fisheries extension training material - rev feb 2008

8/14/2019 Fisheries Extension Training Material - Rev Feb 2008

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OECS Environment and Sustainable

Development Unit

Fisheries

Management

and

Data Collection Training

Programme

Prepared by

Peter A. Murray

for the

Coastal and Marine Resources Management Programme

September 2001

Revised February 2008


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Table of Contents

Table of Contents 2

Section 1 Principles of Fisheries Management 3

What is Fisheries Management? 3

Why do we manage a fishery? 3

When do we manage a fishery? 3

How do we manage a fishery? 4

Section 2 Elements of Fisheries Biology 5

Ecosystem and habitat concepts 5

Growth of fish and how it affects fisheries management 5

Overfishing myth or reality? 8

Section 3 The Biology of Management and the Management of Biology 10

Data collection 10

Management measures 18

People Management working with fishers 22

Section 4 The Fisheries Management Team 26

Section 5 Lessons Learned in Fisheries Management 28

Outside the Caribbean 28

Outside the OECS 29

Outside Your Country 29

Within Your Country 30

Section 6 Building a Fisheries Management Team 31


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Section 1- Principles of Fisheries Management

What is Fisheries Management?Fisheries Management is the pursuit of certain objectives through the direct or indirect

control of effective fishing effort or some of its components.

It involves individuals, groups or both performing organized activities, in acoordinated manner, toward common objectives.

It assumes one or more objectives exists, towards which the organized activities aredirected

Activities involve the establishment of formal and informal relationships amongpeople to accomplish management objectives

Requires decision-making. It involves the evaluation and selection of alternatives inan atmosphere which is often risky and uncertain

Why do we manage a fishery?There are many possible objectives of fisheries management:

Increase profit to fishermen and their organisations

Increase revenue to Government

Increase foreign exchange earnings

Increase integration between and among fisheries and other sectors (e.g. Tourism)

Produce cheap source of protein for the nation

Ensure that future generations can earn a reasonable living, or obtain a reasonableamount of protein, from the fisheries sector

Assist in strengthening communities which are dependent on fishing for sustainable

livelihoods

When do we manage a fishery?

Fishery management is an on-going process if it is to be successful in meeting the

objectives set out for the industry. Management should not wait until it appears that thefishery is no longer sustainable, but should be proactive and ensure sustainability.Rational fisheries management (and development) requires that a set of well-defined

objectives are developed for the sector. The policies and overall objectives must beidentified for the sector as a whole, as well as for individual fisheries.

This must be based on the best available understanding or the status of the fisheries

resources at the time, and the costs and benefits of various management approaches.Management policies and objectives should also be based on the biological

characteristics of each particular fisheries stock. Fisheries resources and the socio-economic conditions that affect their utilisation are dynamic. This means that there is a

constant need to monitor the effects of the methods used for catching fish and to makeadjustments to the overall system as necessary in order to ensure sustainability of the

resource and the viability of the fishery.


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How do we manage a fishery?Usually, the overall objective for a particular fishery is to maintain the catch as high as

possible without depleting the stock, while at the same time avoiding large catch

fluctuations from year to year.

The Fisheries Management Plan is ideally the overall tool for managing the fisheries of acountry. It identifies the status of the fisheries, and the actions needed to achieve

management objectives. These management measures may also include a variety ofoptions for controlling the level of fishing effort (and hence the proportion of the fish

population which dies as a result of fishing the fishing mortality). Measures mayinclude legislation, rules, and agreements as well as education and enforcement

programmes.

The combination of measures selected and their effectiveness will depend on the:

Biological nature of the resource

Social nature of the particular fishery

Economic nature of the particular fishery

Policies guiding overall management and development of the sector


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Section 2 Elements of Fisheries Biology

Ecosystem and habitat conceptsAn ecosystem is a community of living things and the environment in which they live. In

other words the habitat of a particular stock may be such that it is part of a particularecosystem (and all the ecosystems of the world together form the biosphere). Ecosystems

are defined by the form of the environment (a reef, an estuary) and the majorcommunities of things living there (a coral reef, a mangrove forest). Both the living and

non-living things are a part of this ecosystem.

Living things in ecosystems occur in groups called species populations, each of whichconsists of individuals so similar that they can breed with each other. The species

population is a basic unit of nature. When a fish population is fished by a particulargroup of people, it is called a stock. The stock is the basic unit of fisheries management.

The population of a species is always bigger than the stock of a fishery.

Populations of different species form communities when they live together in particularregions of the marine environment called habitats (e.g. pelagic fish community, reef fish

community, the fishing village). It is an understanding of the habitat of various speciesthat helps us determine what stock they come from.

The marine ecosystems in which fish live include the plants and animals that fish eat, the

other animals that eat fish, the rocks, the corals, sponges and plants in which fish takeshelter, the water in which they swim, and the weather that moves the water. Marine

ecosystems have thousands of populations in them, each of which affects each other one(see figure 1), and each of which is affected by the environment.

