Reef Fish Fisheries Recommendations
It was found during the IRRM Workshop that the objectives and recommendations for addressing the 'Live Bait Fishery for Tuna Pole and Line Fishery' issue were also appropriate and often the same for solving the 'Coral Reef Fisheries' issue. Therefore, the recommendations for these two issues are combined under a single 'Reef Fish Fisheries' Strategy or set of recommendations, below. The Atoll Area Management Plan for each Atoll would likely need to have separate committees devoted to each fishery, to carry out the details of these recommendations. In addition, the awareness building solutions and approaches needed for each issue area are the same, only the content of the materials developed would differ for each issue, and could often be combined into one campaign material.
In addition, two 'key' solutions for all the issues, and particularly the Reef Fish Fisheries and Tourism and Reef Resources Interactions issues are the development and implementation of an Atoll Area Management Plan for each Atoll, and the establishment of a network of marine protected areas. While the former is dealt with in detail in this section, the network of marine protected areas is more fully described under the solutions for Tourism and Reef Resources Interactions.
Recommendations are set out by issue area where appropriate - for example under the Marine Research Section, and as specific considerations for the Atoll level management framework to develop into management measures.
Objectives
· Promote reef resources management on an atoll scale. Recognizing that people of one atoll would have little or no incentive to conserve 'their' reef resources if there was open access to people of all atolls, it is recommended that there be some regulation, requiring fishermen from all atolls to conform to the management measures in place in any atoll.· Take strong action to prevent the establishment of fishing using any poison, such as cyanide.
· Increase awareness of the fishing community in particular and the public in general on issues relating to reef resources management, such as the dangers of overfishing, advantages of sustainable resource use.
· Increase enforcement of existing regulations.
· Increase institutional coordination in fisheries management.
Recommendations
1. National Level Actions
· Support a diverse set of approaches for building awareness of the fishing community as the target audience, and the public in general on issues relating to reef resources management. Approaches could include but not be limited to the following:· Develop links between environmental clubs and school groups in Malé and in the atolls.· Use print media (local news-sheets as well as national newspapers); and radio (atoll based FM radio if/when available, as well as the national Voice of Maldives) as frequent and informal means to exchange information.
· Documentaries shown on the National TV.
· Introduce fisheries science to students at a lower level (ie, primary or middle school) in the existing curriculum with an active field studies component, to create more awareness among the students about the reefs and the organisms in it. In addition, debates, poster competitions and quizzes among the schools could be organized by various departments regarding the coral reefs environment
· Give environment clubs in schools the responsibility of designing leaflets which could be mass produced and distributed. Schools can take turns in designing leaflets.
· Support the enforcement and technical coordination of measures and actions developed under the Atoll area management plans.
Coral Reef Fisheries
· Establish a fisheries unit within Customs, to monitor fisheries exports more effectively. Provide training in fisheries product monitoring to Customs to facilitate this process.· Develop a mechanism for monitoring the activities of foreign vessels entering the country to buy or load live fish.
· Increase enforcement of the existing regulations concerning foreign vessels fishing in territorial waters (e.g. grouper).
· Increase enforcement of the existing regulation requiring the registering of any new fishery with the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture, before fishing activity commences.
· Ban the use of small mesh in gillnets in view of the damage they can do to reef resources.
· Ban fishing during breeding season where appropriate (e.g. on spawning aggregations of groupers).
· Impose a moratorium on fisheries that are severely overfished in order to allow stocks to recover (eg. sea cucumber)
· Prohibit the use of compressed air diving (both SCUBA and surface supply) for commercial fishing, except in cases where diving is the only practical method of fishing (e.g. aquarium fish).
Baitfishery for Tuna Pole and Line Fishery
· Establish a regulatory body to establish minimum safety and training standards for diving fishermen, if SCUBA diving for baitfish collection or other fisheries is allowed.· Apply the results of MRS impact analysis of livebait collecting methods to consider introducing legislation to ban the use of destructive livebait collecting methods.
· Consider banning the capture of sea birds and take strong action to prevent destruction of their habitats. Sea birds play an important role in locating fishing grounds. Many of these birds are being caught by fishermen and kept in their homes as pets. Some of these birds are now seen very rarely.
2. Atoll Level Actions
· Develop an Atoll Area Management Plan for each Atoll in the project area based on Island community participation and cooperation. Components of the Plan would consider and lay out the details of management measures for the export-oriented grouper and marine aquarium fish trade, and the live bait fishery for tuna pole and line fishery to:· Ban fishing during breeding season where appropriate (e.g. on spawning aggregations of groupers).· Control fisheries in each atoll by limiting the catch and/or fishing effort.
