The workshop then developed six strategies to achieve the vision and a number of priority activities to support them. These strategies could be incorporated into national, agency or donor programmes. In order to do this program-components were considered in relation to country specific needs, rehabilitation needs and agency strengths.
Key strategies and priority areas agreed by the meeting
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Strategy 1 - Improve policy, institutions and processes |
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· Set clear policy objectives which acknowledge trade-offs between competing objectives (economic, social and environmental) · Strengthen fisheries management institutions · Promote integrated coastal management as a governance process for facilitating discussions between stakeholders · Ensure consultation with and participation of stakeholders |
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Strategy 2 - Provide physical assets |
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· Provide physical assets through conducting needs assessments, purchasing and identification targeted beneficiaries, to ensure timely delivery to those in need · Provide physical assets that support broad livelihood activities, involving both CONSRN partners and other agencies with the competency and mandate · Control the provision of physical assets to avoid over-capacity, recognizing the trade-off between the need for rapid inputs (such as boats), versus good governance and legislation · Provide policy advice and advocacy on overcapacity issues through regional meetings · Support development of legislation (which reflects local level needs, monitoring, registration, for example) at national levels to reduce over capacity · Supply physical assets that are compatible with the needs of the affected people ("like for like" principle) · Monitor the process of procurement and distribution by all suppliers |
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Strategy 3 - Ensure equitable access to inputs and the sustainably managed resources |
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· Carry out stakeholder analysis to ensure participation and equitable access to resources, determination of levels of fishing capacity and equitable planning for aquaculture activities · Consult with the fisher communities and fish farmers in a transparent way before considering relocation · Rehabilitate important habitats and ecosystems (such as coral reefs and mangroves) through participatory approaches with communities and in cooperation with the concerned Government Departments, Ministries and Institutions · Ensure access to supplies of seed and broodstock for aquaculture |
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Strategy 4 - Provide appropriate financial mechanisms |
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· Assess and understand the existing financial mechanisms (formal and informal) in their cultural context · Ensure overcapacity is not encouraged through provision of loans to repair and replace vessels · Support the establishment of an enabling environment for financial institutions and systems (formal, informal) to ensure their rapid return to normal operation · Ensure that all players in the supply chain have access to appropriate finance, with a focus on small-scale, non-commercial lending · Collaborate with APRACA through providing technical inputs to their assessments and (through APRACA collaboration) to the banks for their lending guidelines |
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Strategy 5 - Improve community livelihoods and responsible coastal resources/management |
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· Facilitate the empowerment of communities (through development of human skills) to ensure greater community organization and participation in networking, negotiation and self-reliance (such as development of marketing or micro-enterprise organisations) · Increase skills, knowledge, ability to work and health of all those in affected fishing and aquaculture communities with emphasis on small-scale, marginalized, resource-poor people · Enhance the capacity of the institutions working to support them (to be implemented at the community and national level) · Train and plan in the implementation of responsible community coastal resource management strategies and enforcement · Provide training in sustainable livelihoods approach |
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Strategy 6 - Re-build and enhance the social assets, resources and networks upon which people in affected fishing and aquaculture communities draw in pursuit of their livelihood strategies and psychosocial well-being (to be implemented at the community and national level) |
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· Establish, rebuild and strengthen community organizations (e.g. fisher groups, cooperatives, religious groups, women's support groups, etc.) · Strengthen existing social institutions · Identify existing expertise and skills, in particular disciplines and sectors and map to needs · Network and communicate with existing organizations and ensure that expertise and activities are publicised · Support establishment of structured mechanisms for consultation, interaction, communication and coordination between governments, donors and NGOs |