Man is always a part of any ecosystem, not separate to it. Mans actions influence, and

are influenced by the other parts of the ecosystem. Communities of fishermen are asimportant as communities of fish in managing a fishery. That is why it is important that

we obtain certain types of information about the fishermen themselves. The effect ofmans activities on the other parts of the ecosystem can be direct and obvious (e.g. how

fishing kills fish), or it can be indirect and very difficult to measure (like how coastalconstruction affects fish behaviour)

Growth of fish and how it affects fisheries managementGrowth can be considered as the difference between what enters the body and what

leaves it. It is a highly irregular process, varying with age, sex, season, climate,reproductive cycle, and population size. After passing through the juvenile stage most

fish species grow in a fairly regular way with growth slowing until it almost reaches amaximum size such that any further increase in size takes place so slowly as to be

negligible. The size where this occurs it is known as the asymptotic size or the size ofa very old fish. In the region we tend to focus on length of the fish, as the measure of

fish size, because it is relatively easier to measure under regional field conditions thanindividual weights of


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Figure 1. In marine ecosystems each population affects each other one


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fish thus we speak about asymptotic length). The equation that models how fish growis incorporated into the models that suggest to us the status of the stock.

length

age

Figure 2. The von Bertalanffy growth model, showing fish length going to anasymptote as the fish gets older

The parameters from the growth model, called growth parameters, differ from species to

species, from stock to stock, from sex to sex within the same species, and can takedifferent values in different parts of the range of the species. In other words, we say that

growth parameters are stock specific. These stock specific parameters provide thebasis for determining the change in status of the stock as a consequence of fishing

pressure (for example as shown in figure 3). It is this determination that serves toprovide us with guidelines by which we will put in place the appropriate management

measures. These measures, which will be discussed in more detail later, fall under anumber of categories

Figure 3. Stock status changes with increased fishing pressure


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Biological controls

Gear controls

Catch controls

Monitoring control and surveillance Environmental controls

Sustainable fisheries measures

Overfishing myth or reality?Some years ago, two types of overfishing were recognised, however these days a largernumber of manifestations of overfishing have been identified:

Growth overfishing, the easiest to grasp and to account for theoretically occurs when

fish are caught before they had a chance to grow

Recruitment overfishing is what occurs when so few adult fish are left in an exploitedstock that the production of eggs is reduced to the extent that recruitment of young

fish to the fishery is impaired

Ecosystem overfishing is what takes place in an ecosystem when the decline (throughfishing) of the originally abundant stocks is not fully compensated for by an increase

in the biomass (weight of living material) of other exploited animals, for example bynot compensating for the overall catch per unit of effort.

Economic overfishing occurs when less than maximum economic yield is obtainedfrom a fishery, in other words, when fishing effort exceeds that needed to maximizethe economic rent (simply put, the difference between the amount obtained from the

activity and the cost of carrying it out) from the fishery.

Malthusian overfishing occurs as a result of the direct link between population growth(or density) and overfishing, such that with fishermen put short-term gain ahead of

future benefit even if it is to the detriment of the habitat which supports the fishery onwhich they depend. Put another way, Malthusian overfishing occurs because coastal

systems cannot continue to serve as a convenient dump for excess labour and stillproduce ever increasing or even sustained amounts of goods and services.

Some of the effects of overfishing are shown below. We can thus see the link between what

is happening in the fishery and its impact on the society as a whole, moving overfishingfrom the realm of myth to that of an urgent reality.

In single-species fisheriesI. Reduction in size of the animals caught, hence

a. Usually a reduction in value per unit weight

II. Reduction of biomass on the ground, hencea. Reduction of catch per unit of effort (and hence returns) of individual

vesselsIII. Reduction of total catch (at high levels of effort), hence

a. Lowered overall food supply


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b. Increased pricesc. Need to import substitutes and hence, increased nutritional deficiency

among poorer segments of the human populationIV. Increased fluctuation of stock due to reduced number of age groups in the stock

and to reduced buffering of recruitment fluctuations, hence

a. More frequent occurrence of periods with extremely low catches b. Increasing risk of occasional recruitment failure, inclusive of total collapseof stock and fishery

V. Lowered income among fishers, hencea. A multitude of social ills such as violent conflicts between pauperized

small-scale fishers and their industrial competitorsWhile in multi-species fisheries

I. Same as (I) to (V) above, plusII. Massive changes in species composition of catch i.e.

a. Disappearance of previously important high-valued species b. Increase of unmarketable species (trash fish), and hence

c. Reduction in average value of species mixd. Loss of biological diversity


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Section 3- The Biology of Management and theManagement of Biology

Data collectionA field data collection programme ideally has a number of components. Catch and effort,

biological, economic and sociological data are gathered. In some instances, there is

overlap between the types of data as a result of commonalities among them or theiranalytical requirements (Figure 4). For example, for biological data to be properly

analysed, there is need for some corresponding catch and effort information. Thus, caremust be taken to ensure that clear-cut guidelines are followed to allow for maximum

utility of the data collected.

