Post on 31-Mar-2015
Major challenges to regulating small-scale fisheries and trade in South-east Asia, with emphasis on
LRFFT
Meryl J Williams, AsiaPacific-FishWatch
APEC Workshop Market-Based Improvement in Live Reef Food Fish Trade
Bali, 1-3 March 2011
Exploding 2 Myths
Regulations: Just build more capacity!
Trade: Just transform the markets!
Regulations?Just build more
capacity!
• Governments & industry emphasize exports– Strong economic incentives– Sustainability less important
• Regulating LRFFT only one of many priorities– ‘What’s wrong with it?’– Can these fish be sustainably
harvested?– Compared to other small
scale fisheries, offshore expansion
• Regulations can corrupt– LRFFT full of opportunities
for corruption and crime
Regulations: Just build more capacity!
• Crowded regulatory landscape– Devolved authorities
• Multiple gov’t levels• Pre-existing systems• Conservation systems
– Neither gov’t nor self-regulation is enough
– Dispersed geographies • Challenges of transboundary trade
• Major capacity gaps– Multiple needs– Improvements will be incremental
• Information inaccessible– Little public knowledge
Regulations: Just build more capacity!
Regulations?Just build more
capacity!
Trade?Just transform the
markets!
• LRFFT supply and demand not readily influenced– Collaboration and
confrontation are difficult– Markets
• Trade bans not likely, not sold through supermarkets, EU
• China, HK, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Singapore
• Strong cultural, status drivers
– Supply• What are fishers’ alternatives?
Trade: Just transform the markets!
• Threats to certification (GEF-STAP 2010)– Weak certification standards– Noncompliance with standards– Limited participation– Adverse self-selection
• Trade barriers low– And often circumvented– Buyers reach the most remote
suppliers
• Need well functioning regulatory system
• Information difficult to obtain, access– Public awareness complex
NYT 2010. Live fish for China, Bali
Trade: Just transform the markets!
Trade?Just transform the
markets!
Creating the Rules of the road ahead
Salvage the essential elements
from the myths
6 Rules
Know the supply chains Understand how cultures influence supply and demand Build capacity to support sustainabil-ity Make existing information visible Don’t over-simplify Don’t ignore the other risks
Rule 1. Know the supply chains
• Demand and supply sides• Pathways, participants, dynamics • Power structures and dependencies• PFS=ECY + SEP (van Santen 2006) Politically feasible solution = effective commercial yield + socio-economic and environmental program
S. Sulawesi Bajau fisher moving live fish to export company’s net cages
2010 NYT James Morgan
Rule 2. Understand how cultures influence supply and demand
• Demand – Age-cohorts, cultures, classes develop different expectations– What champions and opinion makers could reach key market
segments?• Supply– Market presentations of LRFF conceal labor processes and
social relations of their production (Gaynor 2010)
C.W. Kee, The Star , Malaysia, 2006/04/15
Rule 3. Build capacity to support sustainability
• Work around lack of capacity– Work with positive elements, e.g., scientists, environment groups,
journalists, academics, school teachers, religious leaders– Create new stakeholder/interest groups outside and inside supply
chains, e.g., scientists, students, local people, women, high-end restaurants
– Confrontation and trade bans can work, but use with caution• Strengthen the mainstream– Regional and national priorities identified at RPOA-APEC 2010
workshop, approved by RPOA Coordinating Committee
http://genderaquafish.org/
RPOA: Regional Plan of Action to Promote Responsible Fishing Practices including Combating
IUU Fishing in the Region
Indonesia Australia
Brunei Darussalam,CambodiaMalaysia
Papua New GuineaPhilippinesSingaporeThailand
Timor-LesteVietnam
Framework for Human And Institutional
Capacity Building for Marine Capture
Fisheries Management in RPOA Member
Countries
1. Fisheries management planning2. Fishing capacity management3. Strengthening information systems*4. Strengthening the scientific and economic basis for fisheries management5. Effective decentralization*6. Strengthening MCS7. Strengthening regional and international cooperation8. Strengthening legal, policy and administrative support
* = priorities are country specific
Rule 4. Make existing information accessible
• Mine existing knowledge• Aggregate credible information from all sources • AsiaPacific-FishWatch – To make knowledge accessible to consumers– Under construction by Asian Fisheries Society
http://asiapacfishwatch.org/
Rule 5. Don’t over-simplify
• Look for synergies within the crowded regulatory landscape
• Multiple gov’t levels on fisheries– RPOA, national, devolved/decentralized
• Pre-existing systems under social transformations– Customary Institutions in Indonesia (ISCF 2009)
– Managing Coastal and Inland Waters (Ruddle & Satria 2010)
• Conservation driven systems addressing fisheries– COREMAP, CTI, MPAs
Rule 5. Don’t over-simplify
• Avoid ‘seeing like a state’ (James C. Scott, 1999)
Rule 5. Don’t over-simplify
Rule 6. Don’t ignore other risks, opportunities
• Watch out for ‘Black Swans’, such as– Climate change, earthquakes, urban and agriculture
waste, oil/food price shifts– Technology and market changes
• Beware aquaculture promises for high end LRFFT species!
– And the opportunities for action
Replace the Myths with the Rules
Know the supply chains Understand how cultures influence supply and demand Build capacity to support sustainabil-ity Make existing information visible Don’t over-simplify Don’t ignore the other risks
RPOA Table of Human and Institutional Capacity Building Needs for Marine Capture Fisheries, From Da Nang Workshop, December 2010 /2
FISHERIES MANAGEMENT PLANNING Developing fishery specific management plans, incorporating
the ecosystem approach to fisheries and participation
FISHING CAPACITY MANAGEMENT
Vessel licensing and/or registration Rights based fisheries management Developing alternative livelihoods Commercial capacity reduction schemes
STRENGTHENING INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Strengthening fishery independent monitoring systems
Strengthening Information management Design of information collection systems Strengthening monitoring of Fisheries trade Strengthening fishery dependent monitoring systems
STRENGTHENING THE SCIENTIFIC AND ECONOMIC BASIS FOR FISHERIES
MANAGEMENT
Strengthening scientific analytical capability and capacity to gather information
Integrating scientific advice into management planning
Economic impact analysis Strengthening capacity for assessment of climate change
adaptation/mitigation in fisheries, inc. fishing vessel emissions
Research planning
RPOA Table of Human and Institutional Capacity Building Needs for Marine Capture Fisheries, From Da Nang Workshop, December 2010
EFFECTIVEDECENTRALIZATION
Strengthening coordination and accountability between national/local levels
Strengthening implementation at local level Community-based management of fisheries Strengthening legal basis to support decentralisation
STRENGTHENING MCS
Strengthening MCS information systems Strengthening MCS Co-ordination Building entry/mid level MCS skills Port State Measures Risk assessment/compliance planning Encouraging Voluntary compliance
STRENGTHENING REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
Strengthening capacity for complementary management of transboundary stocks
Strengthening capacity for Joint (and common) Stock assessment (RPOA stock assessment platform; defining stock structure)
Strengthening capacity for cooperative MCS Strengthen capacity for International engagement
STRENGTHENING LEGAL, POLICY AND ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT
Clarifying institutional roles/responsibilities Encourage strengthening of legal frameworks (inc. improving
compatibility; capability to address emerging issues)
Strengthening capacity of senior execs to promote importance of fisheries
Strengthening capacity for internal needs assessment Public performance reporting
[1] Country specific priorities, depending on unique circumstances of each country; stage and system dependent