Tools for the Guidebook for evaluating fisheries co-management effectiveness
Task 1.6: Plan for stakeholder participation
Evaluations should be participatory at all stages of design, data collection and analysis. Involving resource users/rights holders and stakeholders in the evaluation is crucial because they may be interested in questions that differ from fisheries co-management leaders or government, they are likely to be directly affected by any actions that the evaluation results may lead to, and they have information that no one else might have. At a minimum, the co-managers, representing user groups, the fishing community and government, of the fisheries co-management system should be involved in the evaluation, as well as woman, youth and indigenous people. It may be necessary to build the capacity of stakeholders to participate in the evaluation and resources will need to be allocated to develop this capacity.
While key stakeholders should be appropriately involved throughout the evaluation process, a specific activity on validation of the preliminary results of the evaluation needs to be planned for. This validation process could also involve an external review in addition to an internal one by primary stakeholders. This is further discussed in Task 5 under Step 3.
Suggestions
- Some of the tools used previously for various types of interactions with stakeholders also apply to this task. As before, there is need to be sensitive to and plan for stakeholder diversity.
- Communication tools all apply, but with emphasis on stimulating action.
Resources
- The BiodivERsA stakeholder engagement handbook
- EAF planning and implementation tools
- Qualitative tools for the women’s empowerment in fisheries and aquaculture index
- Engaging stakeholders in fisheries and marine research
- Stakeholder engagement strategies for participatory mapping
- The engagement of stakeholders in the marine spatial planning process
- Toward inclusive co-management: factors influencing stakeholder participation
- Stakeholder engagement. UNDP Guidance Notes on the Social and Environmental Standards
- Aanesen, M., Armstrong, C.W., Bloomfield, H.J. & Röckmann, C. (2014). What does stakeholder involvement mean for fisheries management? Ecology and Society, 19(4).
- Barclay, K., Mangubhai, S., Leduc, B., Donato-Hunt, C., Makhoul, N., Kinch, J. & Kalsuak, J., eds. (2021). Pacific handbook for gender equity and social inclusion in coastal fisheries and aquaculture. Second edition. Noumea, New Caledonia: Pacific Community. 202 pp.
- Court, J., Mendizabal, E., Osborne, D. & Young, J. (2006). Policy engagement: How civil society can be more effective. London: Overseas Development Institute.
- Human, B.A. & Davies, A. (2010). Stakeholder consultation during the planning phase of scientific programs. Marine Policy, 34(3): 645–654.
- Kaplan, I.M. & McCay, B.J. (2004). Cooperative research, co-management and the social dimension of fisheries science and management. Marine Policy, 28(3): 257–258.
- Kleiber, D., [et al.] (2019). Gender-inclusive facilitation for community-based marine resource management. An addendum to “Community-based marine resource management in Solomon Islands: A facilitators guide” and other guides for CBRM. Penang, Malaysia: CGIAR Research Program on Fish Agri-Food Systems.
- Lau, J., Ruano-Chamorro, C., Lawless, S. & McDougall, C. (2021). Gender transformative approaches for advancing gender equality in coral reef social–ecological systems: Good practice and technical brief. CARE & WWF.
- Mikalsen, K.H. & Jentoft, S. (2008). Participatory practices in fisheries across Europe: Making stakeholders more responsible. Marine Policy, 32(2): 169–177.
- Schwermer, H., Barz, F. & Zablotski, Y. (2020). A literature review on stakeholder participation in coastal and marine fisheries. YOUMARES 9 – The Oceans: Our Research, Our Future: pp. 21–43.