Fisheries Co-Management StrategyXe Bangfai Basin

Lao PDR

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Fisheries co-management, involving

communities in management arrangements,

is the only effective way to ensure lasting

benefits from fisheries.

In order to introduce co-management, the

downstream programme of NTPC has

implemented a project covering 5 districts

between 2009 and 2012 to develop pilot

sites and train district staff. To summarise

the approach used this small publication

was prepared.

My thanks go out to all who have contributed

to the success of this project, especially

the communities that have taken up the

challenge and also district staff who have

made it happen.

Thakhek, August 2012

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1 Introduction................................................................................................ 4

2 What is Fisheries Co-Management (FCM)................................................ 9

3 Implementation of Fisheries Co-Management...........................................10

4 Project process..........................................................................................13

5 Information and Education Campaign (IEC)..............................................15

6 Main achievements.................................................................................... 16

Content

©NTPC/Stanislas Fradelizi

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01 IntroductionThe Downstream Program (DSP) of NTPC

has implemented a Fisheries Co-Management

program in the downstream area of the Xe Bangfai

basin since 2009 when a first assessment of the

needs and target sites was conducted. There are

many detailed manuals available that explain how

co-management can be implemented and this

small introduction is only meant to provide the

main components that were used by DSP.

The main rationale for fisheries co-management is

the existing declining trend in the fisheries, prior to

commencement of NT2 operations. These trends

of declining fish catch in the Xe Bangfai can be

attributed to a number of factors, some of which

are but are not limited to:

a) Trapping and catching of juvenile fish by blocking

rivers or trapping fish as they migrate to spawn;

b) Misuse and mismanagement of structures like

flood and irrigation gates as fish cannot get to

their spawning grounds or return to the dry season

refuge areas if these are not operated properly;

c) Changes to or outright destruction of aquatic

fish habitats such as wetlands for conversion into

paddy fields or for other agricultural or industrial

use;

d) Increase of fishing effort and commercial

fishing; and

e) Destructive fishing practices through use of

explosive and other illegal gears depleting fish

populations and reducing benefits from fisheries.

The centralised management approach commonly

practised within the Xe Bangfai basin has not

been able to stop the decline in fish catch. In

general, centralised management initiatives

often have difficulty to account for stakeholders

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needs and the diversity of local conditions.

Moreover government agencies frequently

are not provided necessary funding to enforce

centralised management decisions, and

are unable to effectively support more local

arrangements.

Estimated total fish catch (MT) for Xe Bangfai

fisheries 2006-2009 from NTPC fisheries

survey data.

©NTPC / Vincent Gautier

©NTPC/Stanislas Fradelizi

©NTPC/Stanislas Fradelizi

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Typical floodplain lake in Lower Xe Bangfai

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Co-management has been identified as an

effective tool in resource management that

involves all important stakeholders. This method

ensures collaboration and cooperation of all users

and supports the decentralization of management

responsibilities to resource user groups.

A complete decentralization of fisheries

management, referred to as community based

management, is not a viable alternative to co-

management. Typically, local resource users lack

the knowledge of what parameters are involved

in the long-term maintenance of quantity and

quality of the resource. They also are unlikely to

understand the need for a balanced exploitation

of a shared resource. In short, they cannot

see the big picture, which is fundamental to

the successful management of a complex set

of resources such as that provided by the Xe

Bangfai, its tributaries and their associated flood

plains and seasonal wetlands.

©NTPC/Stanislas Fradelizi

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DSP kKick started the change forwards effective

co-management by funding and facilitation of

meetings and activities; capacity building of

both district staff as well as key community

leaders in selected sites. The introduction of

fisheries co-management by DSP has followed

a phase introduction of shared responsibility

for decision-marking between communities and

govermentsgovernments, concerning natural

fisheries resources management activities.

Initial planning: compiling existing information by District staff for Nam Oun at Khoksavang, Gnommalat.

Initial planning: compiling existing information by District staff for Nam Oun at Khoksavang, Gnommalath.

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Many different definitions are used, but for the

purposes of the Downstream Program, fisheries

co-management is defined as:

• partnership arrangements in which

government, the community of local resource

users and external agents and other resource

stakeholders share the responsibility and authority

for the management of a fisheries related resource;

and

• partnerships pursued, strengthened and

redefined at different times in the management

process, depending on the existing policy and legal

environment, the political support of government

for community-based initiatives, and the capacities

of community organizations to become partners.

Fisheries co-management aims at developing

shared responsibility between communities/

stakeholders and local government for managing

fisheries and aquatic habitats to ensure sustainable

fisheries

Participatory mapping with community members around Houay Saleung

02 What is Fisheries Co-Management (FCM)

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03 Implementation of Fisheries Co- Management

After a field assessment to identify potential

project sites, work got underway with a hands-

on training programme for district staff in late

2009. The main focus for much of the first year

was on developing capacity with district staff

while at the same time progress was made

in identifying issues and potential solutions

together with communities in different sites.

Successful co-management depends on a

number of factors, like:

1) Issues. Without a clear issue that

is important for a group of stakeholders

it is difficult for stakeholders to organize

themselves. A clear threat to livelihoods will

make it easier to bring people together, join

© Mediatheque EDF/Philippe Eranian

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View on Nam Oula during dry season

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Watergate structure at Houay Lo.

hands and make compromises to solve a shared

issue;

2) Champion. Even in the presence of a

clear issue communities are not easily convinced

to get involved, especially in cultures where the

authorities are expected to take care of everything.