Figure 4 Field Data Collection Programme

General guidelines for the collection of all types of field data1. Write clearly at all times. Check data at the end of each interview to ensure that

the relevant information has been collected

2. Use a pencil to record your information. Writing in ink may become smeared ifexposed to water

3. Record all information on the data sheets directly do not transfer data from loosescraps of paper away from the data collection site

4. Keep your completed data sheets in a secure place at all times


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5. Familiarise yourself with the target species for which you are required to collectfield data if at all. Ask yourself the following questions:

a. From which species are fisheries data to be collected? b. How are these species caught by vessels that use the landing site? Do

vessels use more than one fishing gear to catch the same species?

c. What types of data are to be collected for a particular species? Is it catch(total weight) and effort data only? Length frequencies? Maturity andageing?

d. If you are doing individual measurements you should ask yourself thefollowing questions: are most of the fish landed for the species less than or

greater than 30 cm? Are most of the fish landed for the species less than 1kg between 1 and 5 kg or greater than 5 kg?

Guidelines for collecting Catch and Effort Data

General1. Do not ask questions unnecessarily. Fishermen are often suspicious of persons

asking questions related to their income and are irritated after a long andfrustrating fishing trip and may be impatient in answering your questions.

2. Obtain as much background information for the landing site, this may becompiled over time based on your previous visits and should include information

concerning:a. How many vessels are based on the landing site?

b. Where are the fishing grounds located?c. What is the predominant fishing gear used by the vessels at the landing

site?d. Is there any distinct pattern in the gear use (e.g. seasonal, diurnal etc.)?

e. Do vessels use more than one fishing gear during a fishing trip? (e.g. trapfishing may be combined with handline or trolling)

f. Does crew size vary among the vessels?3. Minimise your interference with the natural flow of the post harvest fishing

operations. In some cases fishermen make special arrangements to dispose oftheir catch (e.g. catch may be sold to special vendors) it is a good practice for you

to note the catch species composition and the total weight of each species sold.After the fisherman has conducted the transactions you may then obtain the

relevant information for fishing effort and other catch information that you mayhave missed (e.g. discards, portions of catch retained for personal consumption,

which species were caught by each fishing gear etc.)4. Do not select a vessel to collect catch and effort data because the fisherman is

friendly, or he always has a large catch. Select your vessels randomly wherepossible.

5. If a vessel that you selected to be interviewed did not catch any fish, try toascertain the reason for this as there may be valuable information (e.g. the trip

was terminated due to bad weather, mechanical problems etc.) Remember the oldsaying, every day is a fishing day, but not every day is a fish catching day. It is

important to record the fishing effort that was spent.


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Specific1. Note the time you arrive at the landing site

2. Determine the number of vessels that have gone to fish. This may be obtainedfrom your knowledge of the landing site based on your previous visits.

3. Decide on a sampling strategy. You should decide whether you can interview all

the vessels that return to port if not, you may wish to interview every n

th

boat thatreturns (e.g. if 10 vessels are expected to return during your visit, you may decideto sample every third vessels that returns to port).

4. Record the vessel identification mark. Remember, this is the only informationthat will allow you to trace your recorded catch and effort, and is also used to

trace the origin of biological data that are collected.5. Determine the type of fishery for which the vessel was involved.

6. Complete as many of the sections as you are able to based on your observationsand knowledge (e.g. number of crew used, fishing gear etc.) If you suspect

deviations from the normal fishing activities ask the fisherman to verify this.7. Determine if the trip was regular, if this was the case there may be no need to ask

certain questions (e.g. days fished, days in/out etc.).8. Decide on the primary (main) fishing gear that was used this gear is associated

with the target fishery.9. Determine which species were caught by each fishing gear that was used. You

should rely both on observation and your knowledge of the fishing practices (e.g.you would not expect wahoo to be caught in a trap). If you are uncertain ask the

fisherman which species were caught by each gear.10. Record the total weight of each species caught by each fishing gear. If you are

unable to obtain this detailed information, you may wish to obtain total weightsfor the major species groups landed and obtain an estimate for the other species in

the catch.11. Determine the total fishing effort for each gear deployed. This is the amount of

gear that was used to obtain the respective species. The units of fishing effort thatare to be recorded are:

a. Trap fishing total number of traps hauled and soak time b. Line fishing number of line fished, soak time and the number of hooks

used on each linec. Trolling number of tows made by the vessel

d. Beach seines number of haulse. Nets number of sets/hauls made

f. Diving number of divers and number of dives made by each person12. Note all vessels that have returned from fishing regardless of whether you

obtained an interview.

Guidelines for the collection of total weights (mass)General

1. Select a method that you find least time consuming. Remember that you arerequired to obtain catch and effort information from as many vessels as possible.

2. Try to develop your skills in estimating total weights so that you becomecompetent in using at least one of the methods available.


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3. Use the post harvest process to your advantage. You should rely on yourbackground knowledge especially with respect to the stages involved in the post

harvest stages of fish production.4. Ask a fisherman to verify your estimates of total weight if you are uncertain of

your estimates.

Specific1. Obtain an estimate of the total weight (gross weight) of the catch (i.e. all

species combined). You may use one of the following methods to achievethis:

a. Obtain a visual estimate of the weight of the total catch. This method ismost convenient and with practice you will learn to perfect this art. If you

are uncertain ask the fisherman to estimate the total weight of the catch. b. Sum the weights of known volumes. This method is most convenient

where the fish are transferred from the vessel using a standard container(e.g. a bucket, crate etc.) the total weight of catch is related to the number

of the containers that are transferred. In certain areas you may also findmost of the fishermen use similar containers. You may then determine the

capacities of such containers and use this as the standard for that particularlanding site. Identify a common unit of measurement that may be used at

a particular landing site you may want to ask your supervisor to assist youin determining the capacity of such containers at a convenient time.

