ASEAN Regional Workshop for Enhancement of National Support Officer System to Improvement of Autonomous Resources Management and Fisheries Communities

Date: 11-13 March 2014

Venue: Vientiane, Lao PDR

Objectives:

1. Review each country’s activities and legal framework for facilitating community-based resource management with fishing right system.

2. Identify the key factor for successful implementation through case study developed by community-based management.

3. Find out further ways to promote establishing applicable community-based resources management in each country

Conclusion of the Workshop

The ASEAN Regional Workshop for Enhancement of National Support Officer System to Improvement of Autonomous Resources Management and Fisheries Communities was organized on 11-13 March 2014 in Vientiane, Lao PDR. The conduct of this Workshop was supported by the ASEAN Foundation and Japanese Trust Fund. The Workshop was participated by the representatives from the ASEAN-SEAFDEC Member Countries (except Myanmar and Singapore), Executive Director and officers of the ASEAN Foundation, SEAFDEC Secretary-General, Deputy Secretary-General and officials of SEAFDEC Secretariat and Training Department, representative from the Mekong River Commission (MRC), and experts relevant to national support officer system.

The Workshop was began by Mr. Bounthong Saphakdy, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Livestock and Fisheries, welcomed all participants to the Workshop. After that, H.E. Mme Elaine Tan, Executive Director of ASEAN Foundation, expressed the gratitude for the conduct of this Workshop, following by Dr. Chumnarn Pongsri, Secretary-General of SEAFDEC, once again welcomed all participants to the Workshop. Then, H.E. Dr. Phouangparisak Pravongviengkham, Deputy Minister for Agriculture and Forestry of Lao PDR, expressed his gratefulness for the conduct of this Workshop and declared the Workshop Open.

Next session was Dr. Yasuhisa Kato gave a Keynote Speech on “Importance of Support Officer System for Improvement of Community-based Resources Management and Other Activities of Fisheries Community. Then, Mr. Sommano Phounsavath, Acting Director of the Division of Fisheries, Department of Livestock and Fisheries, presented the Background and Introduction of the Workshop. After finished this session, the Member Countries presented their overview of country's support officer system and activities for improvement of community-based resources management and other activities of fisheries community.

In addition, Dr. Yuttana Theparoonrat from SEAFDEC made presentation on “SEAFDEC Support Activities to Member Countries for Improvement Support Officer System and Activities”. The on-going projects/activities of SEAFDEC were also presented, e.g. particularly the training of the trainers (TOT) conducted in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Philippines, and Vietnam, aiming to enhance the capacity of fisheries officers and trainers of these countries on fisheries management and co-management, information gathering through community-based fisheries management (CBFM), as well as other subjects as required by countries, so that these trainers could further conduct mobile on-site trainings (MOT) in their respective countries.

Furthermore, there were presentation from invited experts namely, 1) Mr. Hidenao Watanabe, 2) Dr. Tsutomu Miyata, 3) Mr. Shoichiro Okada, and 4) Mr. Sanchai Tandavanitj. The presentation were 1) Support Officer System and Experience in Japan, 2) Effectiveness and Efficiency of Support Officer System for Facilitation of Autonomous Resources Management by Fisher Group and Case Study in Japan, 3) Experience of Support Officer System in Japan, 4) Support Activities by Government for Fisheries Communities in ASEAN, respectively.

Moreover, the Workshop also identified the key factors for effective Support Officer System, as follows:

A) Establishment of System for Fishery Support Service

              Roles of National Government

·         Recognize the importance of support officer system, and have strong will to establish the system

·         Set up of appropriate scheme for the implementation of fisheries support system

·         Develop national guidelines and strategies for fisheries support system, in close collaboration with local government and local officers

·         Allocate sufficient fund and human resources to local government

·         Provide national training courses to support officers to improve their knowledge and skill

·         Establish/strengthen relevant local institutions in close collaboration with local government and community

              Roles of Local Government

·         Develop local guideline that consistence with national guideline, and fit with the requirements of local community

·         Develop strategies and plans of fisheries support system.

·         In the case where budget allocation and number of support officers are inadequate, the strategies and plan should target the areas where CBFM is likely to be success.

·         Set-up support officer team and ensure their mutual understanding on strategies and plans of support system.

·         Provide training for support officer to fit with local requirement.