· Ban the use of small mesh in gillnets in view of the damage they can do to reef resources.
· Develop mechanisms for increasing awareness in cooperation with national efforts and also geared towards local level concerns within the issue areas. In addition, develop mechanisms for disseminating contents of management measures developed for further public input throughout the process.
· Impose a moratorium on fisheries that are severely overfished in order to allow stocks to recover (eg. sea cucumber).
3. Local Community Level Actions
· Participate in the development of Atoll Area Management Plans.· Work together with MRS to:
· Document the existing local knowledge of marine resources and management systems, in order to provide a sound foundation for IRRM.· Estimate potential fishery yield targets for different fisheries for each atoll.
· Identify potential fishery targets and help to set size limits.
· Monitor reef fisheries using logbooks. Species composition data, size frequency data, and catch and effort data should be collected.
· Concentrate initial community based monitoring and management activities on the grouper fishery in view of its current importance.
4. Marine Research Section Support to IRRM Process
· Work with the island communities to document existing local knowledge of marine resources and management systems, in order to provide a sound foundation for IRRM.· Conduct short research projects to obtain information on specific topics as required.
· Provide the technical direction and information for radio programmes and documentaries shown on the National TV to help disseminate information to the public.
· Estimate potential sustainable yield targets for all fisheries in the Atoll project area:
· Compile information available from other parts of the world on reef resources stock assessment and other biological studies, in order to make the process more cost effective.
Coral Reef Fisheries
· Engage suitable fishermen on targeted islands to monitor reef fisheries using logbooks. Species composition data, size frequency data, and also catch and effort data should be collected.
Baitfishery for Tuna pole and line Fishery
· Carry out research in order to assess the status of livebait fish stocks and their sustainable yields. This research should incorporate local knowledge in addition to appropriate scientific studies (working with local communities).· Initiate a baitfishery data collection system (working with local communities).
Coral Reef Fisheries
· Carry out market research on the coral reef fisheries, and disseminate the resulting information to the public.· Provide information to Atolls and Island Communities to help set size limits on commercially important species as part of the Atoll Area Management Plan.
· Concentrate initial community based monitoring and management activities on the grouper fishery in view of its current importance.
· Help organize and participate in lectures for school leaders to provide information on career opportunities for students taking subjects relevant to coral reefs.
Baitfishery for Tuna pole and line Fishery
· Fishermen should be made aware of the existing problems in catching live baitfish. They should be encouraged not to catch an exceeding amount of bait fish even when bait is abundant. They should also be advised to put back the excess bait back on to a reef and not into the open ocean.· Prepare fishery information packages for school teachers.
· Introduce specialized boats for bait fishing to meet the ever increasing demand for baitfish. These vessels then could provide the needed live baitfish for the pole and line fishermen.
· Increase coordination between VOM and MOFA to ensure the timely transfer of information to be distributed through VOM to the fisherfolk on live bait issues.
· Analyze the impacts of destructive livebait collecting methods including the use of sticks and heavy chains/weights to drive livebait out of their refuges by breaking corals. This information will be used by MOFA and other relevant Ministries to consider a ban on certain livebait collection methods.
Coral Mining and Related Activities Recommendations
Objectives
· Develop a plan for phasing out coral mining in the context of the current national development plan, working backwards from a total ban by 2005 AD.· Increase awareness of the fishing community in particular and the public in general on the impacts of coral mining and the benefits of using alternatives to coral rock for construction, and other alternatives that promote sustainable resource use.
Recommendations
1. National Level Actions
· Establish and implement mechanisms to make alternatives to coral rock socially acceptable in the country and encourage the use of alternatives in maritime structures. This could include but not be limited to:· economic incentives that subsidize alternative materials like imported sand and granite to all the islands throughout the Maldives· setting a higher tax levy on mined coral: fixed price for the first 100 cubic feet; 100% on the second 100 cubic feet; and 200% next incremental cubic feet, etcetera
· Consider assigning MPHRE as the approval authority for coral mining permits. Develop and conduct training courses in Malé and the Atolls, in the making of concrete blocks, as an alternative to coral rock for construction.
· Develop in cooperation with the Atoll Committee framework, criteria and procedures to define boundaries for house reefs of tourist and inhabited islands and zones designated for different uses.
· Minimize incidence and impacts of dredging and develop strategies to deal with wastes.
2. Atoll Level Actions
· As part of the Atoll Area Management Plan:· Initiate and develop a participatory reef monitoring programme involving Island and Atoll Development Committees, Women's Committees, NGOs and other stakeholders. The monitoring programme will observe changes in the reef environment to help determine probable cause and effect of changes. Results will be used to guide future solutions or remedial actions.· Develop criteria and procedures for definition of boundaries for house reefs of tourist and Inhabited islands and zones designated for different uses.
