving international experts, was carried government and civil society partners for work out from 2013-2018 on the coral reefs, on sharks, deter and reduce illegal landings of seagrasses and mangroves of the Myeik sharks and rays, increase the adoption of Archipelago. The results were compiled in a measures to reduce shark bycatch, and protect 2018 open access report which confirmed the the critical habitats of these species in the Myeik conservation value of the area and provides a Archipelago. sound baseline for future monitoring. Further PROGRESS TO DECEMBER 2018 research has used acoustic sounders to record cetaceans, boat traffic and dynamite • Establishment of three LMMAs: In 2017, fishing. Myanmar’s first three LMMAs (multiple use areas including no-take zones) were • Capacity built for marine conservation: In established as a direct result of this project. 2012, Myanmar’s first research scuba team LMMAs are based around existing community was trained. The Department of Fisheries and fishing grounds and are planned civil society representatives were also trained collaboratively by the communities and the in survey methods, data analysis, and skills Department of Fisheries. Four other villages needed to implement MPA management, subsequently requested LMMAs and, in 2018, including effective community engagement work started to negotiate boundaries and and consultation. zones for three of these sites. Ten further • National policy for marine conservation: In communities have now expressed interest in 2017, FFI initiated a process to develop a developing similar LMMAs. national MPA policy, producing a briefing • Establishment of Marine National Parks: document for discussion at a series of Marine National Parks have a primary focus national and regional workshops. In of biodiversity conservation. Plans are collaboration with Australia’s University of underway to develop three multiple use Victoria, guidance on policy development was Marine National Parks in the Myeik prepared for the government. The country’s Archipelago, which will help meet the major inshore fishing grounds and catch type government’s commitment to protect 10 within them were identified with help from the percent of its coastal and marine areas. All Smithsonian Institute, and this information will three established LMMAs lie within proposed be used to inform national fisheries Marine National Parks, thereby ensuring management. The LMMA model has been effective integration of existing protection and supported and welcomed by the Government community engagement work. and is being used to help shape a new fisheries law. In 2017, recognising the need • MPA governance and management to incorporate the needs of species, a Marine systems: Management committees have Turtle Working Group was established to been established for the three designated ensure that future MPA designations take LMMAs and management plans are being account of the habitats for and threats facing developed jointly by the communities and the these important species. Department of Fisheries. Use of illegal and destructive fishing gear, particularly trawling
and dynamite, is prohibited in these LMMAs. Credit: MattCredit: Glue/FFI
www.fauna-flora.org 21 PROGRESS IN 2019 have reported a perceived increase in fish abundance within the LMMAs, which could be • LMMA establishment: One additional LMMA attributable to successful enforcement the is under development (due to be formally reduced presence of trawlers. Objective declared in 2020). Work this year included evidence to prove this link will be collected in mapping of threats and resources at this site, future. development of zonation plans (setting out where different activities can happen) and • Shark monitoring: A total of 25 sites were gear restrictions with communities, and surveyed for sharks using Baited Remote preparing key materials to ensure legal Underwater Video units, although no shark designation of the site. sightings have been recorded to date. Support was provided to Myeik University to • Marine National Park establishment: In conduct market surveys for sharks, which order to develop the three proposed Marine showed that protected species, such as the National Parks in Tanintharyi Region, a large- endangered scalloped hammerhead, are scale consultation was undertaken alongside being sold in Myanmar. the Forest Department with input from local communities, government agencies, private • Livelihoods to support LMMA sector and industrial fisheries management: Work with communities at the representatives. Concerns were raised by three established LMMAs to understand some farming communities regarding how market systems allowed fishers to broaden land-use planning was included in their buyers’ network. Some fishers are now discussions about future zoning of the area. exploring the possibility of selling directly to FFI developed processes to manage and Myeik restaurants, which would give fishers resolve these conflicts. The learning from this higher prices and would mean that restaurant experience will inform the evolving national owners could buy fresher seafood at a lower MPA policy. price. This in turn improves support for the LMMAs. The project has also supported a • MPA governance and management women’s savings group who provides loans to systems: The management plans for the community members and is proving popular. three existing LMMAs were finalised with Two other communities are interested in communities, focusing on infractions and the developing similar initiatives. management rights and responsibilities of both the communities and the Department of • National policy for marine conservation: Fisheries. All three management plans will be The issue of illegal trawling in the region was submitted by the end of 2019. raised in Parliament, and while this was not a result of a direct FFI intervention, it has • Improved compliance with regulations: allowed FFI to follow up with the minister in Communities at two LMMAs halted their question. In parallel, a marked decrease in patrolling because of conflict over land-use bottom trawling in coastal waters (illegal planning, but the project successfully under the regional fisheries law) has been facilitated a resolution and regular patrols reported. It is not yet clear whether this have been resumed. Communities’ reflects the greater parliamentary interest in perceptions of increased fish abundance this issue. FFI is also supporting development associated with well-enforced LMMAs also of the National Plan of Action for Sharks, contributed to the resumption of regular which has brought together over 200 patrolling. representatives from government agencies, • Perceived improvements in coral reef fish private sector and communities, representing abundance: Community members received all coastal regions. As a result of this process additional training to improve data collection it has been agreed that Myanmar will extend (on coral reefs and fish abundance) in an existing ban on fishing for all ray species LMMAs, and permanent transects were that are included in CITES annexes.
established at two sites. Local fishermen
Credit: Credit:
Rob Harris, shark Rob shark Harris, catch catch www.fauna-flora.org 22
Credit: Credit:
Rakhmat
Dirgantara /FFI
Indonesia: Protecting the coral reefs by preserving traditional fishery management systems in Aceh province
BACKGROUND The coral reefs of Aceh, North Sumatra, support managing their lhoks independently, with a rich and abundant marine life and provide collaborative patrolling system involving fishers, important spawning and nursery areas for fish, the Navy and fisheries authorities. There was but have been heavily damaged by destructive some evidence that reef fish are more abundant fishing practices (examples include dynamite and diverse in well-managed lhoks. and cyanide fishing) and the devastating Development funding from Lisbet Rausing and tsunami in 2004. The tsunami also caused Peter Baldwin in 2010 enabled FFI to begin significant loss of life among those community replicating this approach on two islands further leaders who had upheld the traditional south, Pulau Simeulue and Pulau Banyak. customary community fisheries governance Simeulue is the site of the PiSiSi MPA; the name system known as Panglima Laot. This resulted is an acronym for the three locations that form in a loss of traditional ecological knowledge and the boundaries of the site, which was the risk that the province’s marine biodiversity designated by the government in 2006. Within would continue to degrade. In 2006, FFI began this site the project has focused on five lhoks in to work with the communities on Pulau Weh, the order to reduce destructive fishing practices by most north-westerly Aceh Island to re-establish integrating customary lhok protection with more the customary systems for fisheries formal MPA management. In 2018, an Aceh management and restore recognition and Government decree laid out a blueprint for an implementation of the traditional approach to MPA network in the province with three new management of the community fishing grounds, sites identified for Simeulue in addition to known as lhoks. Capacity building, including PiSiSi, and several for the main island, with the various training activities and initiatives to intention of replicating the mixed lhok-MPA diversify livelihoods, resulted in the communities approach.
FOCAL SITES AREA OF • Pulau Simeulue MPA (5 lhoks) IMPACT • Pulau Weh MPA (1 lhok) • Pulau Banyak MPA 93 402,516 lhoks) hectares • Other proposed/designated MPAs
23 www.fauna-flora.org 23 PROGRESS TO DECEMBER 2018 districts as a result of the work to date (as documented in this open access paper). FFI • Effective governance at community level: has been involved in the Aceh MPA Taskforce The project has helped five communities in since 2017, which is mandated to co-ordinate PiSiSi MPA to have their traditional lhok MPA management. FFI’s technical support to fishing areas recognised by the Acehnese the Aceh Marine and Fisheries Agency has government and gain provincial government contributed to the adoption of a revised recognition as areas of traditional tenure. provincial level spatial plan, and the This was the first step towards promoting commitment to establish a provincial level active management on the water and thereby MPA network. combatting destructive fishing. PROGRESS IN 2019 • Effective MPA governance and management: Measures have been taken to • Effective MPA governance and improve management of the two longest management: FFI continued to support recognised lhoks within PiSiSi MPA, such as development of management plans for three ensuring traditional leaders and communities' additional lhoks within PiSiSi MPA, working representation on the MPA management with community leaders to agree boundaries. council and in the management plan A document has brought together all relevant development process. customary law (fishing gear and fishing fleet restrictions, methods for harvesting marine • Improved compliance with regulations: The products, and protection and management of two communities on Pulau Simeulue now threatened species and customary fishing better understand local and national grounds) which will be used to harmonise regulations and as a result can effectively fishing restrictions across the site. patrol their fishing grounds. Community-led patrolling started in 2015, and fewer incidents • Improved compliance with regulations: of illegal and damaging fishing are now being Community patrolling continued in the two recorded. For example, in one lhok there was established lhoks, and government a 93% decline in illegal compressor fishing enforcement agencies (police, navy) as well between 2015 and 2018, reducing not only as the traditional community leaders threats to target fish species, but also contributed to enforcement across the wider potential deaths associated with this highly PiSiSi area. Patrols were successful in dangerous activity. In 2018, a survey with apprehending two compressor fishers. A identified compressor fishers was completed decision on how to deal with offenders was to better understand the health, safety and negotiated with representatives of the local compliance implications of this fishing activity community through the Panglima Laot. The in order to inform conservation action. compressors were publicly destroyed and a fine was paid. The results of the 2018 survey • Marine biodiversity recovering: Ecological of compressor fishers were shared with baselines (coral reefs, fish populations) have relevant government agencies (not just the been established for the two lhoks in PiSiSi Marine and Fisheries Agency, but also the MPA. Surveys in 2018 found nearly three Health Agency) and were used to raise local times higher reef fish biomass in lhoks awareness; the results were also incorporated compared to non-managed areas of the MPA. into an open access 2019 report for wider • Improving MPA policy regionally and international dissemination. nationally: Lhok management approaches are now appreciated and respected at regional and national level and further
lhok/MPA activity has been catalysed in eight
Credit: Credit:
Rakhmat
Dirgantara /FFI
www.fauna-flora.org 24 • Marine biodiversity recovering: The results of • Livelihood improvement: Two communities the 2018 reef surveys (undertaken with Syiah with managed lhoks received training to identify Kuala University), when compared to the 2012 market chains and develop action plans to baseline, showed that highest reef cover (almost increase their market access. Fish catches were 90% “very good condition”) and highest monitored in these two communities and abundance of grouper (an apex predator fish showed that: all gear types used were that denotes a heathy reef and that is also considered environmentally friendly; a range of commercially important) were found within one species are caught (almost 30 species); and of the well-established lhoks. Comparison of target species include grouper, octopus, sea sites in the PiSiSi protected area with survey cucumbers and lobster. This information will sites outside the MPA showed marked inform future assistance to ensure communities differences (37 genera of corals and 249 fish supporting effective marine management species compared with 29 coral genera and 169 receive the best return for their more fish species). A survey of spawning sustainable catch. aggregations identified important sites for grouper and snapper spawning within the MPA.
Honduras: Connecting coastal communities for integrated seascape management in Atlántida
BACKGROUND PROGRESS TO DECEMBER 2018 The Atlántida coast of Honduras encompasses • Inter-community conflict reduced: A small- highly biodiverse coastal wetlands, well scale fisher-led roundtable was established to preserved mangrove forests and a patchwork of resolve a long-standing conflict around islands at the southern tip of the MesoAmerican access to fishing grounds – leading to the Barrier Reef. In 2015, FFI and five Honduran widespread use of biodiversity-impacting, NGO partners began working across three illegal small-mesh nets and spear fishing – socially and ecologically connected MPAs within between fishers from two of the sites (Cayos a wider seascape – Cuero-Y-Salado Wildlife Cochinos and Bay Islands MPAs). A number Refuge, Cayos Cochinos Marine National of small-scale fisheries are now involved in Monument, and part of the Bay Islands National this mechanism that enables coastal Marine Park. The aim was to establish an communities to set out their own priorities for integrated management system that conserves the wider seascape. critical habitat and species and enables fishing communities to improve their livelihoods while taking increasing responsibilities for management. This seascape-level project aims to ensure cooperative and collaborative management at local, regional and national levels.
