The training course on the practical approach to co-management in inland fisheries of Cambodia

Date: 3 - 7 September 2012

Venue: Siem Reap, Cambodia

Objectives:

1. To introduce the knowledge and experience on practical approach to rights-based fisheries management to fisheries officer from 6 provinces of Cambodia,

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

3. To train the trainers on organize the community based management with knowledge of rights-based fisheries management training course for local fishermen groups.

4. To gather the fishery data and information and make 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

Result

5 days training was comprised of three main sessions, firstly, the lectures that started by SEAFDEC side, 9 presentations namely: 1. The importance of resource management for sustainable fisheries, 2. Appropriate Monitoring Control and Surveillance (MCS) need for resource management in conjunction with community based co-management, 3. Community based co-management: Importance of autonomous fisheries management by community, 4. How to introduce and facilitate community based co-management to fisheries community,  5. Rights-based Management, 6. Fishing vessel management, 7. Importance of Socio-Economic Information to Improve the Life of Fisher, 8. Encourage Women in fisheries to sustainable livelihoods and 9. Development of fisheries officer on communication skill to local fishermen. The lessons-learned and experiences from Thailand and Japan were presented and discussed for more understanding of the participants.

Furthermore, the Cambodia side also presented on Theory and practices: Fishery data and information gathering including Study of indicator of fishery status and Socio-economic information and formulating data and information questionnaire for the community, as well as, Fishery Law, 2006 Chapter 11 consist of Royal Decree on the Establishment of CFi (2005) and  Sub-decree on CFi management.

Secondly, trial presentation from the participants focus on the importance role of resource management for sustainable fisheries, the concept of community-based management and establishment of fisheries community, and  the recommendation on fisheries resource management activities base on fisheries communities. The participants were actively participating to prepare the trial presentation in their own group. After finished the group work, group presentation were present to the meeting. The groups were explain about the importance of resource management and autonomous community based management by promotion on establishment of CFMO as well as the officer should support the local fishers on the resources management plan by community.

Course evaluation was the third session. The resources person acknowledged the participant for their knowledge/skill as well as actively participation and presentation. The main actor of autonomous community based co-resource management are local fishers, therefore, education for community fisher is importance. For the trial presentation, the participant can develop the presentation of the resource person to educate the local fishers. The participants should introduce the concept of sustainable fisheries and making awareness of the fishers on the importance of fisheries resource management and what are the benefits they will get including let them to think about how to manage the resources in their community. Finally, the participant should encourage the fishers to set up management activities together in the community.

The Regional Training Course on Co-management Using Group User Rights for Enhancing Small-scale Fisheries Development and Management

Date: 20-28 September 2010
Venue: SEAFDEC/TD, Samut Prakan, Thailand

The objectives of the training were:

1. To promote and strengthen participants to comprehend the concept and regional guidelines for co-management using group user rights for small-scale fisheries in Southeast Asia and apply the concept and guideline practicing in coastal fisheries management.

2. To clarify the importance, objectives and application of the regional guidelines strengthening small-scale fisheries to promote and mobilize coastal fisheries management.

3. To facilitate participants sharing and exchanging experiences and views on enrollment of small-scale fisheries strengthening coastal fisheries management

Activity implementation:

The training course was attended by twelve fisheries officers from SEAFDEC Member Countries, namely: Cambodia (1), Indonesia (1), Lao PDR (1), Malaysia (1), Myanmar (1), The Philippines (1), Thailand (5) and Vietnam (1). Conducted for nine days, the training course included lecture and field trip study for concretely practicing and experiencing on site.

Session one, focused on lectures with Dr. Theo Ebbers from AIT focusing on scope and characteristic of co-management through right-based fisheries towards fishing rights, as well as participatory method of co-management promoting for small-scale fisheries. Other resources persons were SEAFDEC/TD staff, namely: Dr. Phattareeya, Mr. Aussanee, Ms. Sumitra, focusing on SEAFDEC projects related to coastal fisheries management. In addition, the participants were requested to present their respective country reports concerning fisheries co-management for small-scale fisheries management.

