Monitoring and evaluation Co-management in Nam Oon Dam

Date: 14-18 November 2016

Venue: Sakon Nakhon Province, Thailand

Objectives:

1. To monitor catch data from logbook recording by fishers themselves,

2. To monitor fisheries management measures during close season of Nam Oon Reservoir,

3. To monitor fish processing product in the community operated by women’s group,

4. To monitor on the fish species at the landing site.

Result

SEAFDEC team, DOF staff and Fisheries Patrol unit of Nam Oon Dam had a discussion at Nam Oon Dam Fishery Management Unit about the objectives of this trip. The trip would visit two landing site at Ban Dong Kham Pho and Ban Kud Takap in early morning with the aim to observe the fish catch composition from the fishing operation in Nam Oon Dam.

We found two fishers who use gill net fishing gear. They set the gill net in the evening and harvested in the morning. Most of catch was Tilapia. They sell their catch to the villager at house by themselves and sometimes sell to middlemen when their catch is high volume. Moreover, we have discussed with the middlemen at Ban Dong Kham Pho about fish product. The middlemen explained that they bought fish product from the aquaculture in Banglen, Nakorn Prathom Province to serve as raw material for making fish processing product due to the fish product from Nam Oon Dam is insufficiency for consumption in the community. Moreover, SEAFDEC visited landing site at Ban Kud Takap community and met a fisher who coming back from fishing by using longline fishing gear. The fish catch fish species was Clown featherback and sold in the village.

Furthermore, the trip would visit fish processing group in order to share knowledge on group management and marketing for fish processing product. The Fish Processing Group was established at Ban Donh Kham Pho consisted of 30 members. The fish species mostly are Clown featherback and lipped barb, which was bought from 5 fishers in the community about 150-200 kg/day. The fish collected divide into 2 parts: 50% sell to the middlemen and the rest 50% for fish processing product. The main fish processing product are fish fermented cover by banana leave and Dry smoky fish. The members who are involved in fish processing activity gain the income with higher rate than minimum wage and get the dividend. The marketing channel was operated through Internet Social Network system (facebook and line) and main product is fermented fish which sold nearby Khonkaen Province and Bangkok. Dry smoky fish product is distributed in the village and neighbor village. This group has a fund that can provided loan for members.

In addition, the sign buoy that provided by SEAFDEC for clarifying the conservation area between Ban Dong Kam Pho and Ban Nachuak communities was good response from the community. Moreover, SEAFDEC also plan to install the sign buoy to indicate the conservation zone at Ban Thai Chareon community. The survey on the conservation area and position for installation of sign buoy was conducted by using patrol boat and Drone. The positions for sign buoy installing was confirmed by Head of village of Ban Thai Chareon. The sign buoy can be a symbol to indicate the conservation area for the outsider who come to fishing in the conservation area. 

Moreover, the local meeting organized in 3 points. The meeting would present the result of catching data from fishing logbook recorded by fishers during 1 March - 5 April (before close season) and comparison catch between year 2015 and 2016. Moreover, the meeting discussed with the communities on the fisheries management measure that is implemented in the Nam Oon Dam after close season including the problems on fisheries. The result from the local meeting was showed below:

point 1 at Ban Na Than which composed of Ban Na lao, Ban Huay Bun, Ban Nong Phua and Ban Na Than. The fishers attended the meeting were 19 fishers. The result of point 1 showed that the average catch/trip of fisher in 2015 is 7.6 kg and 5.1 kg in 2016. The meeting suggested to provide the incentive to fishermen who have recorded the fishing logbook. SEAFDEC will prepare T-shirt to give the fishermen volunteer who fill out the catch logbook.

Point 3 at Ban Thai Chareon which composed of Ban Kud Takap, Ban Nong Pling, Ban Na Kham and Ban Thai Chareon. The fishers attended the meeting were 19 fishers. The result of point 3 showed that the average catch/trip of fisher is 5.2 and 5.9 kg in 2015 and 2016, respectively. The fishers expressed their opinion that the mesh size of gill net should not smaller than 3 cm.

Point 4 at Ban Dong Kham Pho which composed of Ban Na Chuak, Ban Dong Kham Pho, Ban Nong Bua and Ban Khong Pakuay. The fishers attended the meeting were 21 fishers. The result of point 4 showed that the average catch/trip is 10.1 and 7.9 kg in 2015 and 2016, respectively. The point 4 can catch fish more than other point because they are full time fishers. The fishers shared the information that Clown featherback was difficult to find in this year due to the climate change. The dry season is longer led to low water level and this species stay in deep water level.