FOCAL SITES AREA OF IMPACT • Cuero y Salado Wildlife Refuge (marine portion) 180,313 • Cayos Cochinos Marine hectares National Monument • Bay Islands Marine National Park
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Credit: Vance Vance Credit:
Russell, Russell, mangrove restoration
• Establishment of a Seascape Forum: A • Reducing species mortality: In Cayos multi-stakeholder body involving government, Cochinos Marine National Monument, NGOs and small-scale fisher organisations) hawksbill turtle poaching (based on evidence was established in 2017 to develop an of nest disturbance) reduced from 18 ambitious programme of conservation incidents in 2017 to only 10 in 2018. Several measures, ranging from elimination of bottom former poachers now help to patrol beaches trawling in all the MPAs to widespread and to co-ordinate celebratory Turtle mangrove restoration. FFI’s role was to Festivals on the islands. There was also a support the co-ordination of this forum, reduction in mortality from hunting in the helping national Honduran NGOs drive an manatee population (only ~30-40 individuals) ambitious conservation agenda. at Cuero-Y-Salado as a result. • Two newly designated fisher-led no-take • Co-ordinated mangrove protection and zones: In 2018, two new no-take zones restoration: Through the collective efforts of (referred to locally as ‘fish recuperation partners across all three sites, 20 hectares of zones’) were set up by local fishing mangrove forest have been restored and a communities, as previous attempts to set up further 6,500 hectares placed under improved no-take zones in this seascape had not been protection. successful. These prohibit all fishing across • Surveys and mapping of key habitat nearly 6km² of rich inshore waters around features: Creating a series of vital seascape- Utila island in the Bay Islands Marine wide datasets will help provide a base to National Park. inform management of the inter-connected • Reduced destructive fishing: In Cuero-Y- habitats, key species and fisheries by the Salado Wildlife Refuge, more targeted interconnected organisations of the Seascape patrolling resulted in a significant reduction in Forum. In 2016, these collective efforts the use of nets with small mesh sizes that revealed previously undocumented coral capture juvenile fish. Incidences of use of reefs within Cuero-Y-Salado Wildlife Refuge these nets reduced dramatically from 34 in (documented in this open access paper). 2017 to only 9 in 2018. In Cayos Cochinos Marine National Monument, incidences of damaging bottom trawling that pose a threat to the seabed reduced from over five in previous years down to only one in 2018.
www.fauna-flora.org 26 PROGRESS IN 2019 • A new Seascape Committee: At the end of • Reducing impacts on mangroves: Our 2018, a small agile body – the Seascape partners working to improve management of Committee – started to refine and specify the coast have secured agreements with the management priorities at a ‘seascape’ level. region’s three main corporate plantation This includes development of regulations for owners. These agreements will reduce the waters between the MPAs, management encroachment of oil palm plantations, address of key species (such as yellow-tailed water quality issues and provide financial snapper) and collectively addressing threats support for monitoring of mangrove forests. originating on land, namely plastic waste (see • Project evaluation: A project evaluation was p.14) and river-borne pollutants. conducted by FFI staff in May 2019, which • Increase national profile and identity of the provided positive collective views of the seascape: The ‘paisaje marino’ (Spanish for project from a range of stakeholders. This seascape) is now recognised as a clear evaluation captured important learning from concept nationally, despite lacking any formal the work to date, particularly around the legal recognition of the area, and has importance of the growing social network of received significant media coverage locally. It the individuals involved in managing the was included in the Honduran Presidential seascape. We aim to publish the results of Office’s National Plan, a key political the evaluation (open access) in 2020. document that sets national decision-making priorities. Fisher representatives from the seascape now contribute to national fishing
industry decision-making.
Credit:
Dan Steadman, Steadman, Dan Coral
reefs reefs in Honduras
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Credit: Credit: OttoMejia
Nicaragua: Expanding marine conservation on the Pacific Coast’s Coral Corridor
BACKGROUND fishing, compressor dive-fishing, drift-netting and long-lining. This showed that while many In 2014, FFI began work with local partners, the destructive practices were theoretically Nicaraguan Government, the tourism industry restricted, many were occurring at significant and coastal communities, in an 80-kilometre- levels on the ground. long marine and coastal area known as the Coral Corridor. Building on the foundation of its • Marine biodiversity: The Coral Corridor long-running work to conserve sea turtles on hosts a mosaic of coralline and rocky reef Nicaragua’s Pacific Coast, this project is habitats that had previously received minimal focused on delivering effective management of international focus. Biannual dive surveys two existing MPAs at either end of the corridor – conducted since 2016 have provided La Flor Wildlife Refuge and Río Escalante important information for representing this Chacocente Wildlife Refuge – and attempting to little-known biodiversity to policymakers. establish a third MPA between them at a site Training in the method was also provided to called Gigante. Effective management of this local staff, improving their skills in data coastal MPA network will include strong local collection, analysis and interpretation. involvement, regulatory reforms and • Building local governance across three empowerment of small-scale fishery MPAs: FFI has helped to form and has organisations, and will aim to reduce the participated in multi-stakeholder committees impacts of destructive fishing practices (notably at both the two existing MPAs and the new blast fishing with explosives and bottom trawling proposed MPA at Gigante. These allow a for shrimp). range of interests to be involved in decision- making at each site. The committees are the PROGRESS TO DECEMBER 2018 first of their kind in the country. • Active patrolling across the Coral • Reviewing the status of destructive Corridor: Two municipalities agreed to work fishing: Given the project’s specific focus on collaboratively to eliminate blast fishing in destructive fishing, a thorough legal and field- 2016, and subsequently established based review of the extent, status and innovative joint enforcement patrols with FFI impacts of a variety of fishing practices was support. conducted in 2015, encompassing blast
FOCAL SITES AREA OF IMPACT • La Flor Wildlife Refuge • Río Escalante 118,451 Chacocente Wildlife Refuge hectares • Gigante Marine Life & Development Zone
www.fauna-flora.org 28 These involved communities, the navy and local behind the designation of the Gigante MPA NGO partners and have contributed to a stalled. In response, a new team was brought perceived dramatic decline in the use of on board towards the end of the year to re- explosives to fish along the entirety of evaluate opportunities considering the Nicaragua’s Pacific Coast (quantified primarily complex political climate. through evidence of fisher perceptions). • Gear exchange to reduce turtle bycatch: To address the significant issue of turtle bycatch, PROGRESS IN 2019 a hook exchange programme took place from • Adapting to political change: While some 2015 to 2017. This involved the distribution of stability has returned to Nicaragua, marine over 102,400 bycatch-reducing hooks to 512 conservation is not a national priority and longlining fishers across five focal central government support to municipal and communities. Surveys in 2017 reported that community entities is minimal. Adapting to all fishers interviewed use these hooks, thus this situation, the project is now working removing a significant threat to turtle almost entirely at a grassroots NGO and populations in the coral corridor. community level. • National policy change: In 2018, the • Reporting of destructive fishing via fisheries authority mandated the use of smartphones: A simple system of reporting bycatch-reducing hooks for all longline fishing destructive fishing methods is now accessible methods in national law, partly in response to by all community members. This uses the success of the exchange programme smartphones to record offences and has described above. demonstrated that blast fishing has resumed • A new kind of Nicaraguan MPA: A proposal during the period of unrest. for a community-based conservation area at • Creating opportunities for local Gigante was approved in 2017 by local communities: As an incentive to protect authorities (although final government valuable biodiversity and fisheries resources approval has not yet been received). The in the absence of formal compliance proposal for this designation was produced in monitoring, FFI has helped fishers identify collaboration with fishers who established the opportunities to derive increased value from regulations and zoning for the site. The their catch as well as opportunities to concept of a community-based conservation diversify into aquaculture This has involved area is a completely novel initiative for work to help analyse current markets and to Nicaragua. The project is helping to generate assess feasibility of locally-led aquaculture in social and political support for this initiative these areas. and a neighbouring community has already expressed interest in developing a similar • Promoting benefits of marine conservation area. conservation: A mobile Blue Museum – now in part hosted by FFI – has moved from the • ‘Holding the line’ during a time of civil Coral Corridor to Managua and has attracted unrest: During 2018, many of the project’s increasing numbers of visitors. The museum activities were disrupted by the mass protests is conceived as way to non-confrontationally against the government-proposed social build support for marine conservation at security programme and the ensuing unrest. It national level, both among policymakers and became too dangerous for the collaborative the general public. committees formed at the start of the project
to assemble, and the political momentum
Credit: Credit: OttoMejia
www.fauna-flora.org 29
Credit:
CoopeSoliDar
, Low ,
- impact impact fishing
Costa Rica: Reducing threats of destructive fishing and promoting fisher livelihoods
BACKGROUND PROGRESS TO DECEMBER 2018 Cost Rica’s highly biodiverse inshore waters • Reducing destructive bottom trawling: support outcrops of coral habitat, high levels of Building on the Tárcoles no-shrimp-trawling marine species diversity and endemism and zone, we worked with CoopeSoliDar to lobby widespread artisanal fisheries. However, despite for reform of destructive bottom trawling its global prominence as an environmental practices, using the Tárcoles trial as a model. leader, Costa Rica has not historically made A review conducted in 2012 provided national ocean protection a national priority, meaning policymakers with insight into existing that destructive fishing has become a significant national bans around the world and their conservation concern. Since 2012, FFI has effectiveness, and contributed to these collaborated with a Costa Rican fisheries lobbying efforts. The closure of the Tárcoles development NGO called CoopeSoliDar to trial zone to shrimp trawlers was extended address widespread threats from destructive indefinitely by the Government in 2013 (a fisheries and to support local fishing process documented in this open access cooperatives to sustainably manage their paper). The decision came as a result of the waters. This has involved the application of project, and specifically the demonstration of spatial protection (including Marine Areas of increased artisanal fish catch in this area Responsible Fishing [MARF] and Areas of following the cessation of trawling activity. Marine Management [AMM]) and promoting Despite immense challenges, such as lack of much-needed national fisheries governance Navy support and the ongoing maritime reform to tackle bottom trawling for shrimp. FFI’s narcotics trade, only one trawler has work builds on a fisher-led campaign to develop accessed the Tárcoles closed zone since it a no-shrimp-trawling zone in one of the was established, and this infraction was responsible fishing areas in a community called swiftly resolved. Tárcoles, which lies on the Gulf of Nicoya on the Pacific coast of the country.
FOCAL SITES AREA OF IMPACT • Tarcoles Marine Area of Responsible Fishing 109,389 • Cabo Blanco Area of Marine hectares Management
www.fauna-flora.org 30 • Developing national policies for shrimp country’s fisheries ministry, which wants to trawling: In 2015, a government-led process see a more gradual transition away from facilitated by CoopeSoliDar was initiated to these activities with less damage to develop a new regulatory framework for livelihoods. Legislation enacted in 2017 sustainable shrimp fisheries. Hundreds of banned shrimp trawling in Costa Rica’s stakeholders representing fishing, tourism, inshore waters and introduced gear conservation and academic sectors met modifications to reduce bycatch. Despite the regularly to discuss and propose elements of president’s wish for a complete ban, the the policy and its guiding principles. A new fisheries ministry intends to renew expired National Policy for Sustainable Use of shrimp trawling licences on the provision that Shrimp, Generation of Employment and Fight the zoning and gear modification regulations against Poverty was proposed in May 2017 established under the 2017 legislation are which, through the zoning of fishing activities, respected. regulated shrimp trawling in much of Costa • Fisher-led management: The Cabuya Rica’s inshore waters (between 3-5 miles). Fishers Association at Cabo Blanco has The plan sought to balance the needs of local gained legal status as a result of communities, income generation and CoopeSoliDar’s work and are now conservation, but was challenged by other establishing their rights to fish in their environmental groups who sought a total ban traditional waters, which have been on shrimp trawling in Costa Rica’s waters. incorporated into the Cabo Blanco Area of • Designation of a new kind of MPA for Marine Management. Costa Rica: Working with the local • Addressing recreational fishing: No shrimp community in Cabuya, FFI and CoopeSoliDar trawling infractions were recorded in the last have contributed to the development of a new two years, so with the continuing success of model for ocean protection in Costa Rica – its no-trawling zone and associated recovery where governance of the site is shared of fish stocks, Tárcoles has now become a between the community and the government hub for so-called ‘touristic fishing’. This under a co-management agreement. This involves an artisanal fisher taking client(s), small-scale fishing community identified mainly Costa Ricans from the city, out to important zones for both conservation and catch fish, typically using single-hook lines. traditional fisheries. As a result the Cabo While this brings substantial economic Blanco Area of Marine Management, benefits, it also creates management and encompassing the waters used by Cabuya monitoring problems, including small-scale community, was established in 2017. This is trawling for shrimp as bait. Studies supported the first coastal MPA in the country to involve by FFI have generated knowledge about this local people in decision-making. The issue, analysed legal options and generated community’s fishing areas are incorporated advice on an appropriate regulation. into the site’s zoning plan. In 2018, the However, the government has yet to act. fishing association of Cabuya was registered as a legal entity and, as a result of work by • Decision to hand over: With significant CoopeSoliDar with the Costa Rican Ministry capacity built in Costa Rica, the decision was of Environment, this is now Costa Rica’s first made to hand this work over to local partners genuinely co-managed inshore MPA. and for FFI to phase out in 2020. A consolidated exit strategy has been planned to ensure that lessons from a diverse range of PROGRESS IN 2019 successes and challenges are captured and shared, as well as ensuring that initiatives • Shrimp trawling legislation: There continue that are still in development have a clear to be unresolved issues around shrimp trajectory and partners are able to implement trawling in Costa Rica. The President wishes them without future FFI support.
to ban shrimp trawling and is at odds with the Credit: Kate Credit: West/FFI
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Credit: Credit:
Kate Kate
West/FFI West/FFI Traceability system
Data collection and traceability trials in Tárcoles
As a linked initiative to our national policy and Both the authorities and the local community MPA work, FFI and CoopeSoliDar have worked recognised the potential of this system to with a consortium of government bodies, generate useful information and improve fishers seafood trade experts and fisheries economists catch monitoring. It can also improve the to explore how better data collection and market marketing of their fisheries products (and thus access for small-scale fisheries could help to business potential), and track trends in their drive compliance within MPAs and support marine resources to enable more responsive fishing associations to become more responsible management. stewards of biodiversity. This system may also help to resolve issues Focusing on the Tárcoles Marine Area of around artisanal fisher licensing, creating a Responsible Fishing, an innovative electronic clear process by which these fishers can obtain catch monitoring and traceability system, initially a licence. Currently, many low-impact coastal developed to generate information on the effects fishers have no access to licences due to lack of of banning bottom trawling, was implemented in evidence of their fishing patterns and are thus 2015 to better quantify artisanal catch. Results classed as ‘illegal fishers’; only 10% of Costa from this were fed into national decisions and Rica’s 15,000 artisanal fishers have licences. policies. This creates a major barrier to building community-led marine protection initiatives and disincentivises sustainable fishing practices.