Session two was intended for site visit to 4 provinces, namely: Samutsakorn, Phetburi, Chantaburi and Trat Provinces. The coastal erosion was a serious issue in Samutsakorn Province. At Phetburi Province, the participants learnt about a crab bank cage. At Chantaburi Province, the participant visited the fisher group and discussed on the microcredit management. At Trat Province, the participants also visited Bann Pred Nai Mangrove Forest Conservation Group to discuss about mangrove forestation and conservation. On the next day, the participants presented the field trip reports as well as evaluating the training course. The results showed that most participants were satisfied on the training course specifically the course content, training methods, and facilities. Moreover, the participants thought that the site visit was beneficial to them which rated 100 %.

Report of the Regional Training Course on Local/indigenous Institution and Co-management

12-21 January 2009
SEAFDEC, Training Department

SEAFDEC is responsible for implementing Human resource Development on Local/indigenous institution and co-management. The aims of this thematic area are to achieve the long-term objective of poverty alleviation as well as the development of well-being of individual, and including the development of local community as whole. In this connection, SEAFDEC formulated the Regional Training course on local/indigenous institution and Co-management as means of the promotion. The training has been funded by the ASEAN FOUNDATION for contributing fisheries officials from ASEAN-SEAFDEC member countries participated in the training and organize on-site training course for their own respective countries.

Summary of Work Activities and Achievements
Regional training course on local/indigenous institution and co-management was an activity of Human Resource Development on Poverty Alleviation and Food Security by Fisheries Intervention in the ASEAN Region. The objectives of the training was to transfer technical knowledge to fisheries officials in order to recognize the importance of local/indigenous institution for poverty alleviation and food security; to promote local/indigenous playing key role to practice and function in right-based fisheries and co-management to achieve poverty alleviation and food security and to prepare a best fitted and practical proposal for on-site HRD activities.

Eight participants were attending the training come from seven ASEAN-SEAFDEC countries –one each come from, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and two from Myanmar. The regional training course was organized for ten days that the training composed of two main parts. Part one was lectures that these were fully supported by resource persons namely Associate Prof. Dr. Sarote Angsumalin from Faculty of Economics, Kasetsart University, Mr. Suchart Sangchan , the Director of Bodan Marine Fisheries Research and Development Station, Dr. Theo Ebbers from AIT, Dr. Supaporn Anuchirachiva, OXFAM, Mr. Sanchai Tantawanich, Senior Advisor, the Department of Fisheries, Thailand and including SEAFDEC resource person likes Dr. Phattareeya and Ms. Narumol to transfer their expertise and shared valuable experience with all participants. The part one was on 12 to 15 January.

Second part was on-site practices in Rayong, Chantaburi and Trat Provinces during 16 to 19 January. The participants visited Bang Sare Municipality Organization. At this organization, the participants received information that the organization has planned and implemented activities concerned coastal and environmental management, awareness building activities for youth and school children to recognize the importance of their local resource availability, including fish processing to generate and sustain income and livelihood, respectively.

In Trat Province, the participants visited Ban Pred Nai Mangrove Forest Conservative Group. At Ban Pred Nai village, Ban Pred Nai Mangrove forest conservative group’s member and committee had a discussion session to share and exchange information and experiences on mangrove reforestation and conservation. In addition, the group committee also shared their experience on how to initiate their community savings and revolving loan activity to strengthen their self-reliance on improving their capacity and contribute mangrove reforestation and management activities.

In Chantraburi Province, the participants visited two people group which one is savings and credit group and another group is fisher group that group activities pertain to coastal resource management and conservation such as gravid crab bank, sea grass bed conservation and rehabilitation, Rope Fish Enhancing Devices and green mussel floating culture.

Regarding practicing in Rayong, all participants observed set net fisheries group conducted selling fish products on beach. Besides, they had a discussing session on the set net fisheries group’s activity and management.