In addition, SEAFDEC visited the Hatchery pond, the one activity of Nam Oon Patrol Unit. The fingerling would be produced and hatchery before release into Nam Oon reservoir in each community. This hatchery pond has the fingerling of Mekong giant catfish, Java Barb and Freshwater prawn. 

Discussion on the future work

SEAFDEC will prepare the sign buoys to install in Nam Oon reservoir for indicating the conservation area at Ban Thai Chareon Community. The estimate period for installation is in February 2017.

The boat registration and fishing gear licensing are necessary for the fishers. It need to encourage the fishers and support them for fishing legally. It might be can protected from illegal fishing outsiders.

Nam Oon Dam Fisheries Patrol Unit should inform the fishers around Nam Oon Dam on the importance of boat registration and fishing gear licensing including the registration fee. Therefore, the local meeting on the process of registration will be organized in the community around Nam Oon Dam for more understanding and participation of fishers.

In order to do the boat registration and fishing gear licensing, the mobile unit system from the government officers, who take responsibility on these, should come to the community for easily registration.

Baseline Survey and Consultation Meeting to Clarify Feasible ways for Implementation of Management Measures in Chong Khneas

Date: 6-8 May 2015

Venue: Siem Reap Province, Cambodia

Objectives

1. To collect concrete information from real case of Co-management/CBFM implementation in Chong Khneas fishing community,

2. To identify issues and challenges for improvement of fishery management in Chong Khneas fishing community and find out appropriate actions,

3. To develop Implementation Plan in Co-management/CBFM in Chong Khneas fishing community,

4. To  provide reference information for fishery officers in Cambodia on the key to successful implementation of Co-management/CBFM.  

Result

Mr. Lieng Sopha, Acting Director of Community Fishery Development Department, informed the participants on the objectives and proposes of the Meeting including the time schedule during three days meeting. Then, Mr. Sombut, head of Chong Khneas Community Fisheries (CFi) introduced background of Chong Khneas Community Fisheries and scope of fisheries management in the community. The CFi was established in 2001, supported by local authority and Fisheries officers and FAO. CFi members come from 6 villages of Chong Khneas commune which has 755 families and 70% people are fishers. There are many activities implemented such as extension and dissemination, broodstock management, social development by group with supporting by governments and FAO.

Mr. Sombut also mentioned about the challenges on community fisheries management. The challenges were 1) Insufficient of facilities and materials for patrolling of IUU Fishing in the community, 2) IUU Fishing has happened sporadically at night time during the absence of fishing patrol boat, 3) Fishers have a limitation in pointing out IUU Fishing to fishing community committees, 4) Inadequate of demarcation of conservation areas, 5) Water canal, which connected to protected area, have shallow that lead to difficulty for transportation by boat or ferry during dry season, 6) Lack of budget support to conservation guard at protected area. For the solutions, He also pointed out that 1) Disseminate, educate and encourage users to stop using illegal fishing activities, and 2) Handle and coordinate among fishers during conflicts. Moreover, he suggested that government should 1) Help to seek funding to support communities' sustainable fishery resource management activities, 2) The committees should have uniform for patrolling, 3) Provide training courses on aquaculture, livestock and plantation, and 4) To re-dig old shallow lake from Kbal Khun Theay Khoem to conservation area (Boeng Pea Raeng).

In addition, SEAFDEC team and participant visited the Chong Khneas fishing community and conservation area. The community has around 20 family household. Main fishing gear are fish trap and gillnet. In the community, there is one canal, which connected to conservation area. They use this canal with 3.5 km length to go for fishing. Moreover, they would like to do ecotourism by bringing the tourists to conservation area through this canal. However, the fishers face the problem that someday, they cannot go through the canal because it is very deep water in rainy season as well as it is a shallow water in dry season. Hence, they would like to dig canal more deeper for fishing and ecotourism.

In addition, CFi has management plans to 1) patrol IUU fishing in the community territory, 2) plant flooded forest, 3) disseminate on aquaculture extension, and 4) renovate post office, boat and watchtower. According to develop the CFi management plans, SEAFDEC team, Cambodian officers, and the representatives from Chong Khneas fishing community had discussed together on the CFi Management and Development Plan for 2015.