2. Obtain an estimate of the weight of each species group that was caught byeach fishing gear. This may be facilitated by any of the following methods:

a. Estimate the relative proportion of each species group in the total catch(start with the species group with the largest overall weight then work

your way downwards) an estimate of the weight for each group is thendetermined based on your previous estimate of total weight.

b. Obtain a visual estimate of the weight of each species groupc. Note the weight of each species group as it is sold, then obtain totals for

each species group at the end (as shown in figure 5, if you total weights ofall the species groups that were sold, then you will obtain an estimate of

the total weight of the catch (assuming there were no portions retained forany particular reason). This method allows you to determine estimates of

both the weights of the species groups and the total weight of the catch atthe same time. As this method is particularly time consuming you might

wish only to use it when you have a lot of time to spare.

Guidelines for measuring individual weights

1. Record all individual weights in grammes only

2. For cases in which the species landed are generally less than 1kg in weight,measure the weight to the nearest 1g.

3. For cases where the species landed are generally between 1 and 5kg in weight,measure the weight to the nearest 10g.

4. For cases where the species landed are generally greater than 5kg in weight,measure the weight to the nearest 100g.


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Figure 5


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5. When rounding to the nearest measurement, use the lower reading at all times

(e.g. whether the fish weighs 400.7g or 400.2 g it should be recorded as 400g ifyou are measuring to the nearest 1g a fish of 4kg 567g would be recorded as 4kg

560g (or 4.56kg in other words) to the nearest 10g, etc).

Guidelines for the collection of length frequenciesGeneral

1. Know what species you are required to measure. Remember, if you collect lengthfrequencies for the wrong species your time will be wasted

2. Ensure that the relevant catch and effort data is collected. If you are uncertain,proceed to collect the relevant catch and effort data. If this information is not

made available, the biological data you have taken the trouble to collect will onlybe of limited use and again you would have wasted your time (except for the

practice gained in making the measurements, the data will be of little use toanyone without the relevant catch and effort data).

3. Check whether fish was caught from more than one fishing area. If this was thecase, you will need to fill out the data sheet for each fishing area where fish was

caught. Do not measure fish from vessels where fish from more than one area hasnot been separated by area.

4. Check whether more than one gear was used to catch the species that you intendto measure. If this is the case you will need to fill out a data sheet for each gear

that was used to catch that species.5. Record the total weight of the species caught on the trip for any given fishing

gear.6. Determine whether the catch has already been sorted. If the catch was sorted by

size, only measure the fish if you can do so for the whole catch of that species.7. Decide whether you can measure all the fish of a given species in the landing. If

so, proceed to measure and record the length frequencies. If not, you must take arepresentative (fig.6) sample as

follows:a. Separate the catch into

smaller equal piles ensurethat each pile contains

roughly the same numberof individuals, and spans

similar size ranges b. Determine the total weight

of a pilec. Select at least one pile and

measure and record thelengths of all the fish

contained in the pile

Figure 6. A representative sample


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Figure 7

3. Denote each individual that you measure in each size class by a single verticalstroke

4. Tabulate the individuals measured in each respective size class in groups of fiveby making the fifth mark diagonally across the preceding four.

5. Note the sex of the fish where possible. You should use your knowledge of thedifferences in external features for appropriate species (e.g. in most parrotfishes


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the male has a very different colour from the other sex). Tally the sexesseparately once you can distinguish between them.

6. At the end of each interview, write in the total number of individuals for each sizeclass.

7. Check to verify that you have completed all the sections on the data sheets.

Management measuresThe decision on the type of management measure to be utilised for a particular fishery is

often based on the best available scientific information on the status of the stock that isexploited by the fishery. Consistent with this, there must be conceptual criteria which

capture (in broad terms) the management objective for the fishery. These are knowgenerally as Conceptual Reference Points, where a reference Point can be defined as a

conventional value, derived from technical analyses, which represents a state of thefishery or population, and whose characteristics are believed to be useful for the

management of the unit stock. In practical terms reference points may frequentlyassume arbitrary values and are often specified without indicating the probability of error.

Two of the more common conceptual reference points are:

Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) When the objective is to maximize the catch obtained from the fishery

(maximum yield), a conceptual reference point known as MSY is frequentlyused. MSY can be considered to be the maximum constant yield that can be

taken year after year. Minimum Biologically Acceptable Level (MBAL)

This is the point beyond which overfishing is said to occur. Overfishingitself can be described in a number of ways as we saw earlier.

To implement fishery management, these conceptual criteria must be converted to a

technical point of reference that can be calculated or quantified on the basis of biologicalor economic characteristic of the fishery. Thus all Conceptual Reference Points to be

used are represented by one or more Technical Reference Points, for which themethodology of derivation and measurement is clearly specified. These reference points

must also have a means of verification (MOV: i.e. where do we find the information thatlets us know when we have reached the reference point?) and an objectively verifiable

indicator (OVI: what value of which parameter tells us that we have reached the referencepoint?), defined and agreed upon in advance, so that they can be acted upon without the

necessity for negotiation. It has been found over the decades that it is more importantthat the basis for fishery management action be clear and indisputable (or maybe:

undisputed) than that it should claim to be precise and accurate.