After ended on-site practice, all participants picked up an essence of field trip experience and excellently made use of the essential information to design and draft proposal of on-site training course with standing on the objective of the training to conduct in selected fisheries community in their own respective country. The participants gave a presentation of drafted proposal helped mobilizing and shared knowledge and experience among the participants. The participants have been cooperative and actively participated in training activities. At the end of the course, the participants expressed their satisfaction to the training arrangement and illustrated that their expectation were fulfilled.

Recommendation and Future Follow-up Actions
Recommendation: the host country should provide a support to local people of selected project site and adjacent community to attend the on-site training course to enlarge number of people to attain a similar common understanding on role of local institution and co-management practice.

Follow-up Actions: SEAFDEC may help the host country to provide training materials such as video or CD relevant to local institution and co-management to support on-site training activity.

Experiences and Lesson learned
1. Complication of local institution and co-management in practice, the training observed that some participant met a difficulty to make distinguish between a practice of local institution and co-management. This might be due to different background, expertise and experience of participants accumulated in their countries.
2. Plenty of local institution, lack of co-management practice, the training mainly took participants to visit local people group who could self-manage its group activities. The group even referred collaboration between the group and government agencies; however, this was not concrete enough for understanding. This might mean to a gap between policy and practice in promoting co-management.
3. An increasing number of fisheries officials and extension work learns and practices concept of co-management and strengthen local institution to be counterpart of government agencies should be placed at top priority of each country policy.

Regional Training Course on Co-management Using Group User Rights for Enhancing Small-scale Fisheries Development and Management

Date: 27 October - 7 November 2008

Venue: SEAFDEC/Training Department, Samut Prakan, Thailand

SEAFDEC is taking leading role to promote rights-based fisheries and co-management to sustain coastal fisheries resources as well as to secure means of livelihood for small-scale fishers particularly in the Southeast Asian Region. In this connection, SEAFDEC formulated the Regional Training course on Co-management group user right for enhancing small-scale fisheries development and management as means of the promotion. The training has been funded by the Japanese Trust Fund for contributing fisheries officials from ASEAN-SEAFDEC member countries participated in the training.

11 participants are attending the training come from seven ASEAN-SEAFDEC countries –one each come from, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand,Vietnam, four from Indonesia and one from Japan. The regional training course was organized for 12 days which composed of two main parts. Part one was lectures that these were fully supported by SEAFDEC resource persons namely Dr. Yasuhisa Kato, Dr. Yuttana Theparoonrat, Mr. Aussanee Munprasit, Mr. Seiichi Etoh and his collogues working for socio-economic section, coastal and small-scale fisheries Division, and also included Dr.Phattareeya Suanrattanachai, Fishery Governance and Management System Section Head to transfer the expertise and shared valuable experience with all participants.

Second part was on-site practices in Rayong and Trat Provinces during 2 to 5 November. The participants were divided into two groups. Each group brainstormed to set up a research plan to work on site visited. Regarding practicing in Rayong, all participants observed set net fisheries group conducted selling fish products on beach. Besides, they had a plenary session to discuss on the set net fisheries group’s activity and management at EMDEC office. At the office, the participants also conducted an interview with members of the group.

In Trat Province, the participants visited Ban Pred Nai Mangrove Forest Conservative Group. At Ban Pred Nai village, all panticipants were on broad to observe mangrove forests areas. The participant could concretely experience the diversity of the forests given positive impact to enhance aquatic resources. After finished the cruise, all participants and Ban Pred Nai Mangrove forest conservative group’s member and committee had a discussion session to share and exchange information and experiences on mangrove reforestation and conservation. An additional activity was conducted an interview with member of the group.

After ended on-site practices, all participants analyzed and interpret data collected. They also excellently provided a report of the research result and gave a presentation in the classroom. The presentation helped mobilizing to share knowledge and experience gained from on-site visit among the participants. The participants have been cooperative and actively participated in training activities. At the end of the course, the participants expressed their satisfaction to the training arrangement and illustrated that their expectation were fulfilled.