3. Local Community Level Actions
· Participate in the design and implementation of the following actions as part of the Atoll Area Management Plan:· reef monitoring programme involving Island and Atoll Development Committees, Women's Committees, NGOs and other stakeholders.· develop criteria and procedures for definition of boundaries for house reefs of tourist and inhabited islands and zones designated for different uses.
4. Marine Research Section Support to IRRM Process
· Provide the technical direction and oversight for the following actions as part of the Atoll Area Management Plan:· participatory reef monitoring programme. The monitoring programme will observe changes in the reef environment to help determine probable cause and effect of changes. Results will be used to guide future solutions or remedial actions.· development of criteria and procedures for defining boundaries for house reefs of tourist and inhabited islands and zones designated for different uses.
Tourism and Reef Resources Interactions
Objectives
· Observe the interactions within the two major use sectors; tourism and fisheries.· Observe and resolve the user interactions between tourism and fisheries in a balanced and equitable manner.
· Build on the positive influence of tourism to protect the reef resources, and promote sustainable livelihood of the fisheries sector.
· Develop a network of marine protected areas.
Recommendations
1. National Level Actions
· Provide incentives for the tourism industry to support marine related research relevant to them and education programs for both locals and visitors.· Determine limits for expansion of number of tourism islands based on criteria which include impacts, logistics, costs, benefits to tourist industry and other sectors of society.
· Develop a network of marine protected areas, particularly to protect the livebait fishery. The live bait fishery is of great importance for the pole and line fishery. Precautions must be taken by the government to protect these bait fishing grounds. However, to ensure that little or no damage is done by to the reef when taking bait, permanent anchors at these sites should minimize the damage done by anchoring boats. A total ban on coral mining at these areas again will ensure that the habitat is little affected by human interaction. Participation from the Atoll Committee frameworks and technical assessments of MRS should be incorporated to help determine areas most appropriate for designation as marine protected areas. The fifteen established dive sites could be the basis for the network, and additional areas established under IRRM would build on this foundation.
· Develop a licensing system for tourism and fisheries based on personal transferable licenses; licenses should be given based on carrying capacity of both industries.
· Initiate an interdisciplinary effort (ITE, EDC, and MRS as lead agencies) to expand on the existing government programmes to create awareness about our fragile environment, using the media as a key tool, and sending qualified environment field officers to various islands to create awareness among the island community.
Minimize incidence and impacts of dredging from tourist resorts and develop strategies to deal with wastes from tourism.
2. Atoll Level Actions
· As part of the Atoll Area Management Plan:· provide input and advice to the national level to help determine limits for expansion of number of tourism islands based on criteria which include impacts, logistics, costs, benefits to tourist industry and other sectors of society.· help identify areas for protection as part of the network of marine protected areas.
· develop criteria and procedures for definition of boundaries of house reefs of tourist islands and zones designated for different uses.
· provide input and advice to the national level to help develop a licensing system for tourism and fisheries based on personal transferable licenses; licenses should be given based on carrying capacity of both industries. Introduce school-based environment groups to collect cans and plastics. Once a large amount of cans and plastics are collected it can be taken to the island where they can be incinerated. A small price can be paid for each kilo of can or plastics so the students will be encouraged to carry out the task.
3. Local Community Level Actions
· Participate in the design and implementation of the following actions as part of the Atoll Area Management Plan:· develop a licensing system for tourism and fisheries based on personal transferable licenses; licenses should be based on carrying capacity of both industries.· develop criteria and procedures for defining boundaries for house reefs of tourist and inhabited islands and zones designated for different uses.
4. Marine Research Section Support to IRRM Process
· Compile and integrate results of research related to management of marine resources. Provide technical assessments to help determine area for inclusion in the network of marine protected areas.· Provide information to support the Atoll and Islanders in developing:
· criteria and procedures for defining boundaries of house reefs of tourist islands and zones designated for different uses.· a licensing system for tourism and fisheries based on personal transferable licenses; licenses should be based on carrying capacity of both industries.
· Support school based environment groups campaigns in collecting cans and plastics. Once a large amount of cans and plastics are collected it can be taken to the island where they can be incinerated. A small price can be paid to each kilo of can or plastics so the students will be encouraged to carry out the task.
· Support an interdisciplinary effort (ITE, EDC, and MRS as lead agencies) to expand on the existing government programmes to create awareness about our fragile environment, using the media as a key tool, and sending qualified environment field officers to various islands to create awareness among the island communities.