The many technical reference points that have been suggested to allow rationalexploitation of fishery resources can, in terms of their use, be placed into two categories:

Target Reference Points (TRPs) and Limit Reference Points (LRPs).

A Target Reference Point indicates to a state of a fishery and/or resource which isconsidered to be desirable and at which management action, whether during


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development or stock rebuilding should aim. Thus, managing a fisherycorresponds to adjusting the inputs to, or outputs from, a fishery until one or more

of the primary or secondary variables corresponds to the TRP chosen. TRPmanagement requires active monitoring and continual readjustment of

management measures on an appropriate (usually annual) time-scale.

Limit Reference Points indicates a state of a fishery and/or a resource which isconsidered to be undesirable and which management action should avoid. Inother words a LRP may either correspond to some minimum condition or some

maximum condition at which point a management action which has been(previously) negotiated by all stakeholders is automatically triggered. Where

information necessary to use complex mathematical models is not available (likein developing countries or for new fisheries) qualitative or semi-quantitative

criteria also can be used directly as LRPs.

The TRPs and LRPs can be incorporated into a set of management criteria. These can bedeveloped most effectively if based on a sequence of questions and answers, and if one or

more of the criteria are infringed, a preset management response is triggered (figure 8).The management action triggered often takes the form of instituting a management

control measure.

Figure 8. Triggering management action based on reference points


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Some of the different forms of control measures are outlined below.

Biological controls

Objectives:1. Preventing harvest of juveniles2. Protecting breeding and nesting areas and activities

3. Reducing the harvest of over-exploited or threatened species4. Reducing damage to critical habitats

Options

Size limits A minimum legal size for each species can be set so that it allows individuals

to reproduce several times before they can be caught legally. Closed areas

Fishing and other forms of extractive use of fish stocks can be prohibited inareas which are particularly important as breeding grounds or nursery grounds

Protection of eggs and nesting females Harvesting eggs, or disturbing nesting females and the nesting activity can be

restricted Complete protection

There may be need to completely protect a resource that has been seriouslyreduced in terms of abundance or distribution. Such a ban may remain in

place until scientific research proves that the population has recoveredsignificantly to allow some stipulated level of harvesting to start again.

Catch controls

Objectives1. Controlling the level of catch over time

2. Maintaining fish stock productivity

Options Limited entry

Licensing all existing vessels and/or fishers provides the opportunity tocontrol or limit the number or type of new entrants into a particular fishery

Close seasons Prohibition of the use of a resource during a specified part of the year is often

used to protect particularly vulnerable/critical biological activities Fishery periods

Similar to close seasons, these periods are more flexible in terms of when theystart and stop. This option is suitable for fisheries that target a reproductive

phase of the life cycle.

Gear controlsObjectives


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1. Controlling gear efficiency2. Preventing the use of destructive gear and practices

3. Preventing the harvest of juveniles

Options

Mesh size regulation Fishing gear do not capture all sizes and all species of fish with equalefficiency. If it becomes necessary to avoid capture of small juvenile fish, the

size of the mesh used in various types of nets and traps can also be regulated Location of use

Gear which tend to capture small sizes, or are destructive when used in certaintypes of sea bottom, can be prohibited from certain areas by zoning these

areas as non-fishing zones Total ban

For particular non-selective or very destructive gear a total ban can beimposed. If these gear are imported, additional controls can be placed at the

port of entry Duration of use

The time a gear is allowed to remain in the water between sets can be limited,reducing wastage resulting from individuals dying as a result of starvation,

injury or predation

Monitoring, Control and SurveillanceObjectives

1. Determining the resources available2. Monitoring levels and impacts of use

3. Establishing effective framework4. Enforcing laws, regulations and agreements

5. Fostering user compliance and co-operation

Options Data collection

Collecting data and information from catches, and on levels of fishing effort,can yield early warning signs and allow for management action well before

fishery collapse leads to drastic social and economic hardship Research

Research is needed to assess the overall status and nature of the resource.Through this, the bigger picture can be obtained and management decisions

can be made on the extent and condition of the overall resource Fisheries legislation and agreements

The legal framework needs to address all the components related to fisheriespolicy and development

Authorised officers Fisheries laws are upheld by personnel authorised to do so under the relevant

legislation.


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Environmental controlsObjectives

1. Avoiding marine pollution2. Reducing habitat destruction

Options Pollution control Prohibitions can be placed on pollution of the fishery waters. Polluters can be

made to pay for remedial action that has to be taken Ban on noxious and other destructive substances

Prohibitions are placed on poisons or explosives that are particularlydestructive to all sizes and species of fish, as well as causing damage to

habitats.

Sustainable fisheries measuresObjectives

1. Ensuring sustainability of the sector2. Ensuring sustainable use of fisheries and marine resources

3. Facilitating effective consultation with interest groups/stakeholders4. Ensuring social and economic stability for sectoral development

Options

Fisheries management planning The means of considering the short term impacts of day to day use of and

impacts on the resources, on its long term future Fishery advisory mechanisms

A key institutional arrangement to be established for effective consultation indeveloping and managing the sector can be an inter-agency body such as a

Fisheries Advisory Committee (FAC) Collaborative management/ co-management

This allows for fisheries management and development to be integrated intoother national policies and plans. Co-management can include mechanisms

where specific rights and responsibilities are granted to management agenciesor user groups.

