U.S. Agency for International Development

Description

USAID/RDMA through US Department of Interior (DOI) for the period of 2017 – 2019 supports CTI to introduce and develop fisheries related activities that can promote sustainable fisheries practices in the CTI region, in order to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUUF), promote sustainable fisheries, and conserve marine biodiversity. This support has been acknowledged through a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat and the US DOI, on the Work Plan Entitled Strengthening Organizational and Administrative Capacity for Improved Fisheries Management (SOACAP IFM).

The SOACAP-IFM is a work plan developed which is aligned with USAID Oceans and Fisheries Partnerships (the USAID Oceans) and USAID SEAFDEC project towards strengthening regional cooperation to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUUF), promote sustainable fisheries, and conserve marine biodiversity in the Asia-Pacific region. Therefore, the CTI Regional Secretariat works closely with USAID Oceans and the USAID SEAFDEC Project to promote, develop, and when possible implement Catch Documentation and Traceability (CDT) system and CDT-integrated to Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM) Plan through optimizing the use of collected CDT data on the countries’ fisheries management plan. This work plan consists number of activities, which mainly focuses on the CDT and EAFM development, establishment of scientific advisory group (SAG) as scientific panel for CDT-data collection, coalition, and analysis, and development of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) as one mechanism to finance the implementation of the proposed CDT/EAFM. The PPP mechanism is expected to address the challenges in financial constraints of the Government. The PPP concept allows improvement of quality of services, cost-risk allocation effectiveness, and faster implementation. It is of important for the CTI member countries and all stakeholders involved to hand-in-hand moving forward to improve countries fisheries performance by applying properly and strategically sustainable fisheries management including the use of innovative technology in particularly on CDT.

CDT Scheme is a fundamental concept of combating IUU fishing by providing a good documentation of tracking fish from point catch to final destination (market) including supply-chain. In CDT scheme, it is of important that fishing and trading nations ensure fish and trading the open market are caught by sustainable fishing practices that mainstream conservation and management measures. Therefore, CDT scheme provide normally validated catch documents issued to fishing vessels and export or re-export documents issued or received (e.g. ASEAN Catch Documentation Scheme, ACDS). With regards to the USAID Oceans, CTI-CFF RS will learn the implementation of the Oceans self-developed CDT schemes in one of their learning sites. It will give opportunity for the CTI-CFF member countries to better understand from the practical experiences on how CDT systems can be properly developed, implemented and/or integrated into their fisheries development plan.

As per briefing results based on meetings from 29 February to 4 March 2016, it was agreed that RS will work with USAID Oceans to facilitate and organize learning exchanges for CT6 representatives on CDT FIS Plan at one of the two (2) learning sites identified under the USAID Oceans program: Bitung, Indonesia or in General Santos, the Philippines.

The USAID Oceans develop the CDT system integrated into a broader Fisheries Information Systems (FIS). This CDT System/FIS allows fisheries management to collect and analysis ecological and economic data related to seafood product throughout their supply chain, as well as enable traceability from from of catch to import and end-retail. These systems are of benefits for national fisheries managements as they can be used for the purpose of monitoring, control, and surveillance (MCS) as well as for stock assessment and marine spatial planning effort (in general for EAFM). More information on the USAID Oceans CDT system and FIS including who can use the system, please kindly visit https://www.seafdec-oceanspartnership.org/catch-documentation-and-traceability/.

Date and Venue

• Date: 25-28 June 2018
• Venue: Bitung-Manado, Indonesia

Organizer

1. CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat
2. the USAID Oceans and Fisheries Partnership

Output and Outcome

The output of this activity is a visit of representative from the CTI member countries including their EAFM working group national focal points to one of the Oceans Learning Site.

The outcome of this activity is for the representative of the CTI member countries to Observe, learn and train the Task Force and EAFM TWG from CT6 to implement the USAID Oceans CDT Project into their Local Government Units (LGUs).

Related Document

Description

The CTI-CFF has had numerous working meetings towards a joint partnership program with USAID under the Oceans and Fisheries Partnership (USAID Oceans) to strengthen regional cooperation to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, promote sustainable fisheries, and conserve marine biodiversity in the Asia-Pacific region. CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat (CTI-CFF RS) work closely with USAID Oceans to develop, promote and implement Catch Documentation and Traceability (CDT) plans to CTI-CFF member countries as well as to formulate a regional CDT Plan, which integrate with Ecosystem Approach to Management of Fisheries (EAFM) to ensure sustainable fishery management and to promote conservation.

CDT Scheme is a fundamental concept of combating IUU fishing by providing a good documentation of tracking fish from point catch to final destination (market) including supply- chain. In CDT scheme, it is of important that fishing and trading nations ensure fish and trading the open market are caught by sustainable fishing practices that mainstream conservation and management measures. Therefore, CDT scheme provide normally validated catch documents issued to fishing vessels and export or re-export documents issued or received (e.g. ASEAN Catch Documentation Scheme, ACDS). With regards to USAID Oceans Partnership, CTI-CFF RS will develop a customized CDT scheme that is applicable to the need of member countries, by adopting and modifying ACDS. The CTI-CFF CDT scheme will cover selected economic aquatic species e.g. groupers, crab, snappers and all economic tuna species.

