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Rural communities in low-income countries are among the most vulnerable socio-economic groups, often referred to as the “poorest of the poor”. These communities often rely heavily on natural resources, and those resources are often overexploited since little opportunities exist for livelihood improvement, better management, and empowered governance. The innovative program that we proposer focuses on delivering a service that improves livelihoods via a performance based financial mechanism that incentivizes behavior changes that result in improved environmental management of natural resources that rural communities both have influence over and rely heavily upon. Through the provision of strategic and tangible access to capital in exchange for the long term conservation of natural resources, the proposed project will provide long term means to finance conservation and as such may be widely applicable in developing countries and regions where markets (and payments) for environmental goods are lacking.
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Incentivizing local people for marine conservation
Chris Poonian and Patricia DavisCommunity Centred Conservation (C3)
Case study #1 : Busuanga, Palawan, Philippines
One of the most important sites for the dugong in the Philippines
Local threats:
•Previously hunted using nets, prong, hook, harpoon, and dynamite and meat sold openly
•Nowadays, incidental capture in fishing nets is likely the most significant threat
• Dugong reliant on shallow coastal seagrass and thus shares almost all its habitat with humans
• Support and involvement of local communities is therefore key to ensuring the survival of the dugong in the Philippines
Involving fishing communities in dugong research
•Key Informant Interviews
•Dugong sighting register
Raising awareness
•Novel ideas – Dugong ‘ecobag’, Iphone app
•Community workshops and school activity days
Case study #2 : KIA ISLAND, FIJI
Issues
•Great Sea Reef - the third largest barrier reef system in the world
•Over 80% of the island relies on fishing as their primary source of income
•Locally Managed MPAs – but erratic compliance
•Opening of closed areas leads to periodic heavy exploitation
Humphead Wrasse(Cheilinus undulatus)
•Largest reef-dwelling teleost (2m)
•Vulnerable to fishing pressure
•Live reef fish trade
•Spawning aggregations
•Red List: Endangered; CITES: Appendix II
Humphead Wrasse global distribution (Sadovy et al. 2004)
•Fiji - Eastern edge of the species’ range
•Decline in national reported catch
-1998:12 tonnes
-2002: 3 tonnes
•Trade prohibited under Fijian Law (since 2002) - FJ$5,000 or imprisonment
‘Draudrau’
Data collection
•Expert fisher interviews (n=21)
•Humphead Wrasse landings
-aim to record every fish landed in 2012
•Community members involved
In the past Nowadays
How many caught annually?
‘300’
‘200 or 300’
‘100 or 200’
‘100’
’40 or 50’
’20 or 30’
‘10’
‘4’
‘60 to 80’
Actual catch during 2012
– at least 198 fish!
Monthly catch
Jan – mid-FebMPA open to generate funds for school fees
26 Mar - Funeral
30 May -
Turaga-ni-Koro bans capture of Humphead Wrasse
Cultural significance
•Feasts, funerals, other community events
•Mototeivovo – (hump area) is reserved for high-ranking chiefs
•Grade B / C – FJ$4-6 / kg but BIG
•Jewelry - upper jaw made into necklaces
Management
•Widespread awareness of laws
BUT
•Lack of enforcement
•Ready market – Chinese fish traders
•Government fish wardens not trusted
Management•Low community awareness of humphead wrasse life history
•Adaptive management and self-enforcement by community
-remoteness of site
-’luxury fish’ not critical source of livelihood
•Improved understanding of population status – in situ surveys
Case study #3 : NOSY HARA MARINE PARK, MADAGASCAR
Critical ecosystems and endangered species
•Sea turtles
•Dugongs
•Sharks
•Nearshore fisheries
•Coral Reefs
•Mangroves
Community motivation• Community optimistic, but skeptical due to
past issues with Park authorities
• Socioeconomic benefits of MPA a key issue
• Incursions continue
• Our project aims to generate direct benefits for good environmental stewardship
Socioeconomic needs
Socioeconomic surveys identified main community needs to be:
• Maternal health care (esp. delivery)• Clean water supply• Ecotourism development (external
operators focus on islands)• Support for secondary school access
Community service provisions in return for environmental performance
Dugong aspects include :-Ban on gill nets in key areas-Reduction of dugong mortality to zero
Adaptive performance monitoring system is key – now under development with the community
Environmental Stewardship Agreements
Capacity building
• 50 + students from University of Antsiranana
• 10 National Parks staff
trained in :
• Habitat mapping & monitoring
• Socioeconomic surveys
• Endangered species biology and conservation
‘We have now learned that by protecting our marine environment, we are saving the future of our fisheries…and our own future’
-Village elder in Ampasindava
Thanks!Donors and partners
www.c-3.org.uk& Community members