FOCAL SITES AREA OF IMPACT • Tarcoles Marine Area of 27,320 ha Responsible Fishing
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Credit: TanguyCredit: Nicolas/ FFI Nicolas/
Tanzania: Co-management of marine resources on Pemba Island
BACKGROUND The Pemba Channel Conservation Area Pemba – Kisiwa Panza in 2015 and Kukuu in (PECCA) in Zanzibar was declared in 2005 to 2016 – the project has piloted local fishing protect the unique biodiversity and critical restrictions which are designed, implemented habitats of the area, including inshore and deep- and patrolled by the Shehia Fisher water coral communities, seagrass beds and Committees. Communities recognised concentrations of sailfish, black marlin and tuna. ongoing declines in their catches and However, at present PECCA is effectively a supported trial restrictions to see if catches ‘paper park’ - existing in name only, meaning it could be improved, focusing initially on has limited enforcement capability and no local temporary closures of sections of their support for the less destructive and more octopus fishing grounds. This approach built sustainable fishing practices that will be vital to on similar initiatives in the region, where the the site’s long-term protection. In partnership resulting increased catches of octopus built with the Tanzanian NGO Mwambao Coastal support for more ambitious or sustained Community Network, FFI identified an closures, easing pressure on reef ecosystems opportunity to strengthen the management of and associated species. this important site. Since 2015 the project has • Reduced infractions of restrictions: As this sought to establish and equip village-level is the first active management within PECCA, associations known as Shehia Fishers implementing restrictions has not always Committees along the south coast of Pemba been straightforward. However, between 2016 island (the second major island in the Zanzibar and 2018, infractions at the first octopus archipelago) to play an active role in the closure at Kukuu village fell by 80% and the management of their marine resources. This is Shehia Fishers Committee added a an important first step in improving the permanent no-take zone closure. Progress sustainability of artisanal fishing practices within has been slower at the second village (Kisiwa PECCA, and reduce illegal and destructive Panza) with repeated incursions reported. To fishing practices which currently damage the address this, the composition of its Fisher important reef systems around the island. Committee has been changed to better PROGRESS TO DECEMBER 2018 represent the interests of this diverse community. • Piloting local fishing restrictions: Focusing initially on two communities in southern
FOCAL SITES AREA OF IMPACT • Kukuu Fishing Grounds 5,993 hectares • Kisiwa Panza Fishing Grounds
www.fauna-flora.org 33 • Fishery benefits and wider ecological Makoongwe and the apparent unwillingness recovery: Locally led data collection has of this village’s Shehia Fishers Committee to shown that closures resulted in increased enforce restrictions. This has catalysed the octopus catches (2.7 times higher than community to elect a new fishers committee, previously). There are early indications that leading to new hope that trials will resume in other reef species, such as parrotfish, are 2020. also benefitting from restrictions. • Larger-scale marine governance: Through • Sustainable fisher-led management: an exchange with fishing communities and Working towards a vision of a network of government representatives from mainland financially and operationally self-sustaining Tanzania’s RuMaki Collaborative Fisheries Shehia Fishers Committees along the coast of Management Area, members of the Pemba Pemba, the project is testing different income Shehia Fisher Committees were able to learn streams to underpin the management costs of about large-scale co-managed MPAs. The the Committees. FFI and Mwambao exchange gave participants practical advice collaborated in 2017 to facilitate an octopus on how such multi-level governance market system improvement initiative, in arrangements might work in Pemba. which fishers, buyers and intermediaries • Improving marine enforcement in PECCA: collaborated to develop the business case for Through the involvement of US NGO WildAid, sustainable octopus management. This allows a thorough assessment was conducted of the fishers to earn more for octopus caught after structures, incident reporting systems and a closure and, as a result, fishers themselves operating procedures of bodies responsible have invested some of their profits into the for marine enforcement in PECCA. A ongoing operation of the Fishers Committees. workshop with the lead agency, the Through the collection of fines for Department of Fisheries Development in infringements and a fledgling community Pemba, resulted in recommendations for credit scheme, the Shehia Fisher Committees improvements and action. are now more viable as community enterprises and recognise the co-benefits of a • Incentivising protection through eco- healthy ocean and well-managed fisheries credits: Working with a local microcredit resources. specialist, Mwambao trialled an eco-credit scheme at Kukuu to give out small loans in exchange for increased patrolling and habitat PROGRESS IN 2019 restoration. Through provision of over 150 loans, borrowers have committed to conduct • Third PECCA village adopts fishing additional patrols of the area covered by the restrictions: A third temporary octopus Shehia Fishers Committee’s management fishing ground closure was trialled in the new plan - the closure site and surrounding Kukuu village of Makoongwe in 2019. In spite of fishing grounds. This triples the patrol effort following a similar protocol to that used in the and has resulted in increased reporting of other villages, this closure did not yield infringements. In addition, over 6,000 significant improvements in catch when re- mangrove seedlings have been planted opened. Instead, it highlighted the problem of through this scheme.
extensive illegal SCUBA fishing in
Credit: Credit: FFI
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Credit
: : Tanguy Nicolas/FFI, Aerial view
Kenya: Coordinated Community Conservation in Lamu and Tana River counties
BACKGROUND The north Kenya coast, from the Tana Delta to right to establish Beach Management Units that the Somali border, supports a mosaic of largely are responsible for managing their fishing intact coastal and marine habitats, including the grounds, known as Co-Management Areas. country’s largest wetland and 60% of the Since 2011, FFI has been working with the country’s mangroves. These ecosystems Northern Rangelands Trust – Coast, a regional support diverse marine species, including office of the Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT – sharks, dolphins, dugongs, and sea turtles, as see the accompanying Halcyon Land & Sea well as rich inshore and pelagic fisheries. report for more details). It supports several However, these resources, and the communities community conservancies in the north Kenyan dependent on them, are threatened by coastal zone around Lamu. unsustainable harvesting, pollution, deforestation and habitat conversion by large Three conservancies lie directly on the coast: commercial interests and land speculators. A Pate Marine Community Conservancy, Kiunga major threat is the Lamu Port and Lamu- Community Conservancy and Lower Tana Delta Southern Sudan-Ethiopia Infrastructure Corridor, Conservancy. To date, our work has focused on a transport and infrastructure initiative that is support to the Pate Conservancy. We plan to likely to impact sensitive marine ecosystems, continue support to this area to ensure its particularly around Pate Island. effective management and to identify means to integrate governance and management Communities along the Kenyan coast depend mechanisms across different scales to facilitate extensively on marine resources, and have the long-term biodiversity conservation and sustainable fisheries management.
FOCAL SITES AREA OF IMPACT • Pate-Shanga Ishakani-Shanga Rubu CMA • Mtangawanda CMA 109,440 hectares • Kizingitini CMA • Faza/Siyu/Mbwajumwali CMA • Tchundwa CMA • Ndau CMA
www.fauna-flora.org 35 PROGRESS TO DECEMBER 2018 was piloted in 2016 by NRT and their partners, aiming to improve returns for local • Management plans and fisheries fishers (and thus improved compliance with restrictions: Management plans have been fishing restrictions) by adding value through drafted for the six community-managed areas production, processing and marketing of fish. around Pate. Implementation of these is This has been successful so far as a result of underway although they are still awaiting poor economic returns due to wider official approval from the district council due infrastructural issues such as limited access to ongoing elections. The management plans to freezing, processing and distribution included two no-fishing zones (totalling 80 opportunities. We are working with NRT to hectares). In 2018 two temporary closed address these challenges. zones for octopus fishing were trialled with support from FFI’s partner in Tanzania, • Illegal fishing activities: Pate Conservancy Mwambao Coastal Community Network staff raised awareness and started dialogue (see p.34) with local communities around the use of destructive and illegal beach seine fishing, • Improved patrolling and enforcement: Pate that is highly unselective of catch. A conflict Conservancy and local Beach Management resolution committee was established with Units jointly enforce regulations in the Kiunga Community Conservancy, community-managed areas. Twelve predominantly to address issues arising from community rangers conduct daily beach and beach seine fishing, as it is a particular boat surveillance patrols to check on illegal problem in Kiunga Marine Reserve. fishing, turtle poaching and mangrove destruction. Over 190 illegally extracted mangrove poles were confiscated in 2018, PROGRESS IN 2019 illegal logging camps were disbanded, and loggers and turtle poachers were • Temporary octopus closures: The closed apprehended. Improved prosecution by the zones in Pate Conservancy resulted in authorities has reinforced the recognition of additional octopus catch for fishers (totalling the role and impact of the rangers and will nearly 1,000kg). Staff from Pate and NRT promote better compliance with the ensured buyers were available to purchase regulations. the additional supply at good prices. • Improved coral reef and mangrove • Mangrove restoration: Mangrove areas monitoring and data collation: A database suitable for large-scale restoration around to collect marine monitoring data was Pate and other conservancies have been established in 2014, and community rangers identified in collaboration with the Kenya have received training in coral reef Forestry Service, and restoration work is now monitoring. underway with funding from the French Embassy. • Improved livelihoods through fisheries
development: A Fish-to-Market programme
Credit : : FFI, Mangroveroots
www.fauna-flora.org 36 Credit: Jeff Wilson/FFI Jeff Credit: Wilson/FFI
Cape Verde: Participatory research and action for conservation on Maio and Brava Islands
BACKGROUND PROGRESS TO DECEMBER 2018 The archipelago nation of Cape Verde is a • MPA management plan for Maio: A marine biodiversity hotspot supporting a wealth management and zoning plan was developed of globally important and endemic marine for an island-wide protected areas network, to species. This includes 17 species of whales and include new protection measures for dolphins, more than 60 species of sharks and important marine habitats. FFI worked with in- rays, and five species of marine turtle with one country partners (including FMB) to ensure of the three largest nesting populations of available data, and local community loggerhead turtles in the world. perceptions were built into the design of the MPAs. The five-year management plan for the Lying close to the main island Santiago and protected areas was submitted to the capital Praia, Maio is under increasing pressure government in 2014, followed by a monitoring from tourism, coastal habitat destruction, and plan in 2016. unsustainable and illegal fishing. In contrast, the remote and highly biodiverse island of Brava • Enhancing MPA compliance: As of 2018, all has low levels of development, with a population five protected areas with marine components highly dependent on fisheries for livelihoods and were regularly patrolled by government protein. FFI is working with two local agencies and FMB rangers, and fish conservation NGOs - Maio Biodiversity inspectors checked local ports. An initiative Foundation (FMB) on Maio and Biflores on called Guardians of the Sea has been Brava - to support the development of an developed by FMB and involves local fishers effective, and locally supported, national in monitoring their inshore fishing grounds for network of MPAs. illegal activities and recording sightings of megafauna species. This has gained significant momentum since it started.
FOCAL SITES AREA OF IMPACT
• Parque Natural do Norte da Ilha do Maio MPA 28,487 • Reserva Marinha das Casas Velhas MPA hectares • Reserva Natural de Praia do Morro MPA • Reserva Natural da Lagoa Cimidor MPA • Paisagem Protegida das Salinas do Porto Ingles MPA • Brava Island
www.fauna-flora.org 37 • Improving shark and ray conservation: In Brava: In 2018, we began engaging with 2014, surveys confirmed the presence of partner Biflores, a small NGO on Brava nursery and breeding grounds for sharks Island. Through this partnership, we collected around Maio as well as the first country extensive data to help identify marine record of the Near Threatened smoothtail conservation needs and provide baselines for mobula ray, documented in this open access measuring change. paper. The surveys highlighted the threats posed by local fishing, with sharks comprising 72% of non-target catch. A code of conduct PROGRESS IN 2019: for the safe handling and release of sharks was developed for sport and recreational • MPA management plan approval: The fishers, and 129 fishers were trained in shark approval by government of the Maio MPA monitoring and safe release techniques. management plan has been delayed since Approximately 50 fishers have now pledged 2014. In 2019 FFI and FMB worked with the to stop catching sharks. government to move this forward. As a result, key government ministries have formally • Reducing turtle poaching: FMB patrol committed to prioritising the review, approval nesting turtle beaches, and the rate of egg and implementation of the plan. In order to poaching has fallen over the last seven years. kick-start this process, the government A national legal framework for the protection intends to contract a consultant to review and and conservation of marine turtles was update the plan in early 2020. introduced in 2018 and will reinforce FMB’s work. • Enhanced MPA compliance: The Guardians of the Sea continued to patrol their fishing • Supporting sustainable livelihood grounds. 17 fishers participate and together generation: Recognising that a diversified reported over 90 incidents of illegal activities, income base is essential to reduce which is more than before. In time, this dependence on fishing, a homestay patrolling should become a deterrent. The programme, enabling visitors to stay with Guardians of the Sea are now working without local hosts, was launched on Maio in 2017. the fuel subsidies they previously received. • Enhancing awareness and support for The local Maritime Police also conducted MPAs: Social surveys during 2017 patrols this year, with inspections of around demonstrated high awareness and support for 150 artisanal and semi-industrial boats, and MPAs (e.g. 90% respondents believed that one arrest for turtle poaching. They have protection of MPAs could increase job expressed interest in learning how to collect opportunities). marine megafauna data while on patrol, and FMB is providing training. This highlights • Improving partner capacity: FFI’s extensive growing local engagement in marine institutional and financial support to FMB over management. the past seven years has been critical to the continued existence of the organisation and • Reduced egg poaching: Though the overall has supported them through a period of turtle nesting activity declined in 2019, the instability and significant staff turnover. number of poached nests is also significantly lower than last year.
