Dear Moderator,
In response to your request for comments, I would like to share the following:
Partnering for Implementation
Partnership should be established with all currently active (and future) LME Projects to promote the VG-SSF. Both the ‘fish and fisheries’ and the ‘socio-economic’ modules of the LME-approach provide a basis and a mandate for these projects to be active in supporting the implementation of the VG-SSF. This will also function as transboundary or sub-regional mechanisms, since the Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (other than some RFBs like SEAFDEC) will rarely be concerned with SSF.
Furthermore, and taking Section 10.6 of the draft as a starting point, States should be requested to clearly designate a focal point / ‘desk’ within the fisheries agency responsible for SSF concerns. This would be the main point of contact, but there should also be established, under a government decree or similar strong mandate, an inter-agency task force or standing committee dealing with concerns of SSF. This would be a starting point at national level, with clear linkages to local and decentralised levels.
Information and Communication
The language of the VG-SSF is as terse as the CCRF’s. I would recommend to also develop a popular version, similar to the “What is the CCRF” series in national / local languages. This should be used as a vehicle to popularize the VG-SSF. Much more can be said regarding the use of electronic communication media. With regard to M&E, there will be no other way as the development of suitable process indicators, as a step along the way to participatory monitoring. It will be more ambitious still to define “socio-economic or resource status indicators”, and these should anyway only be expected to be used after several years of implementation.
Challenges and Opportunities
In the short-term, the main challenges will be linked to the two preceding points: communication and “institutionalization”. There is a need to develop a comprehensive (and well resourced) communication strategy, and a clear road map for governments to establish functional focal points and inter-agency task forces.
Best regards,
Rudi
Dr Rudolf Hermes
Chief Technical Advisor
Bay of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystem Project (BOBLME)
c/o Andaman Sea Fisheries Research & Development Center
77 Moo 7 Sakdidej Rd., Makham Bay
Tambon Vichit, A. Muang, Phuket 83000, Thailand
Rudolf Hermes