Slide 1

Barriers to Effective MPA Management A Fijian Case Study

Strengthening MPA Management through Local Communities

Philippine Environmental Governance Project (EcoGov)

Site: Fiji Islands

The Provinces of Cakaudrove and Macuata in the north west of Vanua LevuCAMPAIGN FOR A RARE PLANET/Fiji Islands

Taimen populations used to stretch from Eastern Europe to Japan, but is now only found in Northern Mongolia due to over-fishing in Russia and China.Taimen is an important indicator of healthy water ecosystems as they are the top predator in the food chain. Taimen typically stay in one place and only migrate during specific seasons which makes them easy prey for fishermen to locate and harvest.Today, the stocks of all Hucho species are drastically decreasing around the world due to water pollution, intensive poaching/hunting and over-fishing.Hucho Taimen has been listed under Mongolian IUCN Red Book as threatened.The species can live for more than 50 years, but they grow slowly, not reaching maturity until seven to nine years of age

2LMMAs & No Take Zones (NTZs) at the Site

Cakaudrove Province: 24 sites with LMMAsTotal Size of LMMAs = 576.32 sq km Total Size of NTZs = 3906 hectaresLMMA % thats NTZs = 6. 8%

Macuata Province: 17 sites with LMMAsTotal Size of LMMAs = 1,580.97 sq km Total Size of NTZs = 4070 hectaresLMMA % thats NTZs = 2. 6%

CAMPAIGN FOR A RARE PLANET/Fiji Islands

Taimen populations used to stretch from Eastern Europe to Japan, but is now only found in Northern Mongolia due to over-fishing in Russia and China.Taimen is an important indicator of healthy water ecosystems as they are the top predator in the food chain. Taimen typically stay in one place and only migrate during specific seasons which makes them easy prey for fishermen to locate and harvest.Today, the stocks of all Hucho species are drastically decreasing around the world due to water pollution, intensive poaching/hunting and over-fishing.Hucho Taimen has been listed under Mongolian IUCN Red Book as threatened.The species can live for more than 50 years, but they grow slowly, not reaching maturity until seven to nine years of age

3The Strategy in Fiji

CAMPAIGN FOR A RARE PLANET/Fiji Islands

To build on the successes of established LMMAs by reducing the threats of uncontrolled opening & closing of no take zones (tabus) and poaching of local communities in their own tabu area.

This will lead to more effective no take zones which will lead to increased fish stocks, biomass and biodiversity within the LMMAs.

4Fiji Campaign TeamLocal Implementing Partner: Fiji Locally Managed Marine Area Network (FLMMA)Campaign Manager: Margaret Tabunakawai VakalalabureSupervisor #1: Prof. William Aalbersberg (IAS/USP)Supervisor #2: Sunia Waqainabete (Fisheries Dept. & FLMMA Coordinator)Supervisor #3: Kesaia Tabunakawai (WWF)

Barrier RemovalBRWhy are the behaviors not occurring?Barriers to Behaviour Change:Lack of knowledge of benefits of long term closure of tabu areas.Lack of financial management in households.Lack of financial management as a community.Lack of access to information on tabu closure/opening process. Lack of culturally accepted process on closure/opening of tabu areas.Lack of respect for chiefs.Manifestation of existing village conflicts.Disagreement with tabu locations.Lack of honest reporting of violations.Lack of reporting process coverage.Lack of training of community fish wardens.CAMPAIGN FOR A RARE PLANET/Fiji IslandsBarriers to uncontrolled opening:Better financial management = financial literacy trainingTraditional need for fees (need of money for short term needs)Lack of access to information for controlled tabu areas ( lack of governance). Lack of communication between partners and sites.Regulate open n close.Lack of cultural acceptable process on opening/closure areas. Proclamation by chief/leaders to officially announce open/close.

Internal poachers:

Stop internal poaching lack of awareness and information on long term benefits of tabu areas.Manifestation of existing internal conflict.3. Disagreement of tabu area.(find out if there were segments of the community were left out with the demarcation of the tabu area)(permission to fish in other areas)

** Lack of respect for Chief = governance.**QC and chief agreement on management & demarcation of tabu area.

(Process will have guidelines and steps)

MEASURES:Audit of process (% of openings that have a controlled process. Finalised process and formalise thru a structure and training of the QC Any no.of openings and attempts of openingsUsing logbooks (by honest reporting). Going back to awareness of underreporting cases.

Commitment from communities to adopt this behaviour/action

4. Leadership and governance training .Empowering chiefs to management practices, to make better decisions regarding management of qoliqoli areas (tabu).

5. Having to talk the conflict through-identifying the conflict. Understand reasons and resolve conflict.Need to have a partner involved in conflict resolution .

6. Lack of honest reporting of violations.(C& E logbooks). Including women to balance out the FW men.(Metric of success-no. of internal poachers).Choosing trustworthy and people in authoritative positions = to be FW.

7. Increase coverage of logbooks within the 2 provinces.

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Barrier RemovalBRBarriers Removal Management Options:Social marketing campaign building support and knowledge on tabu guidelines.Financial literacy training in households.Guidelines/Best Practices to finalise process of opening/closing tabu areas.Training on new tabu area guidelines for community reps and leaders.Leadership training on good governance. Conflict resolution (understanding rebel groups)Engaging persons of authority/trusted source to be reporters of violations (using the log book scheme).Roll out log book scheme across sites including training.Training of community fish wardens and providing enforcement kits.CAMPAIGN FOR A RARE PLANET/Fiji IslandsBarriers to uncontrolled opening:Better financial management = financial literacy trainingTraditional need for fees (need of money for short term needs)Lack of access to information for controlled tabu areas ( lack of governance). Lack of communication between partners and sites.Regulate open n close.Lack of cultural acceptable process on opening/closure areas. Proclamation by chief/leaders to officially announce open/close.

Internal poachers:

Stop internal poaching lack of awareness and information on long term benefits of tabu areas.Manifestation of existing internal conflict.3. Disagreement of tabu area.(find out if there were segments of the community were left out with the demarcation of the tabu area)(permission to fish in other areas)

** Lack of respect for Chief = governance.**QC and chief agreement on management & demarcation of tabu area.

(Process will have guidelines and steps)

MEASURES:Audit of process (% of openings that have a controlled process. Finalised process and formalise thru a structure and training of the QC Any no.of openings and attempts of openingsUsing logbooks (by honest reporting). Going back to awareness of underreporting cases.

Commitment from communities to adopt this behaviour/action

4. Leadership and governance training .Empowering chiefs to management practices, to make better decisions regarding management of qoliqoli areas (tabu).

5. Having to talk the conflict through-identifying the conflict. Understand reasons and resolve conflict.Need to have a partner involved in conflict resolution .

6. Lack of honest reporting of violations.(C& E logbooks). Including women to balance out the FW men.(Metric of success-no. of internal poachers).Choosing trustworthy and people in authoritative positions = to be FW.

7. Increase coverage of logbooks within the 2 provinces.

7Fiji Barrier Removal Analysis

CAMPAIGN FOR A RARE PLANET/ Fiji IslandsBarrier Removal StrategyRankingGuidelines and Best Practices for opening & closing tabu areas1Leadership Training on Good Governance2Financial Literacy Training3Fish Warden Training & Enforcement Kits4Log Book Scheme & Training5Conflict Resolution Training6