• Developing a programme of work on
Credit: Jeff Wilson/FFI, Wilson/FFI, Verde mural Cape
www.fauna-flora.org 38 • Reducing development impacts: Monitoring • Developing a programme of work on Brava: data collected by FMB was used to inform As a result of the formal partnership with FFI, impact assessments for construction projects on Biflores now has a functioning office and three Maio that could have otherwise significantly full-time staff. They conducted a study into the impacted marine environments. FMB also extent of human-shark conflict on the island suggested ways in which to prevent and mitigate which showed that fishers perceive sharks to be potential impacts for future developments, competing for the same fish stocks. This demonstrating their growing reputation as a knowledge informed strategic planning for FFI’s well-informed and trust-worthy organisation. future work on Brava and Maio, with a focus on shark conservation. Interest shown by other • Supporting sustainable livelihood local NGOs and institutions, including generation: The homestay programme has government, on Cape Verde’s other islands, created income totalling $18,000, helping to including Boavista, Sal and Mindelo, diversify livelihoods beyond fishing and demonstrates the potential for wider uptake of specifically providing earnings for women in the such initiatives. communities.
Turkey: Expanding effective MPAs across the Turquoise Coast
BACKGROUND along the Turquoise Coast have shown interest. The project is now looking at how this model The Gökova Bay MPA was established in the could be replicated. rich and diverse waters around Turkey’s Mediterranean coast to offer protection to globally important seagrass beds, commercially PROGRESS TO DECEMBER 2018 important fishing grounds and nursery habitats for critically endangered sharks. Insufficient • Reduced illegal fishing: Collaborative capacity within the management authorities, patrols led by AKD and involving community however, has meant that implementation of the rangers and the coastguard were initiated in MPA regulations have been ineffective, allowing 2013. Regular surveillance and patrols, overfishing and illegal fishing to continue with including random night watches, are now in consequent damage to sensitive habitats and place for all six no-take zones and for a wider species. protection zone (agreed in 2016) to protect important coralline and rocky reef habitats In 2012, FFI started working with local NGO and extensive seagrass meadows. As a result Akdeniz Koruma Derneği (AKD) to develop a of patrolling efforts, illegal fishing was community-based management model for reduced by 60% between 2014 and 2017. Turkey’s first network of six strictly protected no- Most incidents now concern amateur or take zones in the Gökova Bay MPA recreational fishers rather than commercial (documented in this open access report). These trawlers or purse seiners, which have been no-take zones were created through banned from the bay. collaborative lobbying and action by AKD and local fishers and have proven so successful, in terms of fish biomass recovery, that other sites
FOCAL SITES AREA OF IMPACT • Gökova Bay Marine Protected Area • Fethiye-Göcek MPA Total = 307,000 hectares
www.fauna-flora.org 39 Credit:
• Fish population recovery: Monitoring of fish populations has shown that fish biomass in AKD the no-take zones is up to six times higher than in unprotected sites, with numbers of apex predators and commercially important groupers also significantly greater. This is probably attributable to a complex range of factors, and monitoring data will better explain the unexpected scale of recovery observed. Fisher income has also increased almost four-fold since the project started, boosting community support for the management measures. The use of mobile technology by the local fisheries cooperative is improving monitoring of fish landings and generating information to help inform management of this area. • Key species recovery: In 2014-15, endangered sandbar sharks, vulnerable loggerhead turtles and critically endangered Mediterranean monk seals were observed in the bay for the first time in many years. More regular patrolling has revealed permanent populations of sharks in the area. Mediterranean monk seals subsequently bred in two different caves in the MPA, and these sites are now under strict legal protection. • Replication of the management approach: Impressed by the results from the no-take zones in Gökova Bay, the Turkish Government invited AKD to propose further sites for protection. Five additional sites for no-take zones along the Turkish Mediterranean coast were proposed in 2016. At Fethiye Bay, south of Gökova Bay, an agreement has been reached with local stakeholders to introduce both no-take zones and gear restriction zones, and the project has started building capacity for this initiative with local fishers. • Partner capacity: The project has received awards, including one from the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), for its model of fisheries co-management. As a result, AKD’s profile is also increasing, and they were invited to speak at the UN Ocean Conference in New York in 2017. FFI has helped AKD build the governance and operational systems that will allow it to grow into a stable and professional organisation, able to capitalise on the opportunities emerging for wider marine conservation influence in Turkey. In addition, FFI secured a generous grant from the Endangered Landscapes Programme (ELP) that is helping the project scale up its work.
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Credit: Credit:
AKD, AKD, Diving
in in Gokova
PROGRESS IN 2019 • MPA management and compliance: Over the seals to leave the water, aims to create 700 patrols were completed in the Gökova suitable breeding habitat. Surveys to assess Bay no-take zones, but there has been an populations of sandbar sharks in the area are increase in infringements over the last few underway. years. This may be a result of increased • Replication of the management approach: catch and fisher incomes due to higher fish Proposals have been developed for the density within the no-take zones, making designation of a total of 11,100 hectares of fishing there more attractive. The relevant new no-take zones in four Special authorities are considering increasing the Environment Protected Areas along the coast. penalties to outweigh the benefits of violating Additional no-take zones have also been the regulations. The project supplied boats proposed for Gökova Bay. and a ranger for the new no-take zone areas. Underwater clean-ups in Gökova Bay • Biological monitoring: Biological monitoring removed significant amounts of ghost fishing surveys have been expanded, including fish gear. biomass and seaweed surveys, to establish baselines for future progress towards • Fish population recovery: Fish landing data ecosystem recovery. analysed in 2019 indicates a potentially significant increase in fish densities in the • Building partner capacity: This year FFI has region; further data is needed to corroborate provided institutional strengthening and these findings. support for AKD, recognising the need for robust systems and capacity to manage the • Key species recovery: Surveys for new ELP grant effectively. This has included Mediterranean monk seals have confirmed investment in financial management and an signs of activity in four caves in Gökova Bay. assessment of AKD’s capacity for monitoring The construction of a haul-out ledge, allowing and evaluating impact. www.fauna-flora.org 41
Credit: LMCredit: Howarth,
U of York, Spider York,Spider of U crab crab
Scotland : Supporting the development of effective marine conservation NGOs
BACKGROUND 2008 at the instigation of COAST. FFI subsequently supported them in their efforts Scotland’s coasts support an astonishing array to help establish a larger MPA across the of sea life with cold-water corals, iconic species whole of South Arran, designated in 2014. such as critically endangered common skate, Further consultations and efforts by COAST and high densities of cetaceans. However, high led to government approval in 2015 of impact fishing continues to erode sensitive management regulations that prohibit inshore habitats, upon which both biodiversity dredging and limit trawling activities within and fish productivity rely. Building on FFI’s the MPA. These ground-breaking measures early work in the Firth of Clyde (see below), we were put in place by the Scottish continue to support two local NGOs to advance Government, despite strong lobbying efforts effective marine conservation in Scotland: by the fishing industry, thus demonstrating Community of Arran Seabed Trust (COAST) and the value of local community leadership. Sustainable Inshore Fisheries Trust (SIFT). The missions of these partners complement FFI’s • Partner capacity: FFI has helped COAST to wider programme of marine work in Scotland, develop its institutional strategy and bringing much-needed reform that will help to governance systems and has provided address damaged inshore fisheries and ongoing organisational mentoring and advice. demonstrating the value of locally led Our engagement with COAST paved the way conservation action. for the development of the Coastal Communities Network (see p. 51). FFI PROGRESS TO DECEMBER 2018 continues to provide support to COAST as necessary, but they are now a well- COMMUNITY OF ARRAN SEABED TRUST established and independent community- (COAST) based organisation. • MPA designation and management: A no- take zone in Lamlash Bay was established in
FOCAL SITES • Firth of Clyde, Scotland, UK
www.fauna-flora.org 42 SCOTTISH INSHORE FISHERIES TRUST PROGRESS IN 2019 (SIFT) SCOTTISH INSHORE FISHERIES TRUST • Marine legislation reforms: In 2015, SIFT (SIFT) submitted an ambitious proposal for zoned fisheries management in the Firth of Clyde, • Partner capacity: FFI continues to support including restrictions to dredging and bottom SIFT in strengthening their institutional trawling. However, despite its strong scientific capacity and provides high-level input into rationale, this innovative but controversial their strategic direction. proposal was rejected by the Government. • Kelp dredging: On the back of SIFT’s work in SIFT continue to lobby for reform of fisheries 2018, legislation now bans kelp dredging from legislation in Scotland, adapting their seabeds around Scotland. However, the strategies in line with the dynamic political Government has commissioned a review of environment. In 2018 SIFT identified a new kelp harvesting to determine the threat to inshore waters: proposed appropriateness of this legislation. SIFT has commercial mechanical dredging for kelp. raised concerns that the majority of They led a strong campaign of political representatives on the review panel are engagement to help ensure the law was industry focused, and in 2019 FFI supported amended to prevent such developments. SIFT to contract their own independent • Partner capacity: We have worked with SIFT reviews on the importance of kelp and the since its inception to help develop damage caused by mechanical harvesting. It governance systems, strategies and is hoped that this parallel evidence base will fundraising capacity. We continue to support provide critical information to lobby the SIFT both financially (underpinning core Government and ensure that this important operations) and technically (through advice piece of legislation remains firmly in place. and board membership) and provide
responsive mentoring when required.
Credit: Credit:
FFI, FFI,
Lamlash Bay
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Credit: COAST,Credit: Divers transecting transecting lines
Documenting the impacts of no-take zones, Firth of Clyde
Commercial fisheries have caused significant This research provided clear evidence of declines in native marine biodiversity and ecosystem recovery, with greater species habitats in Scotland. This has led to the collapse diversity and abundance, including juveniles of of key white fish fisheries, and a reliance on commercially important species such as scallop, species lower in the food chain, which are observed inside the no-take zone than in the gathered using destructive fishing practices. surrounding area. Habitats inside the no-take One area where this impact has been felt most zone which host abundant populations of maerl keenly is the Firth of Clyde, where the (a coralline algae), sponges, feather stars and Community of Arran Seabed Trust (COAST) seaweeds, are noticeably more complex than worked for over a decade to campaign for the those in the surrounding fishing grounds. establishment of a No-Take Zone at Lamlash Bay. The results have added to growing evidence for the benefits of closing areas to fishing, and has From 2011 to 2014 FFI supported the University been widely published (five peer-reviewed of York to study and monitor the Lamlash Bay papers) and disseminated in the broadcast no-take zone – the first and only fully protected media. The study directly informed the marine reserve in Scotland, and one of the few successful campaign by COAST to establish a marine reserves in the UK proposed by local new South Arran MPA in 2014, informed their communities. The research sought to establish arguments for more effective management of the rate, trajectory and recovery of commercially this site in 2016, and has provided the basis for important marine species following the cessation ongoing ecological monitoring within the no-take of all forms of fishing. zone.
FOCAL SITES • Firth of Clyde, Scotland, UK
www.fauna-flora.org 44 Ongoing Projects These are projects that FFI is still active in delivering, but that did not receive Arcadia Marine
Initiative funding this year.
Credit: Credit:
Rakhmat
Dirgantara /FFI
www.fauna-flora.org 45 Credit: FFI Credit:
Eastern Caribbean: Mobilising partnerships for effective Marine Protected Area governance BACKGROUND PROGRESS TO DECEMBER 2018 The Eastern Caribbean islands and surrounding • Ongoing MPA support: FFI supported waters support intricate networks of coral reefs, management planning for and reef monitoring seagrass beds and mangrove forests, and in the North East Marine Management Area contain regionally significant biodiversity. These after its designation. This MPA is now are hugely threatened by the rising tide of island threatened by plans for tourism infrastructure development and the difficulty of restricting which will damage marine habitats within the damaging and illegal fishing. Despite strong MPA. FFI continues to be involved in political interest in MPAs, funding for effective discussions about this MPA, but the lack of management is often limited. Building on its government willingness to tackle illegal globally recognised invasive species eradication development on the island means we have work in several countries in the region, FFI has gradually phased out direct support for its identified opportunities to deliver more effective management. MPAs in this region. Our focus is on improving • MPA governance review: In 2010 FFI governance and management, and thus the conducted a review of MPA governance in the effectiveness of protection, within existing MPAs Lesser Antilles and developed an ‘options in the Lesser Antilles. FFI’s first engagement paper’ for supporting MPAs in Antigua and was to catalyse the establishment of the North Barbuda. A review of opportunities for large- East Marine Management Area in Antigua in scale financing for improved marine 2009, in collaboration with the national fisheries protection was prepared. This information department and FFI’s Antiguan NGO partner, the was used to develop further MPA work in the Environmental Awareness Group. region.