After discussion, the CFi Management and Development Plan for 2015 composed of three components; 1) Fisheries Management, 2) Rehabilitation, and 3) Livelihood. For the fisheries management, they would like to make internal rule and regulation and awareness building on law and internal rule including awareness on Cambodia aquaculture guideline as well as conduct patrolling and fisheries information gathering. For the rehabilitation, they would like to rehabilitate fish habitat by planting flooded forest and install artificial shelf in conservation area. For livelihood, they would like to increase income for fisheries household by promote ecotourism, aquaculture, livestock, vegetable plantation, and micro finance.

Local workshop in Nam Oon Dam, Sakon Nakhon Province, Thailand

Date: 25-26 November 2014

Venue: Sakon Nakhon Province, Thailand

Objectives:

1. Fisheries officers understand the situation of Nam Oon Dam, on problem and needed from fisheries community.

2. Fisheries community understand the resources situation, and how to manage to be sustainable.

3. Fisheries community and fisheries officers aware the important of co-management, community-based resources management and right-based management.

4. Fisheries community of Nam Oon Dam has committee to be network on fisheries management.

Results

The workshop were divided into two sessions, lecture and group discussion. The lecture was presented by resource persons from Department of Fisheries and SEAFDEC. The lectures were about 1) "Inland Fisheries Management and Law and measurement setting for Fisheries" to enhance knowledge of the participants and 2) "Co-management in ASEN Countries, Participatory Activities of Fisheries Management" to transfer the experiences of fisheries co-management in Southeast Asian and activities for co-management. Moreover, SEAFDEC presented the results of the base line survey at Num Oon that were collected during 2-9 July 2014. The results of survey showed 1) the demographic information and fisheries character, 2) fisheries problems and resolution, 3) fishers perception on fisheries co-management and fish distribution.

In addition, there were three topics for the group discussion session:

1. Fishing gear and fishing activities, which composed of two sub-topics: 1) Types of allow  fishing gear and 2) Prohibited fishing gear.

2. Spatial/Fishing ground composed of four sub-topics: 1) Conservation and sanctuary area under law and regulation, 2) Close season, 3) Protected area, and 4) Fishing ground allow by gear/fishing activities.

3. New close season setting through community rule, which composed of three sub-topics: 1) Close season only some area, 2) Close season in some fishing habitat, and 3) Close season during dry season.  

After finish group discussion, each group presented the result to all participants. For the first group (fishing gear and fishing activities), the participants suggested that DOF's officers should cooperate with villagers to monitor and promote juvenile conservation area. Moreover, it should stop shooting and diving fisheries. For the second group (spatial/fishing ground), it should make clear on the boundary of conservation zone as well as it should increase more conservation zone and fish house. It should establish community committee and set the community rules. Furthermore, it should collect entry fee from outsider fishers. For the third group (new close season setting through community rule), duration of close season should be changed based on research study as well as increase conservation zone and set fishing zone during close season.

After present results of group discussion, the workshop was end by inspector of Department of Fisheries, Ms. Sirirak Suvanrangsri. She express her appreciated on this workshop that it was very useful for co-management and community based management in Nam Oon Dam. Besides, she hope that this program can be a good model to other inland fisheries management in Thailand .

Mobile On-site Training (MOT) on Practical Approach to Co-management in Marine and Inland Fisheries of Cambodia

Date:17 -21 November 2014

Venue: Koh Kong Province, Cambodia

Objectives:

1. To introduce the knowledge and experience on practical approach to rights-based fisheries management to fisheries officer from 8 inland fisheries provinces of Cambodia,

2. To strengthen practical in competence in planning and implementing the applicable inland fishery management plans.

3. To train community fishers by local Cambodian trainers with technical assistance from SEAFDEC on organization of the community based management with knowledge of rights-based fisheries management

4. Gathering of the fishery data and information and understanding the indicators of fishery status, (fish catch, fish price, fishing effort), and socio-economic information)

5. To introduce the communities fisheries legal framework such Royal Decree, sub decree and guideline to implementation for communities fisheries

6. To take a consultation with community fishers and local fishery officers on the improvement of sub decree on community fishery management

Results

The training was started by the fisheries officers of Cambodia who had been trained on the TOT course by SEAFDEC. After finished the lecture part, the participants were divided into 5 groups; 1) Stung Treng and Kratie Province, 2) Kampong Cham and Prey Veng Province, 3) Koh Kong Province, 4) Sihanouk Ville and Kampot Province, 5) Kep Province, for workshop session. Then each group discussed on 3 Sessions which are;

o  Session 1) How to sustain Community based Fisheries management and make a CFi plan of action in each province,

o  Session 2) Support system by local government, and

o  Session 3) Operation of Resource Management (especially Monitoring daily catch).

