42. The Consultation made a thorough review of management approaches employed in the small-scale fisheries of the region and found that Government institutional arrangement/management was prevalent as compared to traditional and co-management systems. However, most countries operate all three in various combinations and in varying circumstances. In view of the analysis of the experiences with regard to procedure, achievements, constraints and lessons learnt, co-management emerged as a viable option for the present, and should be pursued into the future. The following conclusions were made to actualize the process:
· There is need for education and training to build capacity among co-management partners.
· Co-management arrangements should be backed by appropriate legal framework, and should be aligned with national development policy.
· Co-management partners should be organized at various levels; community, district, state and national levels while consultative forums should be available for effective linkages.
· Co-management should be established as an integral part of the community development process rather than be associated only with crisis situations.
· In the process of developing a co-management arrangement, creative solutions should be built into the strategy level, to take care of the transition period when some fishers would be made to bear individual or corporate costs.
· Fishers who are penalized in the process should be provided with incentive packages or alternatives in order to achieve consensus.
· The overarching problem of excess capacity in artisanal fisheries should be addressed by limiting access to the fishery.
· Specific research should proceed on the ramifications of access limitations, especially as it relates to sustainable livelihoods of fishers.
· Progressive registration of crafts/gear should be embarked upon with a view to eventually regulating access to artisanal fishing grounds.
· Skill development in fishing communities should also concentrate on "value-adding" techniques and product development as alternative vocations to take care of withdrawal of access.
· Governments of coastal states should review the large number of access agreements with foreign partners, with a view to assessing the loss of opportunity for local development that is inherent in such agreements.