FOCAL SITES
• Anguilla • Barbuda • Antigua • Montserrat • Barbados • Saint Lucia
www.fauna-flora.org 46 • MPA development in Antigua and Barbuda: management for what had previously been The very remote, uninhabited island of largely ‘paper parks’. Transitioning these Redonda is a recognised biodiversity hotspot sites into functional, effective MPAs, includes with a number of highly threatened endemic direct management measures to control species requiring urgent restoration attention. damaging populations of invasive lionfish and After FFI experts led a team to successfully the establishment of mooring buoys to reduce eradicate invasive species from the island, anchor damage. the vegetation of this site has dramatically recovered (see before and after photos PROGRESS IN 2019 below) . FFI then started working with the • Redonda Ecosystem Reserve approved: Environmental Awareness Group and the The designation of the reserve was approved Department of Environment to plan for both in principle in 2019 and should be formalised terrestrial and marine reserve designation for shortly. The size of the reserve was increased the island. These plans were further from the initial proposal and now covers developed by a Technical Advisory 240km2, supporting at least 30 globally Committee into a proposal for a protected threatened species. Given the scale and area to be called the Redonda Ecosystem remote nature of this site, it is likely that in Reserve, which garnered widespread public future remote surveillance methods that can support. A Management Board for the detect fishing related infractions will need to proposed reserve was also established. be tested. • Biodiversity monitoring on Redonda: In • Operationalising MPA management in 2018, FFI led in-water and drop-camera Anguilla: A cross-organisational team, monitoring around Redonda which revealed a involving FFI, the Anguilla National Trust and relatively pristine and extensive (180km 2) the Anguillan government, was formed to area of coral reef in the north of the proposed improve management at Prickly Pear Marine Reserve, significantly adding to Park. The different zones of the MPA have understanding of the site’s biological now been demarcated and an initial importance. monitoring programme has been established. • MPA management in Anguilla: In 2018, FFI Progress to develop management and began working with two existing Marine Parks monitoring for the more remote Sombrero in Anguilla around the remote Prickly Pear Island Marine Park has been slower; surveys
and Sombrero Islands to put in place effective of the surrounding waters will start in 2020.
Credits: Credits: Jeremy Holden, Holden, Shanna Challenger/FFI
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Credit: Credit: Matthew Spencer, sturgeon MatthewSpencer, sturgeon spawning area
Georgia: Developing marine conservation on the Black Sea coast
BACKGROUND PROGRESS IN 2019 The Black Sea is threatened by over-fishing, The majority of FFI's sturgeon-related work in pollution and hydro-power dam development, Georgia to date has been freshwater based, and its marine fauna (which includes six highly specifically in the Rioni River, which has been threatened sturgeon species and three cetacean identified as essential sturgeon spawning species) is under grave pressure. In 2015 a habitat. We have established a spawning scoping visit was undertaken to assess the need monitoring programme and an anti-poaching for marine conservation in the country. Various team, and have worked with fishers along the opportunities for FFI support were identified, river and the coastline, enabling them to collect including the need to inform and influence the information on the species, and to ensure safe conservation and trade of several highly release when sturgeon are captured accidently. threatened sturgeon species that move between A study of sturgeon meat sold in markets in freshwater and marine habitats. Georgia, to identify the species and likely sources, is underway with Illia State University.
FOCAL SITES
• Georgia
www.fauna-flora.org 48 Credit: FFI Credit:
Scotland: Improving advocacy for effective marine protection
BACKGROUND The seas around Scotland are both biologically community groups offering each other peer-to- important and highly contested. The length of peer support and learning that can collectively Scotland’s intricate coastline creates a wealth of advocate for sustainable management and varied habitats and associated species, appropriate protection of Scotland’s vulnerable including a range of marine species of European inshore resources. importance. Inshore waters, including vulnerable habitats, continue to be heavily fished, and are regularly damaged through the use of heavy PROGRESS TO DECEMBER 2018 towed gear (bottom trawls or dredgers). The • Supporting individual communities: FFI polarised debate around marine management in provided direct support and training to a Scotland created the opportunity to support new series of individual communities to help them actors to promote the cause of marine meet their own aspirations for marine conservation to government and other sectors. management and to address their self- Building on existing partnerships in Scotland, identified needs – be it support in group FFI and the Community of Arran Seabed Trust formation and governance, accessing and (COAST) (see p. 43) launched a joint initiative understanding governmental processes (such that supports communities already taking an as constructing consultation responses), or active role in managing key areas of coastline direct technical support (including writing and creates a stronger collective voice in the protected area management plans or policy arena. The aim is to create an fundraising proposals). independent and self-sustained network of
FOCAL SITES AREA OF • Loch Sunart to Sound of Jura IMPACT Nature Conservation MPA 92,789 • South Arran Nature Conservation hectares MPA . • Wester Ross Nature Conservation MPA
49 www.fauna-flora.org 49 • Effecting change in marine management: PROGRESS IN 2019 With the help of actions by the groups supported by FFI, two MPAs were established • Designating a Hope Spot: Four community (for Fair Isle - see below), regulations were group members within the network proposed put in place for vulnerable sites (such as a an area of sea off Argyll, on the West coast of ban on scallop dredging in Wester Ross and Scotland, as a Hope Spot (a global network of South Arran MPAs), and communities worked important marine sites). In 2019 the site was with the government to monitor their local designated as the UK’s first Hope Spot, marine habitats. In addition, FFI worked resulting in significant publicity and a boost to directly with specific government agencies to local support for marine conservation. support them in engaging communities. • Effecting change in marine management: • Developing a community network: The Individual network community groups project supported community groups to campaigned against destructive industrial connect and start supporting each other development, challenged the growth of fish through a biannual workshop and direct farms in environmentally sensitive locations, exchange visits. Based on the community collected information on marine litter and groups’ feedback, a system called the Coastal contaminants, and promoted effective Communities Network was set up, with key enforcement of MPA designations. resources hosted on a central website, and • Developing a collective voice: The network regular cross-group communications via email has grown in scale and now has 16 member and social media platforms. This allowed groups. It has become increasingly self- groups to share experiences, solve mutual organised around issues of mutual interest problems, and agree collective positions on (including aquaculture, seaweed harvesting common issues. and seabed reform). These are addressed • Developing a collective voice: The Coastal through sub-groups, or Network Initiatives. In Communities Network has established its own this way, the Coastal Communities Network identity and gained political influence, represents an effective platform enabling undertaking joint advocacy, submitting joint communities to engage on specific policy and positions to government and engaging with to directly lobby government, for example the media on a number of key issues against commercial kelp harvesting. This year including inshore fishing, salmon farming and the project also launched a Community kelp dredging. Support Fund that provides small grants to community groups within the network to help them develop and/or undertake specific marine management and monitoring
activities. Credit: FFI Credit:
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Supporting Scotland’s first demonstration and research MPA, Fair Isle
Scottish legislation includes a provision for third within a 14,500-hectare area around the island parties to propose sites as MPAs that do not to safeguard the seabird populations that are necessarily meet the strict requirements of the critical to the island’s tourism-based economy. national network – these are known as This MPA is the first of its kind in Scotland, and Demonstration and Research MPAs, where the first site to devolve MPA management progressive marine management approaches responsibilities to a non-fishing community can be tested. group through a formal co-management agreement. FFI provided direct support to the Fair Isle Marine Environment and Tourism Initiative A fire which destroyed the Fair Isle Bird (FIMETI), one of the members of the Coastal Observatory (the main source of income for the Communities network (above). FIMETI island) in March 2019 has delayed MPA represents the whole population of Fair Isle and implementation activities as the community had been campaigning for an MPA for their rebuilds, although some research within the waters for over 20 years. FFI helped FIMETI MPA was maintained. The next priority is to develop their proposal to meet the criteria for a recruit a dedicated MPA Implementation Officer Demonstration and Research MPA and led the to drive forward the active management of the process to achieve support from other MPA. stakeholders including Government and fishers. Fair Isle will provided a ground-breaking model The Fair Isle MPA was designated in 2016 and for community led and managed MPAs in aims to improve marine management practices Scotland, which can be used for replication at other sites.
FOCAL SITES AREA OF IMPACT • Fair Isle MPA . Total = 14,500 hectares
51 www.fauna-flora.org 51
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Nicaragua: Conserving sea turtles on the Pacific Coast
BACKGROUND Nicaragua’s coastal and marine ecosystems Hatcheries were constructed, and eggs include some of the most important sea turtle moved into them, to provide additional habitats in the Americas. The Pacific coast has protection. As a result, threats from poaching globally important nesting beaches for critically were significantly reduced. Over 90% of all endangered Eastern Pacific hawksbill and leatherbacks nesting in Nicaragua and 50% leatherback turtles, and supports two mass of the known nesting population of Eastern nesting beaches for olive ridley turtles. These Pacific hawksbills were protected. Fewer sea turtles face multiple threats, including olive ridley turtles were captured, providing poaching of their eggs from nesting beaches, some hope for population recovery. direct capture for their meat and shells, • Supporting communities: Economic accidental snaring in fishing nets, ingestion of necessity drives the harvesting of turtle eggs marine debris and other pollutants, and damage at these sites, and the project worked with to their nesting habitats and foraging grounds. communities to diversify their income by FFI has been working alongside partners to finding alternatives to turtle poaching. A safeguard sea turtles in Nicaragua since 2002, range of economic ventures proved through capacity building, strategic planning, successful, including handicrafts (woven from public awareness campaigns, monitoring and waste plastic bags collected from the scientific data collection. beaches), homestay tourism, birding tours, and a volunteer tourism initiative that has hosted over 250 visitors and created a profit PROGRESS TO DECEMBER 2018 for the community. • Nest protection: Poaching of adults and eggs was prevented at five beaches by training local community rangers to patrol, monitor and protect these sites.
AREA OF FOCAL SITES • Asseradores beach IMPACT • Estero Padre Ramos Natural 65,265 Reserve hectares • Isla Juan Venado Natl. Reserve • Salamina beach • Río Escalante Chacocente Wildlife Refuge
www.fauna-flora.org 52 • National awareness campaign: A national PROGRESS IN 2019 awareness campaign was set up to reduce demand for turtle eggs. Scientific findings • Maintaining a conservation presence: The were used to engage policy makers and ongoing civil unrest has created an economic relevant regional initiatives which helped to crisis for local communities, leading to advocate for the improved management and resumption of turtle egg poaching, which has protection of these species. been coupled with a de-prioritisation of environmental protection by the government. • Turtle protection at sea: Research helped to There has been a continued presence of understand the impacts of blast fishing and government staff, army personnel and other fishing methods on turtles. Fishers were community patrollers (supported by FFI field encouraged to adopt fishing gears and staff) at key turtle nesting beaches which practices that are less damaging to turtles should have provided some protection to (see Coral Corridor project, p. 30). nests. However there is an absence of any • Maintaining conservation presence: data on turtle egg poaching from the Widespread civil unrest broke out across authorities patrolling the olive ridley mass Nicaragua in April 2018, which substantially nesting beach to date. We were also affected project operations, including the saddened to learn that no leatherback turtles protection of turtle nesting beaches. The use appear to have returned to their nesting of army personnel, who previously helped the beach to breed in 2019. project, to manage the unrest resulted in • Regional support to turtle conservation: reduced protection and increased poaching. We continue to work with the Eastern Pacific This was mitigated to some extent by Leatherback Network to share data and maintaining some patrols. collaborate with other groups to strengthen protection for the species throughout the Eastern Pacific, which complements our other work to protect turtles from bycatch within
Nicaragua’s Coral Corridor (see p. 30).
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turtle turtle in hatchery Venada
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Improving policy and practice to reduce plastic pollution
BACKGROUND • Wider work on microbeads: We subsequently summarised the learning from In 2009 FFI identified the risk posed to the development of the UK microbead ban on biodiversity from so-called microplastics, tiny our website and through our membership of pieces of plastic known to concentrate the Commonwealth Clean Ocean Alliance to persistent organic pollutants on their surfaces, make this available to other nations which are directly ingested by marine life, interested in such legislation. We also including organisms at the base of the food provided expert advice to the European chain. FFI’s work on microplastics subsequently Chemicals Agency (ECHA) in the provided the basis for an expanding programme development of their forthcoming legislation of work to address marine plastic pollution, and on microplastics, which could effectively help we have developed significant internal learning to remove microplastics from products and expertise on this issue over the last ten beyond toiletries. years. • Reducing plastic pellet pollution: Plastic pellets are the building blocks of all plastic PROGRESS TO DECEMBER 2018 products, but are routinely lost and discarded at various points along the plastic production • Banning microbeads in the UK: From 2012, chain and are commonly found on beaches FFI worked to highlight the issue of and ingested by seabirds. FFI started by microbeads in a variety of cosmetic and encouraging industry leaders and trade personal care products. The plastic beads in associations to adopt existing good practice these down-the-drain products pass directly to prevent pellet spills and, by 2017, 58 UK- through sewage treatment works into the based plastic companies and 29 multi- marine environment. FFI catalysed corporate national companies had adopted these action and raised broader awareness of the practices. Given the multi-faceted nature of issue through publication of the Good Scrub this source of pollution, a supply chain Guide and, as a result, over 30 national and approach was identified as an effective and international brands had committed to appropriate solution and a solid basis for remove microbeads by 2015. In 2016, a high- regulation, ensuring transparency and profile advocacy campaign was led by a compliance with common good practice coalition of four NGOs: FFI, Greenpeace UK, standards for any company handling pellets. Marine Conservation Society and the FFI established a coalition of NGOs across Environmental Investigation Agency. This Europe to help promote this solution to resulted in an enquiry by Parliament’s industry and EU decision makers. FFI has Environmental Audit Committee, where FFI since focused on demonstrating practical presented oral evidence; the committee trials for a supply chain approach to pellet report specifically mentioned FFI and the management, working as part of a Scottish publically available principles we had Government working group and engaging established for effective microbead bans. with the UK government, OSPAR (the Subsequently the UK Government announced Convention for the Protection of the Marine a ban on microbeads in cosmetics and Environment of the North-East Atlantic) and personal care products, which came into individual UK retailers. Recommendations for force in January 2018. This world-leading a supply chain approach have since been ban covers all plastic ingredients and avoids included in the EU Plastic Strategy and in the potential loopholes seen in legislation G7’s Plastic Charter, and pellets were elsewhere. FFI has since undertaken a included in a management standard thorough review of products on sale in the developed by the British Retail Consortium. UK to ensure compliance with the ban. www.fauna-flora.org 54 • Wider plastic pollution issues: In 2018 FFI Investors Forum (a network of large expanded its work to engage on a broader investment companies) we have secured range of plastic issues, including other funding to develop a global management sources of microplastics (most notably standard for pellets which could be adopted microfibres from clothing), and highlighted the by any part of the supply chain. This is an risks of some alternative solutions (such as important step towards pellet certification and biodegradable plastics and bioplastics). We eventually could provide a workable basis for also started addressing plastics affecting the legislation. In addition, parallel work with marine environment internationally by working investors and shareholder activists, along with teams to develop local plastic projects. with maintained media profile of the issue, Membership of the Commonwealth Clean has resulted in significant shifts in Oceans Alliance enabled us to advise international pellet producers’ responses to member states on how to tackle plastic pellet loss. pollution. We have substantially increased our • Wider plastic pollution: During 2019 we profile on this issue, contributing to a series worked with Tearfund and two other of consultations and high-level meetings, and development NGOs to develop a high-profile helping to ensure that decision makers report entitled No Time to Waste, which considered science rather than making highlighted the consequences of plastic reactive decisions. pollution to both biodiversity and humans. This received significant media coverage and resulted in a number of conversations with PROGRESS IN 2019 multinational companies about their plastic • Standard development: Working with the policies.