 B) Implementation of Fishery Support Service at Communities

               Roles of Government

·         Assign clear responsible areas to each support officer

·         Provide necessary inputs, i.e. funds, equipment, etc., to facilitate the implementation of support services

·         Provide training, and facilitate activities for community members/fishers

·         Provide updated information on status of fishery resources as a basis for support officer services

               Roles of Support Officer (Extension Officer)

·         Explore potential leaders and establish close relationship with the community

·         Conduct regular visit to community to discuss their required support

·         Take leading role during early stage of establishment of fisheries community management organization

·         Provide support based on the requirement of specific fisheries community

In addition, The Member Countries identified the difficulties and problems, and way forward for the promotion of Support Officer System for effective CBFM in their respective countries. Taking into consideration the difficulties and problems faced by the respective Member Countries, the common areas that should be considered by the respective countries in establishment/ promotion of Support Officer System to ensure effective implementation of CBFM could be summarized as follows:

- Ensuring the availability of legal framework, policies, strategies and working mechanism to facilitate the establishment and implementation of the Support Officer System.

- Strengthening of local organizations to take leading roles in fisheries/resources management.

- Establishment of Support Officer System at local level to be familiarized with local communities and obtain information on specific requirement of specific communities.

- Allocation of sufficient financial and human resources required for Support Officer System.

- Enhancing capacity of Support Officers, on technical subjects and managerial/communication skills, in order to be able to extend support to local communities.

- Undertaking activities (by Support Officers in close cooperation/collaboration with relevant governmental agencies, local organizations and stakeholders):

   *   Awareness raising: on relevant legal frameworks, conservation and management concepts, etc.

 * Training: on data collection/analysis, implementation of fisheries management and resources conservation/enhancement, financial management, alternative livelihood, etc.

To enhance future promotion of CBFM by the respective Member Countries, the Workshop encouraged SEAFDEC to continue supporting the initiatives, particularly in developing success model(s) for both coastal and inland ecosystems, in order that this could be replicated/expanded in other areas/countries. SEAFDEC was also requested to consider undertaking analysis of Support Officer System (or systems with similar nature) of the Member Countries, and come up with recommendations that countries could refer to in the development/promotion of their respective Support Officer System.

ASEAN Regional Workshop for Facilitating Community-based Resources Management in Coastal and Inland Fisheries

Date: 18-21 February 2014

Venue: Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Objectives:

1. Review country’s activities and legal framework for facilitating community-based resources management with fishing right system;

2. Identify key factors for successful implementation of community-based management; and

3. Identify ways and means for future promotion of community-based resources management by the countries.

Conclusion of the Workshop

The ASEAN Regional Workshop for Facilitating Community-based Resources Management in Coastal and Inland Fisheries was organized on 18-21 February 2014 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, with support from the ASEAN Foundation and Japanese Trust Fund. The Workshop was participated by the representatives from the ASEAN-SEAFDEC Member Countries (except Singapore), representative from the ASEAN Foundation, SEAFDEC Secretary-General, Deputy Secretary-General and officials of SEAFDEC Secretariat and Training Department, and experts on community-based resources management as resource persons.

The Opening of the Workshop was officiated by H.E. Mr. San Vanty, Under-Secretary of the State, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Cambodia, together with H.E. Prof. Dr. Nao Thuok, Director of Fisheries Administration and the SEAFDEC Council Director for Cambodia, and Mr. Hajime Kawamura, the Deputy Secretary-General of SEAFDEC.

The former Assistant Director-General of Fisheries and Aquaculture Department of FAO, Mr. Ichiro Nomura, delivered a Keynote Speech on “Importance of Community-based Management for Southeast Asian Small-scale Fisheries”. Then, the background, objectives and expected outputs from the Workshop as presented by Mr. Lieng Sopha, from the Fisheries of Administration of Cambodia. After that, the Member Countries presented their country's activities, legal framework and difficulties/problems for facilitating community-based resources management. 

Then, Dr. Yuttana Theparoonrat from SEAFDEC made presentation on “SEAFDEC Support Activities to Member Countries for Facilitation of Implementation Community-based Management”. The on-going projects/activities of SEAFDEC were also presented, e.g. particularly the training of the trainers (TOT) conducted in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Philippines, and Vietnam, aiming to enhance the capacity of fisheries officers and trainers of these countries on fisheries management approaches, co-management, so that these trainers could further conduct mobile on-site trainings (MOT) in their respective countries. In addition to topics on management, other aspects as required by countries could also be incorporated in the training.