Most, if not all, of the control measures mentioned above are essentially geared at

changing the behaviour of people. Thus it is essential that fisheries managers have atleast some people management skills.

People Management working with fishersFishermen spend a great deal of time observing nature while at sea. There is a lot we canlearn about the lives of the fish, their relationships to the environment, and their response

to man simply by talking to fishermen. The best fishermen retain and use not only whatthey have learned in a lifetime of working on the sea, but also the knowledge of their

predecessors. Thus, in the course of work as a fisheries officer, a person will haveopportunity to acquire some of the special knowledge of fishermen. This knowledge


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should be treated with respect. It may prove useful, not only to you as a part of thefisheries management team, but also to you personally. If a fisherman is forthcoming

about the habits of fish and the patterns of their occurrence: write them down.

One thing you will hear a lot from fishermen are complaints. Remember that unlike a

farmer who (most likely) owns his land, the fisherman does not own the sea, or the fish init. This means that as well as suffering the changes in the weather and the market, thefisherman has to share the resource with everyone else who wants to fish. He knows that

the fish he does not catch today may well be caught by someone else tomorrow. Thus,there may seem to him to be no strong reason to be careful not to take too many, or too

small fish, unless he is sure that his fellow fishermen will respect nature as well. Bear inmind though, that regardless of how they may appear to behave, most fishermen are

aware of what is happening, and want to hunt fish in a way that leaves enough for theirfuture livelihood, and even for their children. There are three problems, however, that

make it hard for even the most forward thinking fishermen to achieve this goal.

1. Fishermen do not always have a good way of knowing how much fish of whatsize is enough, and how much is too much. By the time they see the obvious

signs like greatly reduced catches and sizes, it is often too late to save the fishery2. They cannot be sure that other fishermen will respect the rules designed to protect

the fish stock and sustain the fishery, even if those rules are clear. This is aquestion of human nature and its effect on the enforcement of laws

3. Fishermen cannot count on a guaranteed access to the fish resource, unlike thefarmer who has a fixed amount of land that (only) he can use. If too many people

join the fishery, no matter how prudent they are, there simply will not be enoughto go around

These problems exist in your country, the Caribbean, and indeed, most of the tropical

world. The information you gather from the fisherman is a first, important step in solvingthese problems because:

1. The numbers and sizes of fish recorded in the field will/can are used to inform the

fishermen themselves of change in their fish stock as it happens, so thatmanagement measures such as fishing seasons and mesh sizes can be used to

protect fish stocks before they decline too far.2. It is impossible to get people to obey laws they do not believe in. The data

collector on the abundance of fish stocks and the amount of fish taken by manwill educate society about the value of rules to manage the fisheries, and will

provide fisheries managers with some of the information they need to choosemore wisely among different management options

3. One of the hardest decisions facing politicians is how to divide up scarceresources fairly. These decisions can never be fair until it is known how much

fish there is to divide up, how much of it different groups in society are gettingalready, and how much effort it takes to get it. Fish are relatively scarce in the

Caribbean (as compared to temperate waters) but we do not know how scarce


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they are compared to the demands of the people. The field information collectedis vital in helping alleviate this situation.

The role of a fisheries data collection/extension officer

Given all that we have just said, the role of a data collectorcum extension officer is very

much that of a partner with the fisherman and other stakeholders as well as a facilitator(figure 9), a liaison officer, an information gatherer, and often and advisor, all rolled inone. This means that the officer must:

1. Build trust with empathy and humility Figure 9. Acting as facilitatora. Try to understand the person from

their perspective b. Listen for feelings dont

concentrate on the facts as theseare often less important than how

the person feelsc. Use re-stating to ensure that you

understand what is being said toyou

d. Try not to express shock or judgment: accept the person and their feelingse. Be aware of body language, both yours and the person you are listening to

f. Try to see yourself as the fisherman sees youg. Be friendly and polite (while fostering a few good informants)

h. Express concern, acceptance and friendship2. Respect privacy, confidentiality and the speakers knowledge

a. If no one else is in ear-shot of your conversation then assume that whatyou have heard is only for your ears (and the data collection supervisors

computer) b. Fishermen are (understandably) cautious about certain types of

information, such as gear type and fishing ground. They may only revealsuch information to you after a long period of assessing your discretion.

Betray this trust and you will have lost a valuable partner.c. Most fishermen know more about what they do than you! Respect his

knowledge even though you may not understand all of it, or if you thinkhe is wrong

3. Know his/her place and know his/her joba. A fishermans partner not a superior. Neither is the fisherman simply a

source of data. b. A junior scientist, not a policeman. When you collect data on a

fishermans catch, you are collecting data for scientific research. Theinformation you collect is to be used exclusively to estimate the status of

the fish stocks, and how much the entire fisher is exploiting the resource,not how much a particular individual takes or how much money that

individual makes. A much as is practicable, you share an obligation tokeep the fisherman informed of the results of your work and to help them

better appreciate the value of good fisheries data and scientific research.