British Standards Institute (BSI) and the
Credit: Credit:
FFI, Plastic FFI, Plastic in Cambodia in
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Credit: Credit: FFI, FFI, CLP Team
Supporting marine champions through the Conservation Leadership Programme
BACKGROUND in, horseshoe crab conservation. In Alor, Indonesia, work to identify and address the Marine issues are often under-represented in drivers of thresher shark decline led to the conservation agenda in countries with the increased conservation awareness and highest marine biodiversity. Mobilising an promising discussions with regional effective cadre of new and dynamic marine government, which may lead to local conservationists and local marine conservation protection of thresher sharks as a flagship champions will help to drive forward marine species for the region. protection in countries where it is most needed. FFI is a founding member of the Conservation Leadership Programme (CLP), which PROGRESS IN 2019 champions and provides training, mentoring and career development opportunities to young • Building capacity of early-career conservation leaders. Under this framework, conservationists: This year two early career Arcadia funding has been used to support conservationists received training in a broad young marine conservationists through the range of conservation-related skills, Future Conservationist Award scheme. equipping them to lead further marine conservation efforts in their countries, supported by the very active and experienced PROGRESS TO DECEMBER 2018 CLP alumni network. Future delivery of the CLP has now been secured, through the • Building capacity of early-career receipt of a separate generous grant from conservationists: Since 2016, six teams of Arcadia. young leaders received mentoring and funding to undertake and manage their own • Supporting marine conservation projects: projects to conserve marine species and The funding provided in 2018 continued to habitats, and to develop these into larger support two projects during 2019. One of programmes of work. Experience from 30 these gathered information about shark years of the CLP shows that individuals who species in the Miskito Cays, Honduras, where have received this investment in their early threatened sharks are targeted by an career development very often go on to unregulated and unreported longline and become successful conservationists, gillnet fishery, and used this data to improve catalysing wider action and becoming their conservation management. The second significant players in the conservation project was a study of the vulnerable smooth community within their home countries. hammerhead shark along the northern Peru coast, where many juvenile hammerheads • Supporting marine conservation projects: are caught by inshore fisheries, and was In 2018, a CLP project to enhance community aimed at informing regulations to protect conservation of a threatened population of critical areas for this species. horseshoe crabs in Odisha, India led to increased local support for, and engagement www.fauna-flora.org 56 Reducing the negative impacts of extractive industries on the ocean
BACKGROUND • Direct mitigation: FFI has worked with specific companies to identify biodiversity To meet the world’s increasing demand for impacts of their operations and put in place energy and resources, offshore and deep-sea mitigation plans. This has included identifying fossil fuel and mineral extraction is growing, risks to sea turtles from planned oil and gas posing a serious threat to marine wildlife and activities in Ghana, and production of a new ecosystem health. Through engagement with national Biodiversity Action Plan to protect corporate design, engineering, and construction the turtles, enabling one company to ensure teams, FFI has the opportunity to integrate that the timing and nature of their marine biodiversity considerations into the construction was sympathetic to turtles. In operations of companies working in the oil, gas Cape Verde FFI ensured a company went and mining sector, ensuring a more sustainable beyond international best practice by closing approach to working in sensitive marine down seismic testing to allow for the passage habitats. FFI challenges and supports of cetaceans. companies to better assess biodiversity risk, and to adopt best practice guidance in avoidance and mitigation of impacts. These PROGRESS IN 2019 approaches have been applied to operations in offshore coral reef and deep-water habitats in • Adapting the Good Practice Guidance: The several countries including South Africa, guidance has been adapted for use in West Ghana, Congo Brazzaville, Egypt, Indonesia, Africa, taking into account the available data Italy and São Tomé and Príncipe. on megafauna and habitat features around western African coastal states. This reflects the ongoing appetite for use of this tool by PROGRESS TO DECEMBER 2018 companies. • Good Practice Guidance: In 2016, FFI • Deep-sea mining moratorium: FFI developed guidance and recommendations completed a review of the impacts of offshore for oil and gas companies on how to identify and deep sea mining on biodiversity, which and mitigate the impacts of their operations identified a risk that deep sea mining on marine biodiversity and ecosystem activities could affect vulnerable biodiversity services which were made publically and habitats, and damage or destroy available as Good Practice Guidance for Oil fundamental elements and functions of and Gas Operations in Marine Environments. marine ecosystems. As a result of this The guidance was promoted at international evidence base, FFI has supported growing meetings such as the World Conservation the call for a moratorium on deep sea mining. Congress and the International Association We have joined the Deep Sea Coalition to for Impact Assessment in South Africa, and collectively lobby on this issue, and provides a means to influence both policy participated in a meeting of the International and practice in this sector. FFI promoted the Seabed Authority. We have also proposed a use of the guidelines with international motion for the World Conservation Congress financial institutions that fund a large to ask the IUCN to support a proposed proportion of oil and gas operations globally moratorium on seabed mining, and plan to to guide capital investments into more remain active in this area of work over the responsible marine oil and gas projects. FFI next year. also achieved a change in lender standards on risks from oil and gas development affecting turtle nesting sites; now companies seeking investment in developments within turtle ranges anywhere in the world have to consider mitigating any potential impacts on these species.
www.fauna-flora.org 57 Legacy Projects These are projects where we track ongoing progress, but are no longer actively engaged, except
in cases where support is specifically requested.
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Kenya: Community Management Areas on the South Coast
The south Kenya coast, on the Tanzania border, zones, which was corroborated by monitoring in is an area of outstanding natural beauty and one of the no-take zones that showed notably biodiversity. Between 2009 and 2015, FFI high levels of fish biomass. Communities have worked with the East African Wildlife Society to benefited from enhanced rights and influence develop, inform and test a process for over resources and are supportive of the establishing Beach Management Units and their development of these co-managed areas. A associated Community Management Areas number of resources have been disseminated to (previously termed Community Conserved share lessons from the project, including an Areas) in seven communities in the Shimoni- open access case study document, a film and a Vanga area south of Mombasa. FFI had briefing paper for government. previously undertaken similar work with The project continued after FFI withdrew in communities north of Mombasa at a site called 2015. The seven areas with which the project Kuruwitu, and the intention was to test and had worked were brought together as a Joint replicate this approach in a new location. Co-Management area that integrated the Through this project, governance arrangements individual Community Management Area plans were established and by-laws for fishing drawn up through the previous work. Updates practices introduced that led to the from the East African Wildlife Society, and also establishment of no-take zones and community from an independent MSc research thesis, patrols. Extensive capacity building helped to indicate that implementation of management ensure effective operation of management plans has been variable but that some of the committees and transparent selection of fishing grounds in the Community Managed representatives. Knowledge of sustainable Areas are still being actively managed. fishery practices and how to reduce over- In 2019, FFI supported work at Kisite Marine exploitation was increased. Management plans Park, a no-take area seaward of the existing were prepared and approved for three Joint Community Managed Area, to help Community Management Areas. understand its socio-economic impact on local Subsequent ecological surveys have communities. This resulted in the development emphasised the importance of these areas. of a plan with the Kenya Wildlife Service, which Results show that they have higher coral cover will review the governance and support needs and diversity than areas open to fishing. Fishers of local Beach Management Units. The learning report a perceived increase in fish populations from this project is also informing the evolution in some Community Management Areas, of our work in north Kenya (see p. 37). particularly near the boundaries of no-take
FOCAL SITES AREA OF IMPACT • Majoreni • Wasini 9,040 hectares • Vanga • Mkwiro • Kibuyuni • Jimbo • Shimoni
www.fauna-flora.org 5959 Indonesia: Impact investing for marine conservation in Aceh
Impact investment is a form of socially investment could offset the impacts of LMMAs responsible investment made into a company or on local businesses, but it did not yield any organisation substantial awareness locally investable prospects. However, the project about sustainable with the intention of raised awareness of sustainable fishing generating measurable social or environmental practices, increased fishers’ business skills, benefits alongside a financial return. In 2014, informed our wider programme of work in Aceh FFI initiated a pilot impact investment project to (see p. 24) and fed into learning about incentivise more sustainable fisheries conservation finance and enterprise approaches businesses in Simeulue Island, Aceh, thus globally. Subsequently it stimulated work to encouraging a shift towards practices that document the economic importance of would minimise impacts on biodiversity. This sustainably harvested octopus, fish and sea work complemented the work on MPAs and cucumber on Simeulue. During 2019, work Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs) in the continued to explore how increasing market same area (see p. 24). access for local fishers can support greater compliance with MPA regulations (a model This experimental project developed a good demonstrated in Tanzania, see p. 34). understanding of the local fisheries sector and markets in Simeulue, and identified how impact
Support to the Blue Marine Foundation
The Blue Marine Foundation (BLUE) was from FFI (including funding from Halcyon Land formed by the team behind the film The End of & Sea) was vital to lay the foundations for the the Line and aims to channel significant private growth of the organisation. donor and corporate funding into marine In 2019, BLUE continued to actively engage in a conservation. In particular, it aims to secure campaign to persuade the UK Government to large-scale or high profile MPAs to achieve both designate MPAs around the oceanic UK biodiversity benefits and increased public Overseas Territories. The Back the Blue Belt awareness of the need for marine conservation. Campaign was supported by 284 MPs from Over the years, FFI’s support has involved eight different political parties. It also worked to financial assistance that helped to underpin the inform the revision and strengthening of UK organisation’s early development (through fisheries policy, making it more environmentally Halcyon Land & Sea - see separate report), in- sustainable in the future post-Brexit scenario. kind support (mentoring on organisational Work is underway to designate a new MPA in development, governance, fundraising and the Aeolian Islands, which would be the largest recruitment) and the secondment of a marine MPA in Italy. BLUE has continued its work on specialist to BLUE to build in-house technical the south coast of England, in Lyme Bay and skills and underpin the strategic development of the Solent, and has started to scope out new its programme of work. We also worked with UK-based projects which would offer benefits them to develop a joint project in Belize (see p. for both biodiversity and fishers. BLUE has also 77). FFI continues to support BLUE through been working to improve fishery management membership on its board. practices in the Maldives focusing on protection of vulnerable grouper populations; groupers are BLUE is now a thriving marine NGO with a 24- commercially important fish that play a key role strong team in place and is increasingly in maintaining healthy coral reef ecosystems. recognised as an effective organisation that achieves results. BLUE has stated that support
www.fauna-flora.org 60 Sustainability rating for the fisheries sector
Between 2012 and 2017, FFI worked with three Finance tool focused on improving transparency other organisations (the North Sea Foundation, in the sector. Feedback suggested that the tool Synnervate, and Gaia Values) to test an was useful for financial institutions to assess innovative approach to using investors’ risk exposure in terms of their seafood portfolio; influence on the fishing industry to achieve however there was a lack of appetite from these improvements in fisheries sustainability. This users for development of a toolkit to support resulted in the Sustainable Seafood Finance performance improvement. tool, which provides financiers with the Since 2017, there has been an increasing information to evaluate sustainability recognition by financial institutions of the need performance of, and catalyse improvements in, to understand emerging risks around fisheries. the fishing companies in which they invest. For example, in 2019, a major study by the Having identified the 50 largest seafood Stockholm Resilience Centre identified global companies and their financiers, we engaged leverage points in the financial sector for with financial institutions (particularly those seafood sustainability. This global project based in Asia, such as UBS Hong Kong and effectively builds on the approach piloted by the Aviva Investors) to improve their understanding Sustainable Seafood Finance tool in attempting of the operation of the seafood sector and the to guide the influence of banks, stock risks of financing unsustainable seafood exchanges and corporate shareholders in
production. Initially the Sustainable Seafood demanding fishery reform.
