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UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (USAID)


Renerio B. Acosta, Local and National Governance Advisor, United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/Philippines

USAID support for community-based coastal resources management can be traced back to 1984 when we provided some assistance to the pioneering efforts of Silliman University to help fishers on Apo island protect their coral reefs from destructive fishing practices. A decade later, this pioneering effort evolved into what is now known as the Coastal Resources Management Program (CRMP) developed with DENR under the Natural Resources Management Program.

The program starts off with this premise. The Philippines has highly diverse and productive habitats serving as critical life-support systems for a multitude of aquatic living resources. Our coastal waters are host to more than 500 of the world's 700 known corals and 2 200 fish species. Per hectare, according to Conservation International, the Philippines probably harbour more diversity of life than any other country on earth. The Philippines is one of 17 megadiversity countries around the globe.

However, our biodiversity count is on a downtrend. Only 2.4 percent of coral reefs are in excellent condition. From 450 000 ha in 1918, only 138 000 ha of mangroves remain (as of 1993). The trend is simple as it can get: too many fishers, too few fishes, too far and too expensive.

The use of dynamite, cyanide and fine mesh nets, as well as the intense competition by the commercial and municipal fishing boats, has dramatically reduced fish stocks and catches per unit effort. Fish catch of municipal fishers has declined significantly and is now down to about two kilos per fisher per day. This is comparable to taking a 33 percent pay cut [from 10 years ago].

Over fishing and use of destructive fishing practices threaten the country's food security, increase poverty in rural areas and lead to greater conflict over a dwindling and essential natural resource.

USAID in the Philippines seeks to achieve the following objective: "Revitalizing the Economy and Transforming Governance to Accelerate Sustainable Growth", while contributing to the goals of the broad United States Mission at post for the Philippines.

Nicknamed by their numbers SO, or strategic objective, SO/2 seeks to promote a more favourable investment climate. SO/3 hopes to achieve the desired family size and improve health sustainably and finally our focus for this presentation is SO/4 which addresses the protection of productive life-sustaining resources.

USAID's response to the environmental situation involves the strengthening of national and local environmental governance and improvement of performance in energy and air quality. USAID's support to CRM belongs to the former result area on environmental governance.

USAID recognizes that the major threats to the country's productive and life-sustaining coastal and marine resources include illegal fishing and over fishing. Through Environmental Governance, USAID will strengthen the ability of local governments to provide basic environmental services. The program will build transparency and accountability in national and local environmental governance in order to improve the management of coastal resources. Assistance will help improve policies, provide training with follow-on technical support and build the political will (through advocacy and coalitions) to carry out needed reforms.

In our assessment of the environment sector, weak governance is a critical constraint to improving the management of forests, coastal resources and solid waste. For example, marine biologists have recommended (given the overcapacity of both commercial and municipal fishing fleets) reducing the level of fishing from 20 to 50 percent in seven of the country's major fishing areas. Licenses for fishing boats are awarded annually without regard to the sustained yield of fish stocks or performance of the fishing boats. USAID will promote greater transparency, accountability and enforcement by national and local governments and communities in the management of forests, coastal resources and solid waste. Activities will promote good governance (accountability and transparency) in awarding licenses and contracts, collecting and spending revenue and enforcing environmental laws. More specifically, by the end of 2004, the program hopes achieve the following results: a) strengthen the enforcement of fishery laws; b) continue efforts to develop a policy framework on fisheries and coastal resources; c) promote establishment and operation of at least 100 community-managed marine sanctuaries, and d) improve municipal planning, management of fisheries and coastal resources including delineation of municipal coastal waters (1 000 km of coastline).

Other supportive activities linked to the Environmental Governance Program include: a) training civil servants, judges and prosecutors; b) society and LGUs engaged for advocacy and monitoring, and c) public informed for constituency building. Special emphasis will be on local governments and communities in Southern and Western Mindanao.

The EcoGov project is about ready to assist 49 municipalities institute CRM activities in their respective localities; 18 of which have signed MOAs. Thirty-nine of these are in Mindanao, eight from ARMM, fifteen from Region 9 and five from Region 10. Under CRMP alone, USAID has reached out to 101 LGUs where CRM plans have been adopted, CRM budget allocated, fisheries and coastal management ordinances implemented, coastal law enforcement units operational and marine sanctuaries functional, among others. Process to delineate municipal waters is ongoing. Awareness on issues and solutions to CRM has reached 70 percent.

To end, an increasing number of LGUs, communities and NGOs are now committed to invest in coastal resources management. With the advent of the Fisheries Code or RA 8550, the agenda on CRM and fisheries management has come to the fore of community and LGU development activities. These small wins are essential building blocks for future activities. Hence, I find it useful to consider these key points in advancing the cause for integrated CRM: 1) over fishing is not just a condition but a problem; 2) habitat and protection management must go hand-in-hand with fisheries management; 3) there needs to be a paradigm shift from production perspectives to a management and conservation perspective, and finally, 4) sustainability of environmental quality is a prerequisite to sustainable economic activity.

For more information regarding USAID facilities that may be relevant to Aquaculture and Aquatic Resources Management activities, please visit the following websites or through the official USAID website (http://www.usaid.gov/):

East Asia and Pacific Environmental Initiatives (http://eapei.home.att.net/)

The East Asia and Pacific Environmental Initiative (EAPEI) addresses critical environmental challenges and opportunities in East Asia and the Pacific in the areas of forest resources management and coastal and marine resources management. The EAPEI works to compliment other US government investment in the region by supporting transboundary, cross-border and regional activities and institutions and by supporting activities in USAID non-presence countries.

The EAPEI follows the Southeast Asia Environmental Initiative (SEA-EI), a one-year program funded in FY 98 to address fire and smoke episodes through collaborative work with nations and other donors in the region. The SEA-EI supported better forest management techniques and policies, improved fire prevention and fighting and improved climate-impact forecasting and environmental monitoring.

Global Development Alliance (http://www.usaid.gov/gda/index.html)

The Global Development Alliance (GDA) is USAID's business model for the 21ST Century - our commitment to change the way we implement our assistance mandate. The GDA will serve as a catalyst to mobilize the ideas, efforts and resources of the public sector, corporate America and non-governmental organizations in support of shared objectives.


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