After finished the discussion, each group presented the result of discussion. For the result of Session 1, the participant indicated that the effective plan for sustainable fisheries management should be cooperated with local fisheries and relevant authorities. Moreover, the plan should involve the community committees and members. Furthermore, the participants proposed various activities for fisheries management plans such as re-plantation of mangrove forest, establishment of conservation areas and refugia areas, crab banks. As well as alternative livelihood activities through aquaculture, fish processing and other activities concerned are also should put in the fisheries management plan. 

For the result of Session 2, the participants recommended that the fisheries officers should support the fishers for CFi registration and crab bank as well as support them the technical support on aquaculture. Besides, the fisheries officers should disseminate the fisheries laws to local fishers. Moreover, it should try to seek the cooperation from authorities to patrol IUU fishing and find the interest donors to support CFi and improve security.

  

For the result of Session 3, it should have MCS in the fisheries communities in order to manage the resources. Furthermore, the registration of fishing vessels and daily catching data should be prepared and recorded. Then, the study on fish species of each area and impact assessment of native aquatic animal species should be also studied. As well as the marketing cooperation with relevant sectors should be considered.

In addition, the participants had a field study trip on mangrove conservation at Peam Krosob Community in Koh Kong Province. This community has 2 villages with 302 families and 3,129 populations (fishers 637 persons). In the past, this area was destroyed by shrimp farmers, then, the local people established the community resources conservation group to rehabilitation mangrove forest by supporting from the agencies. The group had supported by UNDP and other agencies for group operation. Now, the group has their own budget by selling the ticket for visiting the mangrove forest. Furthermore, the group also has many activities such as boat renting to mangrove forest and awareness rising to children.

Mobile On-site Training (MOT) on Practical Approach to Co-management in Marine and Inland Fisheries of Cambodia

Date: 28 July -1 August 2014

Venue: Siem Reap, Cambodia

Objectives:

1. To introduce the knowledge and experience on practical approach to rights-based fisheries management to fisheries officer from 8 inland fisheries provinces of Cambodia,

2. To strengthen practical in competence in planning and implementing the applicable inland fishery management plans.

3. To train community fishers by local Cambodian trainers with technical assistance from SEAFDEC on organization of the community based management with knowledge of rights-based fisheries management

4. Gathering of the fishery data and information and understanding the indicators of fishery status, (fish catch, fish price, fishing effort), and socio-economic information)

5. To introduce the communities fisheries legal framework such Royal Decree, sub decree and guideline to implementation for communities fisheries

6. To take a consultation with community fishers and local fishery officers on the improvement of sub decree on community fishery management

Results

Firstly, staff of FiA presented on the importance role of resource management, rights-based and community based co-management, MCS, Improving management of financial and economic activities including the fishery law of Cambodia. After that, the participant were divided into 8 groups, based on Province, to have a discussion on how to sustain Community Based Fisheries Management (CBFM). Each group have to discuss on 3 main session, namely; Session 1: How to sustain Community based Fisheries management and make a CFi plan of action in each province, Session 2: Support system by local government, Session 3: Operation of Resource Management (especially Monitoring daily catch).

In addition, SEAFDEC selected Chong Khneas Community Fisheries (CKCF) in Siem Reap Province for the next step of MOT. Then, SEAFDEC’s team and FiA’s staffs visited CKCF which aim to study on how to manage fisheries resources by community. CKCF is a floating village in Tonle Sap, compose of 7 villages and 1,238 households, 70% is fisheries, and 30% is small business and labor, and only 6  villages involved in fisheries management. The main fishing gear is fish gill net. CKCF has formed community fisheries group in 2000, which FAO supported the training course on Fisheries resources management, and encourage community to formulate local regulation for protect fisheries resources. Committee of CKCF has 11 members (included 3 women). CKCF have police and collaborate with agencies to protect the conservation area. The members of CKCF are actively participate in fisheries management. The activities of CKCF are 1) Monthly meeting for discussion on problem and progress the result of their activity, 2) Monitoring two conservation area. CKCF have two activities for future plan in 2015. The first plan is excavate the canal for patrol boat to monitor and protect conservation area. The second plan is reforestation along the conservation area.