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www.fauna-flora.org 61 Wider Marine
Programme Outcomes
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Arcadia funding has not only enabled us to with the Marine Conservation Society on a develop a portfolio of marine-focused projects project called Agents of Change. In this we around the world, but also allows us to gain are contributing learning from our community- added value from the wealth of diverse based marine work in Scotland (see p. 51) to activities, and deliver impacts and share design ways to enhance pride and reduce learning between and beyond the constituent conflict in the development of England’s projects. Marine Conservation Zones, including Beachy Head East in Sussex. Marine CoLab also The marine programme is supported by the released a collective response to the IPCC whole breadth of FFI’s operations, and draws on Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere various disciplines including social science, in a Changing Climate, highlighting the environmental economics and communications; important inter-dependencies between the these all contribute to the significant impact that ocean and global climate, and the need to FFI is having in support of marine conservation. reduce other marine threats to maintain the By investing in the core function of a centralised ocean’s mitigating role for climate change. marine team that co-ordinates activities, leads on directions and actively shares learning, • Dissemination of learning: Responding to Arcadia enables us to reap wider organisational the recommendations from the external benefits across our work, and enables us to review produced for Arcadia, FFI has share learning actively with other organisations, increased its focus on publicly disseminating including those in our wider partner network, learning from its Marine Programme. Three and to contribute to broader national and open-access publications are in preparation, international policy debates. and a range of case studies and thought pieces have been uploaded to our website In 2019, wider Marine Programme outcomes (see Annex 2). We published 23 blogs and included: news stories, reaching over 110,000 people • New institutional partnerships: We on Facebook alone. Our marine conservation developed relationships with a range of work was also covered by external media organisations, including the UK’s Department outlets – for example we gained front page for Environment, Fisheries and Rural Affairs coverage in The Daily Telegraph for our No (Defra) and NGOs such as the Wildlife Time to Waste report (see p. 56). We also Conservation Society, the Global Ghost Gear appeared on local BBC news (and the BBC Initiative, OceanMind (satellite enforcement website) covering a story on plastic pellets on specialists who are supporting our work in seal pupping beaches, and contributed our Cambodia –see p. 16), and WorldFish (an views on the blue economy to a podcast on academic organisation focusing on global ABC News, Australia. fisheries). We joined the Deep Seas Coalition and are a member of the Advisory Committee • Contributions to global marine for the High Level Panel for Oceans. We conservation events: This year, FFI staff started actively supporting a new Marine attended the World Ocean Summit (profiling Conservation MSc course developed by sustainable MPA financing work in Plymouth University. Cambodia), the International Conference of Conservation Biology (including presentations • Ongoing work with existing collaborations: on our work in Cambodia, Indonesia and FFI has continued to actively engage in the Myanmar) and a global meeting between Marine CoLAB initiative (which was marine conservation NGOs and small-scale developed and is funded by the Calouste fisheries social movements (convened by Gulbenkian Foundation), and which aims to WorldFish and the Oak Foundation). use communications and collaboration to increase focus on ocean conservation. Through this collaboration, FFI has worked www.fauna-flora.org 63 • Internal learning and sharing: FFI has sustainable and diverse livelihoods, and thus developed a platform (the Marine Working engage with and support conservation efforts. Group) to bring together the disparate staff This involves work with communities to working on marine issues across the develop new livelihood strategies, small organisation, in order to share experiences enterprises and improved market access and and learn from each other. This group local governance systems. We have begun to convenes monthly to discuss topical and consider sustainable financing for our MPA thematic issues (such as best practice in initiatives more holistically and are starting to coral reef monitoring and strengthening connect to a broader network of ocean climate resilience in projects) and to help finance specialists (such as Blue Finance, collectively solve emerging challenges within with whom we partner in Cambodia – see p. individual projects or from new external 16) who could help us to identify wider contexts. Up to 120 staff have attended a portfolio-level solutions to this issue. single working group meeting, and the • New co-financing opportunities: The central interest in, and value of, this group is evident marine team works closely with fundraising to from the increase in attendance of almost support approaches to donors for a range of 20% over the last two years. projects within the portfolio, including some • Impact assessment: We continue to ensure exciting new opportunities which are a strong evidence base for our marine emerging with large US-based foundations. projects, with an emphasis on rigorous initial • New work on fisheries: Plans to recruit a project design and embedded monitoring and fisheries specialist, to increase our internal evaluation that allows us to see a clear technical expertise on fisheries policy (as trajectory towards project impact. recommended in the external review • Project sustainability: The recent external commissioned by Arcadia) and to lead wider review commissioned by Arcadia work to address destructive fisheries, were recommended an increased focus on project delayed due to a failed recruitment early in sustainability. FFI technical specialists have the year. We are pleased to confirm that we supported marine project teams (FFI staff and have since recruited a suitable candidate who partners) to help strengthen the sustainability will take up this position in January 2020. of our work with local communities, ensuring
that they continue to benefit from more Credit: MattCredit: Glue/FFI
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In Summary
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www.fauna-flora.org 65 SUMMARY OF PROJECT FROM 2016- 2019
Outcomes from the past grant with evidence of their achievements were as follows:
1. More effective and sustained management in place for a series of Marine Protected Areas at our key sites, with demonstrably improved systems and/or management practice (including better community engagement in management), resulting in evidence over time of reduced threats within these focal MPAs.
Evidence for this: • Established or improved ongoing active management – primarily on-the-water patrolling – of 12 sites in seven countries • Applied innovative models of marine governance in Honduras (collaborative seascape protection), Turkey (community- led no fishing zones) and Cambodia (blending community and government protection) • Facilitated 12 new marine area designations in Cambodia, Myanmar, Indonesia, Scotland and Costa Rica (with pending approval of 13 community managed areas in Kenya, and a designation on hold in Nicaragua due to political issues). Built on existing spatial protection measures to establish or extend highly protected or partially protected zones in 10 sites in Tanzania, Turkey and Honduras (similar zones not established in
Nicaragua due to political unrest and project Credits: end respectively)
• Tested MPA financing and benefit sharing Mwangi mechanisms including park fee entry systems and impact investment financing in Cambodia, community investment in Kirubi patrolling from fisheries market gains in Kenya and Tanzania (viability of different /TNC options explored but not yet taken forward in Turkey and Ecuador)
www.fauna-flora.org 66 2. Demonstrable changes in local fisheries practices at key sites, based on uptake and application of new management plans, zoning or other improved practices, and with evidence over time of reduced threats from destructive or unregulated fisheries at these sites.
Evidence for this: • Destructive fishing incidents reduced in 52% of focal sites, including reductions in reef- damaging compressor fishing in Indonesia and incursions into protected reef zones in Pemba and Cambodia
Credit: Credit: • Evidence in some geographies of sustained uptake of new, non-damaging fishing practices, for example, 100% reported Mwangi uptake rate of bycatch-reducing hooks in
Nicaragua
Kirubi /TNC
3. Reduced threats over time to key flagship species at our sites, resulting from enhanced management of fisheries and bycatch, effective protection of critical habitats or reduced pollution around these areas.
Evidence for this: • Poaching of sea turtle eggs on nesting beaches reduced through improved in-situ patrolling and outreach in four countries: all projects in these countries have seen nest Credit: MikeCredit: poaching rates decline • Entanglement risk to manatees reduced through reductions in illegal small mesh-nets
Bertrams in Honduras; manatee mortality declined year on year as a result • Preliminary evidence of increased enforcement interventions which may be recuing illegal seahorse trade in Cambodia • Increased sightings of Mediterranean monk seal and sandbar sharks in Turkey potentially linked to no-take zones and reduced fishing pressure (especially regarding use of seine nets)
www.fauna-flora.org 67 4. Changes in government policy with regard to bottom trawling within focal countries, including restricting or phasing out the use of damaging prawn trawling gear within sensitive habitats.
Evidence for this: • Shrimp trawling in Costa Rica is now heavily regulated – with inshore exclusion zones, required modifications to gear and reduced availability of licences • In Ecuador, the shrimp trawling is reasonably well regulated – there is an inshore exclusion zone – but there remains a risk that this restriction is overturned • Specific interventions have addressed other
fisheries with potentially damaging gear: Jeremy Credit: Holden light-fishing in Myanmar, purse-seine fishing in Kenya, semi-industrial trawlers in Cambodia, prawn trawling and scallop dredging in Scotland.
5. Improved regulatory mechanisms and enforcement capacity in place which in time result in measurable reduction in illegal or unregulated fishing activities in domestic waters.
Evidence for this: • Capacity for site-level enforcement enhanced in all projects, including improving effectiveness of patrolling regimes and developing innovative partnerships to better inform compliance monitoring • Pioneered some of the first collaborative patrols (communities and government) in key geographies – especially Cambodia, Tanzania and Myanmar – and involved higher level enforcement agencies (e.g. navies) in site-based protection in Indonesia
and Honduras Credit: Credit: Jeff Wilson • Legislation in place or in process to restrict line fishing that leads to turtle bycatch (Nicaragua), and net fishing that damages reefs (Kenya); reduce seahorse trade (Cambodia) and illegal shark fishing (Myanmar)
www.fauna-flora.org 68 6. Reduction in damaging behaviours and/or the production of products which could impact the marine environment by key businesses – specifically industry-wide change in the use of microbeads in personal care products and public evidence of uptake of good management practice for raw plastic pellets.
Evidence for this: • Large-scale change across Europe on use of microbeads, including phase-out commitments from all major global brands and development of world-leading UK Credit microbeads ban, catalysed by the work of
FFI and its partners : : Olivia Bailey/ FFI • Adoption of good management practice amongst leading raw plastic pellet producers in Europe and early signs of engagement with a more comprehensive supply chain approach
7. Key corporations in the oil & gas sector adopt and apply good practices for exploration in sensitive marine regions, and engage with wider marine management (including assistance in supporting wider in-country marine protection activities).
Evidence for this:
• Guidance on good practice for offshore oil & gas developments was circulated widely amongst members of one of the world’s largest extractives industry associations, as well as some of the largest international financial institutions, which fund a large proportion of oil and gas operations globally, to guide capital investments into more responsible marine oil and gas projects. • At least three globally significant corporates have directly used this guidance to mitigate the impacts of their own operations, including planning onshore developments to avoid turtle nesting beaches in Ghana and closing down seismic testing to allow for the
Credit: Credit: passage of cetaceans in Cape Verde • Work extended to encompass other FFI extractive industries affecting the ocean, with a focus on deep sea mining.
www.fauna-flora.org 69 8. Partners demonstrate the ability to manage effective conservation programmes and/or MPAs into the future, as a result of FFI mentoring and support, and go on to deliver world class conservation projects underpinned by robust and effective governance, operational and fundraising systems.
Evidence for this: • Institutional strengthening provided to 48 NGO and government partners, all of whom show significant signs of independence, including expansions in staff, securing funds themselves and increasing political influence
in their respective countries Credit
• Trained 18 national NGOs and government : Tanguy FFI Nicolas/ bodies in MPA management and monitoring, including underwater surveying, patrolling, data gathering and marine resource monitoring
9. Young and emerging conservation champions, who have received training and/or mentoring, go on to deliver effective and sustainable local conservation actions, which are well connected into wider processes.
Evidence for this: • Supported eight marine conservation students from five countries through the Conservation Leadership Programme to conduct projects on topics as varied as shark bycatch and horseshoe crab
overexploitation
Credit : : FFI
www.fauna-flora.org 70 10. Wider uptake and replication of demonstration models developed in partnership with FFI, based on demonstrable benefits for biodiversity, fisheries and communities from within these projects.
Evidence for this: • Replicated models of good practice, such as: scaling up from single pilot sites e.g. small- scale fisheries tenurial closures in Tanzania and Indonesia; collaborative patrolling (Turkey; scaled from one site to six); and social networking between national NGOs (Scotland, Honduras; growth of NGO partner
networks in both countries)
Credit
: : FFI Credit:Guillermo 11. Increased interest in, and uptake of, fisheries reform at local and national level, as a result of evidence that
Porrinos conflicting interests in fisheries can be successfully resolved, and that benefits
can be garnered from more sustainable /University /University of Exeter fisheries practice for both biodiversity and livelihoods.
Evidence for this: • Reform of fisheries management taking place at a local level across all 12 core geographies; e.g. in Tanzania, where increased financial returns from managed octopus fishing is being invested back into site-based protection, and in Turkey, where no-fishing zones and wider fisheries reform have contributed to year on year increases in per-boat fish catch revenue • National level reforms influenced by local processes evident in three Central American geographies and initial signs of reform in some South-East Asian and African geographies
www.fauna-flora.org 71 12. Wider processes recognise the potential contribution of small-scale, locally-led marine conservation initiatives to delivering national and international marine conservation ambitions, and partners are able to reflect on and identify successful management practice and key lessons learnt, and can contribute to global dialogue and priority setting for marine conservation.
Evidence for this: • As a result of the demonstrable success of projects and the increased in-country profile of partners we have seen increased government support for community-based patrolling and no-take zones (Turkey), national recognition of seascape protection (Honduras) and invitations for replication of small-scale fishing closures (Tanzania) • As a result of small-scale, locally-led
initiatives across South East Asian Credit geographies – Cambodia, Myanmar,
Indonesia – that we have supported, we have : FFI been invited to contribute to wider political processes (e.g. IUU fishing, plastics, fisheries reform), largely due to on-the-ground expertise
The expected overall impact from grant AE3736 was ‘reduced destruction and/or recovery of marine habitats and species’
Evidence for this: • 22 focal FFI sites are showing signs of recovery of marine habitats or species, principally due to reduced damage, destruction or overexploitation from fishing • Coral reef habitats have remained stable in Cambodia and Indonesia and seagrass habitats have increased in density and coverage in Cambodia • Improvements in fish and invertebrate population health have been demonstrated at 10 sites, ranging from increasing abundances of apex predatory fish in Cambodia to larger
year on year differences in octopus sizes in Credit
Tanzania : : FFI
www.fauna-flora.org 72 ANNEX 1. HISTORICAL PROJECTS
These are projects where FFI is no longer actively engaged and it is thus inappropriate to expect ongoing updates.