Moreover, the invited resource persons namely, 1) Dr. Mitsutaku Makino, 2) Mr. Rikio Sato, 3) Ms. Ravadee Prasertcharoensuk, and 4) Dr. Kungwan Juntarashote presented on the 1) Community-Based Management with Fishing Rights in Japan, 2) Effectiveness and Efficiencies of Autonomous Resource Management by Fishery Group and Case Study in Japan, 3) Ecosystem-based Management as a Tool for Conflict Resolution and Conservation of Marine Fisheries: Experience from MFF’s Large Project, 4) Activities Facilitate of Community-based Management in ASEAN, respectively.

Based on the countries’ presentations and the experiences shared by resource persons, the Workshop concluded the key factors for the success implementation of the CBRM and fishing right system, as follows:

A) Government Factors

- Availability and implementation of legal and policy framework that support the establishment of CBRM and rights-based fisheries; and allow fishers group/organization to manage their own resources, with clear roles and responsibilities defined for resource users, government and concern stakeholders.

- Government and/or other agencies to provide support to community-based co-management, such as in term of financial/technical supports to the activities, and capacity building to enhance awareness and understanding of fisheries officers and resource users to fully understand the management concept.

- Set clear process for the implementation and facilitation of CBRM, the process should include: Set up of support official team to facilitate CRFM; Pre-survey on fisheries condition of community for making strategies to facilitate CBRM; Education to community fishers on community-based fisheries management; Conduct of planning meeting with core persons; and establishment of CRMO.

- External agencies (e.g. NGOs, academic and research institutions) could play roles in expedite the co-management process (define problems; provide independent advice, ideas and expertise, etc.).

- Community resource management rights are defined (with legal basis), and mechanism/structure established for allocation of rights to community members. Rights should be referred to territorial and use right, and should not be treated as property rights or could not be transferred to others.

B) Fisheries Community Factors

- Fisheries resource boundaries should be clearly defined. Boundary should take in to consideration watershed or life cycle of target species, in order to ensure effective management. Cooperation among fisheries communities is necessary for management of resources that share similar ecosystem, particularly migratory and shared resources.

- Community membership could be clearly defined, e.g. individual fishers or households with rights to fish in the area, and to participate in area management. Group members should also be homogenous, e.g. in social dimension, types of fishing operation, with common problems and needs.

- Community members, resource users and stakeholders that could be affected by management measures should be included and actively participated in the formulation/adjustment in the implementation of such management measures. Community could also take active roles in data collection to support formulation of appropriate management measures. Migrant fishers should also be joined on the decision of management measures.

- Establishment of management measures should be based on available data (e.g. daily catch, fishing effort, etc.) and information, taking into consideration specific situation and requirements of different localities, as well as culture and traditional knowledge of the communities. Management measures should be based on holistic approach, and consider ecosystem approach that balances the need for social-economic and ecology dimensions.

- Individual community members should find rules/regulations for management credible and equitable to encourage participation of all partners.

- Community has active/responsible leader.

- Community members should be encouraged to have willingness to cooperate and contribute (time, effort, etc.) to management process. In this regard, incentive structure for individual community members should be clearly defined (incentives in social and economic aspects) in order to encourage community participation. Compensation should be considered, e.g. for reducing fishing pressures, etc. In addition, fisheries organization should also have incentives for undertaking management roles/functions.

- Community members educated and empowered, to have full awareness on their rights to participate in decision-making and implementation process of management measures.                                  

- Under the community resource users rights, all member of CBRM must take responsibility for their activities decisions without being pressured from government and politics.

- Membership of local organization should be clearly defined.

- Community has adequate financial resources to sustain community-based co-management activities. To sustain the management activities, financial resources should not rely only on external support, but community should also earn incomes from other sources such as membership fee, etc.

In addition, the difficulties and problems of the ASEAN Member Countries in facilitating CBRM as well as the way forward for the promotion of CBRM and related initiatives in their respective countries were indentified. For the conclusion of the Workshop, the Workshop suggested SEAFDEC to consider preparing a policy brief on CBRM, which could compile lessons learnt from various CBRM-related initiatives, in order to promote understanding on CBRM for policy makers and relevant stakeholders. The Workshop also suggested the compilation of success stories on CBRM in order to facilitate sharing of lessons learnt and implementation in other countries. This could be done through production of tools and materials, including audio-materials. Representatives attending in the Workshop were also encouraged to continue promoting CBRM, as well as to encourage policy makers in their respective countries to promote the application of CBRM concept in the future.