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c. A representative of the fisheries division, not of government policy orpolitics. Do not attempt to explain, interpret or rationalise government

policy when you are out collecting catch related data, that is for anotherperson or another time

d. A listener, not a mediator

i. Do not interrupt, unless you are doing so to block or safely re-direct potential confrontationii. Use open-ended questions to encourage the stakeholder to speak

more about their concerniii. When listening, indicate that you are doing so by vocalizing (e.g.

mmm, uh-huh, yes, oh, etc.)iv. Provide help to allow the other person to elaborate on their

expression of feelingsv. Do not talk more than you have to (we have one mouth and two

ears!)e. A data collector, not a tax collector. You are not there to determine how

much a particular fisherman earns. You may, however, have to gatherinformation about the value of the catch and the cost of fishing. These are

not to be seen as being the same as determining how much he earns!4. Minimize inconvenience and intrusion

a. Be sensitive to fishermens lives, they can be very hard b. Also be sensitive to his moods and preoccupations

c. Dont interfere with marketing activitiesd. Apologise for any perceived imposition

5. Avoid confrontationa. Do not take sides in any fishermens disputes

b. If a bad situation develops, back off and report to your supervisor6. Enjoy the work being done it can be interesting, pleasant and even exciting.


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Section 4- The Fisheries Management Team

We must bear in mind that effective management of the fisheries sector is themanagement of the use of fisheries resources so that it can contribute to the livelihoods of

the people of the nation over the long term in a way that future generations do not losethe ability to enjoy the resources (and their use) that the current generation enjoys (lets

call it sustainable use). This means that a number of people or groups of people have arole to play. The fisheries management team is made up of all the persons whose

decisions and/or behaviour can impact on sustainable use of fisheries resources:

The Fishermen and other members of the Community who elect governmentrepresentatives (and pay your salary)

The Minister with responsibility for fisheries and other members of cabinet whorespond to their electorates wishes and enact legislation

The Director of Fisheries and Marine Resources (DF&MR) who provides

options for management to the minister and advises him on fisheries matters The Fisheries Advisory Committee (FAC) members who advise on the

management and development of the fisheries sector (figure 10).

Figure 10. Members of the FAC are an important part of the team

Scientists locally, regionally and internationally who design data collection plans,

use the data to determine the status of fish stocks, and recommend fisheriesmanagement measures to the Chief Fisheries Officer (and through him to the FAC

and the Minister)


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Public servants from other divisions and/or ministries whose decisions impact onthe utilisation of fisheries resources

The data collection supervisor who oversees data collection, organizes the dataand transfers it to the relevant scientists

The field data collector/extension officer who collects data from the fishermen,

and who may be called upon to assist with passing the results of data analysisback to the fishermen and/or any training activities geared to improve the lot offishermen

The fisherman, who answers your questions, brings fish in from the sea and forwhom we all work!


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Section 5- Lessons Learned in Fisheries Management

Outside the CaribbeanResearch in collaboration with fishing communities in Great Britain and experience of

West African fisheries, suggest that a lack of suitable information greatly contributes tosmall and medium scale fishers being unable to internalize resource scarcity. Quite

often, when information is made available to the smaller vessel owners by governmentagencies, it has been processed and aggregated to a national or regional scale. As a result

it often contradicts the fishers intuitive and local knowledge of the fisheries even thoughthey are the main providers of primary data.

Another problem lies in the lack of coherence among messages put forward by different

information providers, whether public or private. For example, government fisheriesdevelopment policy measures may still encourage investment that lead to increasing

fishing mortality, even though the resource is already fully exploited. Similarly, banks

may encourage investments even though government policy measures are reducingfishing opportunities.

Fishers collect and process quantities ofecological information while fishing. Theserange from the ocean climate, the seabed habitat, depth and topography to marine life

above and under water. Information is collected at the fishing grounds level, for specificfish stocks, and on the time scale of the fishing trip, daily or weekly basis. However,

apart from shipping weather forecasts, government and fisheries management agenciesprovide little information on marine ecosystems back to fishers.

There are many types ofeconomic data collected and produced at the level of a small

fishing company. They range from the costs of capital investments, the costs of inputs,cost of labour and micro-financing of fishing trips, to revenues from sales of key species

at different fish markets. The spatial scale of interest and level of informationaggregation and processing are different from those for ecological information.

Government agencies may undertake regular coats and earnings surveys, and collectstatistics of prices and availability of key inputs, in a way similar to any other productive

sectors. While some data are collated and published, these are little used by fisheriespolicy makers.

Even in countries where a national fisheries policy explicitly means to support theartisanal sector, fishers have little input into the policy-making process. In many cases,

even actual numbers of fishers are not precisely known, and part-timers are ignored. Thesheer numbers of small operators means that both information collection and

dissemination bear high administrative costs. The small-scale sector may be constrainedby resource access and conservation measures, but it evolves with little direct steering

from the fisheries policy itself. Fisheries policy measures are nearly always modified byother government policies. Social Policy, regional development, transport,

environmental protection, national and international trade policies all have great


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potentials to combine and produce incoherent measures at the level of small fishingoperators.