Ecuador: Galera San Francisco Marine Reserve
Galera San Francisco Marine Reserve, on the management. Incidences of trawler infringement Pacific coast of Ecuador, was designated in in the reserve have since reduced, partly as a 2009 recognising that it is an area of result of improved information exchange international biodiversity importance, with a between the maritime authorities, environment species inventory larger than the Galápagos agencies, and communities. Marine Reserve. FFI became involved in 2010 A team of Marine Reserve community rangers and worked with NGOs and communities around undertakes patrols and has powers to seize the reserve to revise the management plan. This illegal fishing gear. Local NGOs continue to was approved in 2014 and included provisions monitor the marine biodiversity and fisheries for no-take zones (the first in mainland catches (particular octopus and sea cucumbers) Ecuador), and enabled local management of with community support. fisheries by establishing preferential access rights for artisanal fishers. A management committee was established, bringing together representatives of ten local organisations and six government bodies. This committee also Area of conservation impact: 54,600 hectares established responsible fishing practices and resolved conflicts around access and resource
Ecuador: trawling policy reform
In 2011, Ecuador made the decision to ban all recovery. Artisanal shrimp fishers interviewed in but one bottom trawl shrimp fishery from its both Ecuador and Costa Rica reported improved waters. Learning from similar work in Costa Rica shrimp catches (although this information was (see p. 31), FFI worked with the government to largely anecdotal), and by 2016, local fishers in establish the likely socio-economic and Ecuador reported few negative impacts of the biodiversity impacts of the proposed ban. This ban. It is not clear how far the artisanal shrimp work brought together fisheries and MPA fishery might in future need regulation itself, authorities, engaged government should it expand to fill the space left by the representatives in monitoring, and allowed industrial fleet. experience sharing between Costa Rica and Ecuador. The work was informed by existing data from two Ecuadorian MPAs, where shrimp trawling Area of conservation impact: was already banned and that had demonstrated • Machalilla National Park 75,059 hectares increased abundance of at least two commercially important species (starry grouper • Reserva de Producción de Fauna Marina and yellow snapper) after bottom trawling had Costera Puntilla de Santa Elena: 52,231 hectares ceased, suggesting some initial ecosystem
www.fauna-flora.org 73 Central America: Building capacity for marine conservation
In 2012, FFI developed a regional alliance with 31) and Nicaragua (p. 29). Governments in the locally based organisations in Honduras, Costa three countries have been supportive of greater Rica and Nicaragua, which focused on building community engagement in marine management. capacity for MPA establishment and However, this work has demonstrated the management, sustainable fisheries, community considerable time required to establish formal engagement in decision making and sustainable collaboration between communities and resource use. This work resulted in the current government. initiatives in Honduras (p. 26), Costa Rica (p.
Belize: Conserving the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef at Turneffe Atoll
Turneffe Atoll, the largest and most biologically and the Belizean government with technical diverse coral atoll in the Western Hemisphere, assistance between 2013 and 2014. By the end was previously unprotected and highly of 2014 the MPA was sufficiently well managed threatened. In 2012, FFI worked with Blue and funded and FFI’s support was no longer Marine Foundation, alongside several other necessary. donors and NGOs, to ensure it was designated as a Marine Reserve by the Belizean Government. A local NGO (Turneffe Atoll Area of conservation impact: 131,690 Sustainability Association) was formed to co- hectares
manage the MPA, and FFI provided this NGO
Credit: Juan Juan Credit: Pablo
Moreiras /FFI
www.fauna-flora.org 74 Liberia: Community Management of Mangrove Ecosystems in Lake Piso
Liberia’s mangroves have been extensively and 14 of the communities were respecting a degraded, in turn affecting coastal fisheries, self-imposed moratorium on mangrove nearshore water quality and shoreline stability. destruction within the Reserve. The locally led Lake Piso Multiple Use Reserve is a Ramsar action network for mangrove conservation Site, with significant but degraded mangrove established by this project is now being areas. In 2012, FFI and local partners worked supported through a largescale GEF project led with 34 local communities to map the mangroves by Conservation International. in the reserve and to develop a better understanding of the threats they face and their importance for local livelihoods (mangrove wood being traditionally used for both construction Area of conservation impact: 6,361 hectares and fishing smoking). A management plan for (Sustainable Mangrove Use Zone within Lake the reserve was developed (a first in Liberia), Piso Multiple Use Reserve) and local communities led its implementation and management, including resolving any Area of conservation influence: 89,555 infractions. hectares (remainder of Reserve) By 2014, it appeared that mangrove harvesting had declined (based on anecdotal reports). Reports suggested that the height of the canopy and mangrove area coverage had increased,
Philippines: Developing models of local indigenous marine management
The Philippines lies within the Coral Triangle, in marine resource management. The model was considered the epicentre of marine biodiversity, considered applicable to other areas of Palawan and contains 9% of the world’s coral reefs. Many and Quezon Provinces where municipal and of the indigenous peoples maintain customary ancestral waters overlap. The Center for laws, beliefs and practices relating to the use of Conservation Innovation, an independent NGO natural resources, including demarcations of that evolved in 2015 from FFI Philippines, took ancestral waters for fishing. Between 2011 and on oversight of this initiative. 2015, FFI helped two indigenous communities (General Nakar and Aramaywan) to establish Indigenous Community MPAs in their ancestral waters. Co-management agreements were signed between these tribes and the local government. Management plans were developed Area of conservation impact: 27,724 that included no-take zones and enforcement hectares, comprised of: strategies. Baseline information on threats and General Nakar Ancestral Waters: 18,760 illegal activities were collected, and levels were hectares agreed for both visitor fees and fines from infringements. This project was one of the first Aramaywan Ancestral Waters: 8,964 hectares in the Philippines to create a mechanism by which indigenous people’s groups could engage
www.fauna-flora.org 75 Indonesia: Catalysing partnerships for marine conservation in Bali
Bali has some of the highest coral diversity in the world, abundant fish populations and rich mangroves and seagrasses, all of which are under significant pressure from tourism, coastal development, intense trade in marine ornamental species, and destructive fishing practices. Between 2012 and 2013, FFI undertook an assessment of conservation needs in northern Bali, and developed partnerships with two local NGOs. FFI provided these NGOs with support and training and help with the development of their strategic plans and long-term financial strategy. Following this, a review indicated that further support from FFI was not required.
Previous scoping projects
CUBA:SUPPORTING MARINE CONSERVATION EFFORTS Cuba’s waters support rich and, in many places, largely pristine marine and coastal ecosystems. In 2015, growing liberalisation and changes in Cuban-U.S. relationships posed a risk that the tourism and fisheries sectors could open up, potentially increasing damage to marine and coastal resources. FFI undertook an initial scoping exercise to identify potential partners and projects in Cuba, but the uncertain political, social and economic situation precluded further project development.
CROATIA: EXPLORING OPPORTUNITIES FFI explored opportunities for marine projects and partnerships in Croatia in 2013. Despite interest from environmental agencies, the significant political restructuring and legislative changes associated with accession to the European Union at that time meant that further project development was not feasible.
INDONESIA: RIDGE-TO-REEF CONSERVATION ON HALMAHERA Weda Bay in Halmahera supports both rich marine biodiversity and local community livelihoods. Although a priority site for MPA development, the Indonesian Government lacked funding to address this. In 2015, FFI took up the opportunity to help develop this MPA, using experience gathered through the project in Aceh. However, limited partnerships with local groups and an emerging threat from mining created substantial uncertainty about how effective any intervention could be in this
context, and the decision was made not to proceed with this project. Credit: MattCredit: Glue/FFI
www.fauna-flora.org 76 ANNEX 2. SUMMARY OF PUBLICATIONS & COMMUNICATIONS
OPEN ACCESS PUBLICATIONS The following is a list of open-access publications that were either directly published by FFI/its partners on the marine programme or were published by others about marine conservation work funded by Arcadia3. This list includes both peer-reviewed and grey literature (publications are marked (*) if they are peer-reviewed).
Alegría, A., & Pérez, R. (2016). New reports of coral reefs in the Honduran Caribbean. CEIBA, 54(2), 157-166.*
Bachara, W., Berrow, S., Suárez, P. L., Dias, D., & Ratão, S. S. (2018). Stranding and sighting records of Gervais’ beaked whale in Cabo Verde. Zoologia Caboverdiana 7, 19–21. *
Boon P.Y., Mulligan B., Benbow S.L.P., Thorne B.V., Leng P., Longhurst K. (2014). Zoning Cambodia’s first Marine Fisheries Management Area. Cambodian Journal of Natural History. 2014 (1), 55-65. *
Diamond, J., Blanco, V. & Duncan, R. (2012). Knowing sea turtles: local communities informing conservation in Koh Rong Archipelago, Cambodia. Cambodian Journal of Natural History, 2012, 131–140. *
Fauna & Flora International & East Africa Wildlife Society (2017). Marine Resources Co-Management – Lessons Learned From Kenya: An Arcadia Marine Case Study. FFI: Cambridge.
Fauna & Flora International (2017). Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services: Good Practice Guidance for Oil and Gas Operations in Marine Environments. FFI: Cambridge.
Fauna & Flora International (2017). Removing or Restricting Microplastic Ingredients or “Microbeads” From Consumer And Industrial Products – FFI Guidance on Improving Corporate Ingredient Policies and/or Regulatory Measures To Effectively Prevent Sources Of Microplastic Pollution . FFI: Cambridge.
Fauna & Flora International (2019). Weaving for Nature - Developing successful plastic waste-based enterprises: lessons learned from Nicaragua. FFI: Cambridge.
Fauna & Flora International, WasteAid, Tearfund and The Institute of Development Studies (2019). No Time To Waste: Tackling the plastic pollution crisis before it’s too late . Tearfund: London.
Gumay, D. W., Radinal, Kiswayadi, D., Dirgantara, R., Iriyani, S. & Rusli, I. (2019). Towards Aceh development revitalization based on ecological and biodiversity evidences: the two pieces of terrestrial and marine beyond the facts. IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 365, 1-6. *
Howard, R. (Ed.). 2018. Marine Biodiversity of Myeik Archipelago: Survey Results 2013-2017 and Conservation Recommendations. Tanintharyi Conservation Programme, a joint initiative of Fauna & Flora International, the Myanmar Forest Department and Department of Fisheries. pp. 138.
Indra, Dirgantara, R., Teuku, Y., Tania, C. & Steadman, D. (2019). Time to Catch Your Breath: Survey of Compressor Fishing in Aceh province, Indonesia to inform conservation action . FFI: Cambridge.
Kizilkaya, Z., Unal, V., & Yildirim, Z. (2013). Three years' experience with small-scale fishers and no- take-zones in Gökova Bay (Eastern Mediterranean), Turkey. In First Regional Symposium on Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Mediterranean and Black Sea. FAO, Malta (pp. 297-305). www.fauna-flora.org 77 Leng, P., Benbow, S. L. P., & Mulligan, B. (2014). Seagrass diversity and distribution in the Koh Rong Archipelago. Cambodian Journal of Natural History. 2014 (1), 37-46.*
Ratão, S. S., Dias, D., & Stiebens, V. (2017). First record of smoothtail mobula Mobula thurstoni (Myliobatidae) in Cabo Verde. Zoologia Caboverdiana, 6, 11–14.*
Rivera, V. L., Rivera, A. M., & Borrás, M. F. (2015). Integrating traditional and scientific knowledge for the management of small scale fisheries: an example from Costa Rica . In Fishers’ Knowledge and the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries: Applications, Experiences and Lessons in Latin America (Eds J. Fischer, J. Jorgensen, H. Josupeit, D. Kalikoski, and CM Lucas.) pp, 179-190.
Roig-Boixeda, P., Chea, P., Brozovic, R., You, R., Neung, S., San, T & West, K. (2018). Using patrol records and local perceptions to inform management and enforcement in a marine protected area in Cambodia. Cambodian Journal of Natural History, 2018(1), 9-23.*
Savage, J. M., Osborne, P. E., & Hudson, M. D. (2013). Abundance and diversity of marine flora and fauna of protected and unprotected reefs of the Koh Rong Archipelago, Cambodia . Cambodian Journal of Natural History, 83.*
Savage, J. M., Osborne, P. E., Hudson, M. D., Knapp, M., & Budello, L. (2014). A current status assessment of the coral reefs in the Koh Sdach Archipelago, Cambodia. Cambodian Journal of Natural History. 2014(1), 47-54.*
Thorne, B. V., Mulligan, B., Mag Aoidh, R., & Longhurst, K. (2015). Current status of coral reef health around the Koh Rong Archipelago, Cambodia. Cambodian Journal of Natural History. 2015(1), 98-113.*
Ünal, V.; Derya Yıldırım, Z. & Mümtaz Tıraşın, E. (2019). Implementation of the ecosystem approach to fisheries for the small-scale fisheries in Gökova Bay, Turkey: baseline report. FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Technical Paper No. 646. Rome, FAO. 68 pp.
Vallerani, M. (2017). Empowered Participatory Governance and marine resources management: the case of two Locally Managed Marine Areas in Southern Kenya. Unpublished MSc Thesis, Wageningen University.
FORTHCOMING IUCN and Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi. (In press). Case study – Koh Rong Archipelago in Guidelines: Gathering and Utilising Fishers’ Knowledge for Policy Development and Modern Application .
IUCN and Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi. (In press). Case study – Aceh province, Indonesia In Guidelines: Gathering and Utilising Fishers’ Knowledge for Policy Development and Modern Application .
Steadman, D. (In draft). Community and conservation practitioner perceptions of change in a socio -
ecologically connected Marine Protected Area network in Honduras. Manuscript in preparation.
Credit: Carley Credit:
Bansemer /GNSRCEP
www.fauna-flora.org 78 If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact:
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E: [email protected] Credit: MattCredit: Front Glue/FFI; credit: FFI cover
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