A community or government leader that mobilizes

communities, listens to them and has good

communication skills to get authorities to listen

to what communities have to say is of enormous

importance;

3) Institutional framework. Unless there

are clear provisions in the legal framework for

setting up power sharing arrangements between

communities, district and provincial authorities,

co-management may get stuck with localized

community projects that may deliver the framework

to implement a project, but without real impact by

communities on decision making for (fisheries)

management, rules and regulations; and

4) Capable facilitators. Unless there is a

clear and immediate threat, communities may not

feel urged to take action and even if they do, they

may not know how to organise themselves and

what is allowed nor how to proceed, well trained

(district) staff with support from local authorities

can guide communities in developing effective and

appropriate co-management arrangements.

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04 Project processThe main approach for adaptive

project cycle management is

applicable here and is summarized in

the following diagram.

In practical terms the activities that

were implemented focused on:

Training of District staff, both on-

the-job to increase familiarity with

participatory approaches and

facilitating co-management as well

as office based sessions to develop

planning and (self) evaluation skills as

well as familiarity with field appraisal

techniques;

Appraisal of community structure,

livelihoods and natural aquatic

resources for each site, using Project management cycle diagram

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community mapping, GPS ground trusting and

feedback sessions for building a knowledgebase

of the existing social and environmental linkages

(using participatory rural appraisal techniques);

Identification of key informants and community

leaders who need to be involved to represent all

community stakeholder groups and who have the

capacity to push the process forward, eventually

leading to the establishment of a fisheries

management committee;

Participatory problem tree analysis to develop a

common understanding of the existing issues and

potential solutions;

Assessment of existing rules and regulations

(including existing village management

arrangements);

Development of co-management arrangements,

including rules and regulations, assign

responsibilities and develop mechanisms for

conflict resolution, to solve issues identified in close

collaborations with local authorities;

Endorsement of co-management agreements

between communities and other stakeholders by

local authorities; and

Introduce tools for monitoring and evaluation to

identify required changes in the approach/structure.

IEC presentation for community members

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In addition to the implementation of fisheries

co-management in several pilot sites, two

posters were developed, presented and

distributed in a large number of community

information meetings covering over 140

villages, as well during several fisheries law

announcement meetings for district staff and

villages leaders.

05 Information and Education Campaign (IEC)

IEC presentation for community members

ພວກເຮາຈະມປາກນຕະຫລອດໄປຖາເຮາພອມກນ ເຊາໃຊ ເຄອງມຫາປາແບບດບສນ

ຫອງການກະສກຳ ແລະ ປາໄມ ເມອງຍມມະລາດ ມະຫາໄຊ ເຊບງໄຟ ໜອງບກ ແລະ ເມອງໄຊບລຮວມກບ ໜວຍງານປະມງ ບລສດໄຟຟານຳເທນ 2 ເຂດລມເຂອນ ແລະ ເຮອນຈກ

ຫາມຖມລະເບດ ຫາມໃຊໄຟຟາຊອດ ຫາມເບອປາ ຫາມລງຕອນ,ຈບ, ໂຕງ

ຫາມໃຊອວນ, ມອງກວາດ ຫາມຕນຫວຍ

ຫາມມດຍງ

ກມລຽງສດ ແລະ ການປະມງ

ເພອຄວາມອດມສມບນຍາວນານພວກເຮາຕອງຮວມກນຄມຄອງ

ຊບພະຍາກອນສດນຳ

ຫອງການກະສກຳ ແລະ ປາໄມ ເມອງຍມມະລາດ ມະຫາໄຊ ເຊບງໄຟ ໜອງບກ ແລະ ເມອງໄຊບລຮວມກບ ໜວຍງານປະມງ ບລສດໄຟຟານຳເທນ2 ເຂດລມເຂອນ ແລະ ເຮອນຈກກມລຽງສດ ແລະ ການປະມງ

| NTPC DSP Fisheries Co-Management Strategy | 1617

District staff have been mobilised and trained, at the

same time the implementation of co-management

activities has raised awareness at district level of the

potential benefits of fisheries co-management;

Five co-management sites have been developed one

in each District, as pilot sites with co-management

arrangements agreed between communities and

officially endorsed by District offices:

1. Khogsavang floodplain lake fish sanctuary

(Gnommalat District)

2. Huay Lo Watergate management and fish protected

zones covering 5 villages (Nongbok District)

3. Huay Saleung Watergate management and fish

protected zones covering 7 villages (Xaybouli District)

4. Huay Saypay fisheries management and fish

protected areas in deep pools covering 7 villages

(Xebangfai District)

5. Nam Oula fisheries management and fish protected

areas (1 km at mouth) and selected deep pools

covering 8 villages (Mahaxay District)

06 Main achievements

Fisheries co-management pilot sites in Xe Bangfai basin

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06 Main achievements

Sign developed for protected area behind Watergate at Huay Lo.

Information meetings to

discuss the new Lao fisheries

law with emphasis on illegal

fishing gears and the benefits

of fish habitat protection have

been held for 125 villages.

PRA Traing forProvincial And district staff

Community resources mapping

Village consultation meeting

GIS marking

Participatory planning

Nam Theun 2 Power Company Unit 09, Nong Bone Village, 23 Singha Rd

Xaysettha District, P.O. Box 5862

Vientiane Lao PDR

Tel: (856-21) 263900; Fax 263901

info@namtheun2.com

www.namtheun2.com

Nam Theun 2

Operator’s Village ( RNT)

Ban Sangkeo, Gnommalth District,

Khammouan Province

Tel: (856-51) 620440; Fax: 620439

Huay Saleung fisheries Committees meeting