Coastal Fisheries Management Strategies in Samoa

Third SPC Regional Technical Meeting on Coastal Fisheries SAMOA SCALING UP OF COMMUNITY-BASED FISHERIES MANAGEMENT (CBFM) Autalavou Tauaefa Fisheries Division Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries autalavou.taua@maf.gov.ws

Third SPC Regional Technical Meeting on Coastal Fisheries OUTLINE Overall Strategies & Plans CBFMP: background, objectives, importance Process of establishment Monitoring Lessons Learnt Challenges

Third SPC Regional Technical Meeting on Coastal Fisheries MAF SECTOR PLAN STRATEGY FRAMEWORK 2016-2020 NATIONAL VISION: Improve quality of life for all SECTOR VISION: A sustainable agriculture and fisheries sector for food security, health, prosperity, job creation and resilience SECTOR GOAL: To increase food, nutrition and income security SECTOR THEME: Enhancing partnerships to develop and sustain agriculture and fisheries

Third SPC Regional Technical Meeting on Coastal Fisheries OUR FUNCTIONS as stipulated under our Fisheries Management Act 2016 and CFMDP 2016-2019 to regulate and control the conservation, management and development of fisheries. to undertake research, assessment, monitoring and reporting assist in promoting community involvement in coastal fisheries and aquaculture to provide investment in commercial fisheries and adoption of sustainable fisheries practices to maximize benefits to Samoa

Third SPC Regional Technical Meeting on Coastal Fisheries CBFMP BACKGROUND Established in 1995 (funded by AusAID) Designed based on cultural appropriateness - recognizing village management by councils of chiefs and supported by other groups (women & untitled men and youths) The CBFMP facilitates a bottom up approach in which decisions are initiated by communities themselves with the technical support provided by the fisheries agencies For community ownership targeting village communities, being the resource users to take charge and be responsible for usage and management of their fisheries resources High dependency on seafood as 75% reside on coastal areas Enhance close working relation and partnership with communities through the matai system to develop village fisheries management plans and bylaws

Third SPC Regional Technical Meeting on Coastal Fisheries CBFMP OBJECTIVES Regenerate declining coastal fisheries resources and enhance abundance of species Prepare and provide management plans for better monitoring and management of resources in village communities Protect and conserve nearshore fisheries resources from destructive fishing Increase awareness and enforce compliance of fisheries laws and the use of sustainable fishing and harvesting methods Develop alternative income generating activities which are sustainable To improve community adaptation approach and climate resilience.

Third SPC Regional Technical Meeting on Coastal Fisheries CBFMP PROCESS SAMOA COMMUNITY BASED FISHERIES MANAGEMENT PROGRAM PROCESS 1. OFFICIAL REQUEST Consent letter by Village council 2. FIRST FONO MEETING Introduce Objectives of the program 3. GROUP MEETINGS Facilitate problem solution process Conduct participatory survey of coastal resources and marine environment 4. VILLAGE FISHERIES MANAGEMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE (VFMAC) Prepare draft management plan with undertakings to solve problems 5. APPROVAL OF VILLAGE FISHERIES MANAGEMENT PLAN Approved by Village Fono of council of chiefs 6. VILLAGE FISHERIES MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE To oversee undertaking of the Management Plan.

Third SPC Regional Technical Meeting on Coastal Fisheries CBFMP IMPLEMENTATION 31 - Savaii 100+Village Fisheries Management Plans 84 Fish reserves 72 Bylaws approved and adopted 16,000 giant clams at grow out sites 60+ tilapia farms 8 nearshore FADs

Third SPC Regional Technical Meeting on Coastal Fisheries CBFMP MONITORING 6 monthly and/or annual reviews of villages Management Plans; Community awareness & promotion, capacity building & workshops, trainings, produce & disseminate Information Initial inshore survey and annual assessments. Monitoring, researches, Inshore Data Collection. Stock assessment, household surveys. Monitoring & establishment of tilapia, giant clams, trochus and other species farms Enforcement of Fisheries Regulations and bylaw cases reported by villages

CBFMP Lessons Learnt 1. Good governance by some villages who feel responsible and have ownership of their Fisheries Reserves. 2. Advantages of fish reserve network in increasing abundance of marine species (trochus fishery) 3. Improve village development with the implementation of Co-management and Eco-system approach to coastal fisheries management at district level 4. Recognize and support by both national (UNDP GEF SGP, Samoa Civil Society Support Program (SCSSP), Ministry of Natural Resources Ridge to Reef, Tourism Authority, Ministry of Women Community Development), and regional programs (SPC, FAO, JICA etc.) 5. Improving small scale tuna fisheries with deployment of nearshore FADs

CBFM Challenges 1. Lack of fisheries regulation and policies to support sustainable management (Sea Cucumber) 2. Political will and cultural norms to support and drive coastal fisheries development 3. Impatient attitudes of some communities with short-term interests 4. Benefits sharing with disadvantaged communities 5. Staff turnover and capacity and limited resources