EAFM is a key approach toward addressing common trans-boundary policy and regulatory concerns, such as (i) over-fishing of shared pelagic fish stocks; (ii) illegal cross-border fishing by small-scale fishers (stimulated by depletion of local coastal fisheries), commercial-scale fishing operations, and trans-shipment; (iii) fishing overcapacity; and (iv) by-catch of protected and endangered species (CTI-CFF RPOA, 2009). The purpose of EAFM is to plan, develop, and manage fisheries in a manner that addresses the multiple needs and desires of societies, without jeopardizing the options for future generations to benefit from the full range of goods and services provided by marine ecosystems. EAFM is also a practical way to implement sustainable development for the management of fisheries by finding a balance between ecological and human well-being through good governance (Heenan et al. 2013).

Some of key activities had been conducted to support the Ecosystem Approach to Management of Fisheries (EAFM) in regional as follows,

1. the Asia Pacific Fisheries Commission (APFIC) in collaboration with Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United States produces the guidelines of implementation the Code of Conduct for Responsibility Fisheries (CCFR) in 2009;
2. Senior Official from Member Countries (CT6) mandated by the 9th CTI-CFF Senior Official Meeting (SOM) to have Regional Framework of EAFM in 2013.
3. SEAFDEC in collaboration with NOAA organized Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management Training Course in 2014.

Over the years, the EAFM Technical Working Group have conducted several activities to implement EAFM goals and to develop regional training EAFM modules. In an effort to complement the activities by the CTI-CFF EAFM TWG and the USAID Oceans, this workshop is designed to assess existing CDT systems (e.g. the ACDS) and gaps; evaluate its suitability for implementation in CT6; assess country-specific needs and practices and adapt it into the chosen CDT system as part of the overall CT6 fisheries management practices.

Date and Venue

• Date: September 2018
• Venue: Honiara, Solomon Islands

Organizer

1. CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat

Output and Outcome

The objectives of this activity are to begin to customize CDT systems based on countries’ need, and to incorporate developed CDT system into existing countries’ EAFM Plan

The outputs of this activity are:

1. The first step in developing the framework for customized CDT system;
2. Integrated EAFM Plan with the developed CDT system

Related Document

Description

The CTI-CFF has had numerous working meetings towards a joint partnership program with USAID under the Oceans and Fisheries Partnership (USAID Oceans) to strengthen regional cooperation to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, promote sustainable fisheries, and conserve marine biodiversity in the Asia-Pacific region. CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat (CTI-CFF RS) work closely with USAID Oceans to develop, promote and implement Catch Documentation and Traceability (CDT) plans to CTI-CFF member countries as well as to formulate a regional CDT Plan, which integrate with Ecosystem Approach to Management of Fisheries (EAFM) to ensure sustainable fishery management and to promote conservation.

CDT Scheme is a fundamental concept of combating IUU fishing by providing a good documentation of tracking fish from point catch to final destination (market) including supply-chain. In CDT scheme, it is of important that fishing and trading nations ensure fish and trading the open market are caught by sustainable fishing practices that mainstream conservation and management measures. Therefore, CDT scheme provide normally validated catch documents issued to fishing vessels and export or re-export documents issued or received (e.g. ASEAN Catch Documentation Scheme, ACDS). With regards to USAID Oceans Partnership, CTI-CFF RS will develop a customized CDT scheme that is applicable to the need of member countries, by adopting and modifying ACDS. The CTI-CFF CTD scheme will cover selected economic aquatic species e.g. groupers, crab, snappers and all economic tuna species.

EAFM is a key approach toward addressing common trans-boundary policy and regulatory concerns, such as (i) over-fishing of shared pelagic fish stocks; (ii) illegal cross-border fishing by small-scale fishers (stimulated by depletion of local coastal fisheries), commercial-scale fishing operations, and trans-shipment; (iii) fishing overcapacity; and (iv) by-catch of protected and endangered species (CTI-CFF RPOA, 2009). The purpose of EAFM is to plan, develop, and manage fisheries in a manner that addresses the multiple needs and desires of societies, without jeopardizing the options for future generations to benefit from the full range of goods and services provided by marine ecosystems. EAFM is also a practical way to implement sustainable development for the management of fisheries by finding a balance between ecological and human well-being through good governance (Heenan et al. 2013).

The 10th Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM-10) tasked the CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat to develop a list of experts in the field of coral reefs, fisheries and food securities discipline in a view to achieve the RPOA Goals. Following the decision, the CTI-CFF RS shall collaborate with USAID Oceans to conduct a 2-day planning meeting towards the establishment of the first Scientific Advisory Group (SAG) with the aim for the SAG members, together with NCCs to advise, evaluate and/or enhance the implementation of CDT System in the region, if need be and at the same time, remains relevant to Goal 2 of the RPOA.