From this brief review of information use, together with consideration of fishers

decisions, capital investment and fishing trip planning, it appears that in Great Britain and

West Africa at least small scale fishers gather and use a large variety of information, atvarious time and space scales. This, however, is not acknowledged by fisheriesmanagement agencies. The lack of shared understanding between government, fishers,

and marine resource conservationists, could be reduced through the production ofintegrated information systems, incorporating an ecosystem-based concept of

sustainability.

Outside the OECSThe success of fisheries management depends on the support of research to provide the

necessary data and information in order to properly identify and priories managementissues, and on an effective communication between all stakeholders. The main challenge

facing Caribbean governments is to ensure that decentralization and civil service reformdoes not dilute accountability and weaken government functions in areas that need to

remain centralized. Such areas include monitoring the fisheries resources and theenvironment, and the formulation of fisheries policies. It is also very important, no

matter where the fisheries sector is located within governments administrative system,that the sector be given its appropriate share of development resources.

In the Caribbean, most of the fisheries resources are either fully exploited or

overexploited. So, a critical question is how much fisheries research should focus on thestock assessment, biology and ecology of the resources species, and how much on the

socio-economic conditions of the fisher communities, co-operatives, and other factorsthat can be expected to influence unsustainable exploitation patterns. Currently, in most

Caribbean countries, fishers play an increasing role in management or the setting researchpriorities and in evaluating research results. If greater emphasis is going to be placed on

involving stakeholders in the management of fisheries, then priority should be given tothe organizational and socio-economic aspects of the primary stakeholders, the fishers.

Therefore, research (and by extension data collection) priorities should be set on the basisof the information fisheries administrations and fishers require and must share in the

interest of good fisheries management.

Outside Your Country

The fisheries industry has been described as being over-capitalised, and while in the

Eastern Caribbean it may be that the fishing industry in the Caribbean has been badlycapitalised rather than over-capitalised. There is, however, little doubt that thenearshore fisheries are most likely over-exploited. Additionally, the fishery science

practiced in the region in general, and the OECS in particular, has, until recently, paidinadequate attention to the management and development of the industry within a holistic

framework. The view is evolving in the Caribbean that while great emphasis has been placed on stock assessment, there has possibly been insufficient attention given to the

industry itself. The need for a fisheries (the industry as a whole) assessment, as opposed


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to stock assessment, is based on the necessity to have a comprehensive and holistic viewof the industry. Such a view in turn will better inform a development policy and

management plan for the fisheries industry. It is felt that the management anddevelopment of fisheries, especially of the small island states that make up the OECS,

must be objective driven rather than driven by simply the assessment of the fish stocks.

The apparent overemphasis on stock assessment has unfortunately diverted attentionaway from fishery assessment, and the consequent implementation of a development policy and strategic plan for the entire industry. An integrated approach which considers

fisheries within the context of the whole island system, will facilitate such acomprehensive and holistic view of the industry, diverting attention more towards the

stated developmental objectives of the country and the role that the fisheries play inattaining those objectives.

Within Your Country

YOU TELL US!


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Section 6- Building a Fisheries Management Team

Invocation

[To call on the Almighty to assist in the building of the Fisheries Management Team(FMT) 1 min.]

Lord in working to build an efficient fisheries management team, give us the strength to

change the things we can change, the courage to face the things we cannot change, andthe wisdom to know the difference. Help us to carry out this exercise with openness,

confidence and honesty. Amen

Relaxation/Ice-breaking exercise[To provide an initiating experience promoting communication and relationship among

team members no more than 15 min]

Participants separate into pairs. Each partner conducts a (no more than) one-minute

interview of the other. The objective is to get important information about each other, i.e.name, age, occupation, personal aspirations, perception of role in the team, and othergeneral background information. Each member of the pair then makes a (no more than

one minute) presentation of his/her partner before the general grouping.

Character simulation[To allow persons within the group to appreciate how they are perceived by others no

more than 15 min]

Participants present a (1 min) simulation of another character (who is not identified)within the grouping. The idea is to bring out as much of the persons features as possible.

This presentation is then evaluated and assessed by the general grouping, after identifyingthe individual, as to whether the simulation is accurate.

Chinese telegraph[To help participants appreciate how easy it is for misunderstanding to occur andmisinformation to be spread no more than 5 min]

Participants stand in a circle. A person is chosen to send the message. That individualtells the message to the person to his/her immediate right. As soon as possible the

receiver passes on (what he/she thinks is) the message to the person to his/her immediateright. This is continued until the message returns to the original sender, who then

conveys the message out loud, then recites the original message.

Defining the team[To determine the parameters which will drive the fisheries management team 1 hr 40

min]


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With the assistance of the facilitator, the participants will come to a consensus on whatthey expect the Fisheries Management Team to be/look like in ten (10) years time. This

will be coalesced into a vision statement.

Based on this vision, the participants will develop a mission statement for the FMT.

Based on the mission statement, participants will decide the four (4) priority areas offocus for the remainder of the current fiscal year or, if the year has less than three (3)

months left, up to the end of the coming fiscal year.

Evaluation[To evaluate the usefulness of the entire training exercise 10 min]

Each participant will express his/her frank and honest opinion on the usefulness of the

training session to him/her whether it met his/her expectations what follow-up (if any) isnecessary what he/she will do (if anything) in furtherance of the priorities decided on.

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fisheries extension training material - rev feb 2008

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