Mobile On-site Training (MOT) on Facilitating Fisheries Information Gathering Through Introduction of Community Based Fisheries Management

Date: 1-10 July 2014

Venue: Sakon Nakhon Province, Thailand

Development Objectives:

1. Provincial/Local Fisheries Officers will have opportunities on the job training in establishing fisheries management approach in inland fisheries, including community fisheries is practiced widely which is an implication of how to operating fisheries management plan by themselves.

2. Through implementation of this project, useful knowledge and lessons on the promotion of Inland Fisheries community-based resources management will be obtained, which will be applicable to other ASEAN member countries.

Immediate Objectives:

1. Fisheries officers understand the situation of Nam Oon Dam, on problem and needed from fisheries community; and

2. Fisheries community understand their resources situation, and how to make management measures to be sustainable; and

3. Fisheries community and fisheries officers aware the important of co-management, community based resources management and right-based management; and

4. Fisheries community of Nam Oon Dam has committee as a network for autonomous fisheries management.

Results

6 SEAFDEC’s staffs and 6 DOF’s staffs from head quarter and Management unit of Nam Oon Dam were meeting at Nam Oon Dam, the Department of Irrigation. Mr. Boonsong Phanchaiphum, Head of Management unit of Nam Oon Dam, presented on the objectives of project, the result of local workshop, work plan of three year (2013-2015), and explain more on the objective of this trip. The project is namely “Strengthen the participation on integrated fisheries management at Nam Oon Dam”. The objectives were 1) to manage fisheries resources in the Nam Oon Dam by co-management approach, and 2) to be pilot site on co-management approach of local communities and agency concern in the Nam Oon Dam. For base line survey, there are 22 main communities in 8 Sub-Districts, which near Nam Oon Dam. The total of fishers who registered with Management unit (DOF) are 384 fishers. The survey was designed to interview 30-40% of fishers (full-time and part-time fishermen) around Nam Oon Dam. In addition, we plan to have a meeting with 8 communities for fisheries management in the evening. There were three main issues for the meeting, 1) agreement on problem and solution with each community, 2) representative selection of each community, and 3) others problem from each community.

Base line Survey around Nam Oon Dam

Base line survey was conducted by interviewing the fishers in 22 communities around Nam Oon Dam, which located within 5 District covering 8 Sub-district namely: Rae, Nanai, Nongbua, Nongpling, Nikomnam-oon, Kudhai, Warichaphum and Plahlo. The questionnaire compose of four parts: 1) General information, 2) Fisheries sector, 3) Problems and solution on fisheries, and 4) Opinion on fisheries co-management. Most fishers engage in fishery and agriculture. They operate paddy field, rubber tree and cassava. The main purposes of fishery are source of income and consuming. Furthermore, the main fishing gear is gill net and fish trap. The total number of fishers interviewed is 139 fishers. In addition, there are 5 middlemen from Dong Kham pho, Huay Bun and Ban Klang community were interviewed to clarify on fish distribution in Nam Oon Dam area. The result of base line survey will be shown general information of fishermen, situation of fisheries resources, the fish market system, and the problems.

Meeting in the Communities in Nam Oon Dam area

The meeting was organized in each 8 communities and aimed to build awareness on the importance of co-management, make understand on the conservation area in Nam Oon Dam and select the fisheries community representatives to be the Inland Fisheries Management Committee in Nam Oon Dam for establishment a network on Fisheries Management.

Firstly, the meeting started with presentation of fisheries officers on the problems which was found in Nam Oon Dam as well as the ways to solve the problems that consist of 1) To collect fishing fee from fishers outside community whenever they would do fishing in the community, 2) To establish conservation area for fish habitat, 3) patrolling the illegal fishing especially Bug Lift net fishing. After that, the representatives from 8 communities namely: Thai Charoen, Dong Kham pho, Kud ta-kap, Na Chouk, Nong Pauu, Khok Sung, Ban Klang and Nong Pling were selected, totally there are 18 representatives.

In addition, DOF will organize the meeting to select the representatives from another 14 communities. After completed of selecting representative from 22 communities around Nam Oon Dam, DOF and SEAFDEC will invite all of representatives to have a meeting and discussion on work plan and regulations for fisheries management in Nam Oon Dam. This activity plan to held in November 2014 at Nam Oon Dam.