Date and Venue

TBD, Manado-Indonesia

Organizer

CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat

Output and Outcome

The output of this activity is the scientific recommendation on the CDT/EAFM System.

The outcome of this activity is to provide recommendation to NCC on CDT/EAFM System.

Related Document

Description

The Regional Secretariat aspires to strengthen relationships and promote CDT system implementation as part of EAFM approach towards fisheries management. Together with NCCs, this activity aims to ensure participation, monitor and evaluate the implementation of USAID/DOI CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat Work Plan (2017-2019).

Date and Venue

TBD, Coral Triangle Member Countries

Organizer

CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat

Output and Outcome

The output of this activity is real time evaluation of the progress of each country

The outcome of this activity is buy-in from Pacific member countries on CDT and EAFM Plan

Related Document

Description

U.S. Agency for International Development’s Regional Development Mission for Asia (USAID-RDMA) through US Department of Interior (DOI) for the period of 2017 – 2019 supports Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries, and Food Security (CTI-CFF) to develop fisheries related activities that can promote sustainable fisheries practices in the CTI region, in order to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUUF), promote sustainable fisheries, and conserve marine biodiversity. This support has been settled through a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat and the US DOI, with a work plan entitled Strengthening Organizational and Administrative Capacity for Improved Fisheries Management (SOACAP-IFM).

The SOACAP-IFM program aims to enrich the implementation of ecosystem approach to fisheries management (EAFM) in the CTI member countries through improving the use of catch documentation and traceability (CDT) systems in fisheries and seafood value-chain as an instrument to improve market of the products, as well as to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and promote sustainable fisheries for livelihoods and food security in the Asia and Pacific region. The 13th Senior Official’s Meeting in Makati Philippines, 2018 has acknowledged the last version of the proposed SOACAP-IFM activities as mentioned in the SOM-13 decision Number 11.1, Attachment 11.b (point 5b) “Acknowledged the last version of the SOACAP-IFM Work Plan, comprising of 2 operational objectives with total of 7 activities for a period of 2017 – 2019….”.

The SOACAP-IFM work plan is aligned with other USAID-supported programs in particular the USAID Oceans and Fisheries Partnerships (the USAID Oceans) and the USAID SEAFDEC project. The USAID Oceans is one of the USAID portfolios designed for strengthening regional cooperation to combat IUUF, promote sustainable fisheries, and conserve marine biodiversity in the Asia-Pacific region. Therefore, the CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat work closely with USAID Oceans and the USAID SEAFDEC Project to promote and inspire the development and implementation of CDT system including investment approach through public-private partnership, and how to make use of the CDT data and other environmental data available to enrich the EAFM Plan with a support of scientific group.

This activity 2.1. CTI-CFF Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Preparation: Expert-Consultation Meeting on PPP Design and Arrangement, is designed to exchange views among relevant CT governments and development sectors on any possible PPP proposals and arrangement for sustainable fisheries sectors. It includes development of accountable fisheries information systems such as catch documentation and traceability of seafood products in value-chain, where would be required by international markets. In addition, this activity is a preparatory meeting for the CTI-CFF PPP on sustainable fisheries management amongst related stakeholders/parties. The meeting is intended to discuss appropriate and suitable PPP arrangement including necessary steps and actions to ensure suitable and best PPP arrangement for appropriate infrastructure and technology investment from point of catch through post-harvest sectors to support sustainable fisheries in CTI member countries.

The PPP has been recognized and become an economic model of development to address the challenges in financial constraints of the Government, improvement of quality of services, cost-risk allocation effectiveness, and faster implementation. The importance of PPP in fisheries sectors has also been recognized in a Resolution 2/12 on Sustainable Coral Reefs Management of the UNEA-2 held in Nairobi, 23-27 May 2016. The resolution encourages governments to further develop partnerships with industry, including fisheries, aquaculture and tourism, and civil society, and the establishment of public-private partnerships. The CTI-CFF Regional Plan of Action has recognized the importance to develop financial investment for fishers including PPP to promote sustainable fisheries (Regional Action 2 of respective Target 2 & 3 of Goal 2: EAFM).

However, the implementation of the PPP including design and arrangement is challenge, particularly in fisheries sectors as this sector is considered as a high-risk investment return for private sectors or for financial institutions. Besides, the implementation requires the government (or development sectors) to have ample capacity and competency to adopt the PPP concept and develop business partnerships including mobility of business concerns and potentials within sustainable fisheries sectors. Furthermore, WorldFish Center has indicated this challenge of difficulties in deciding the best and suitable PPP arrangement, as many options exist for such partnership arrangements where differences among the partnerships can be delicate (Weirowski & Hall, 2008). It is then important that relevant governments and development sectors build better understanding on the concepts of PPPs being proposed for fisheries sectors.

PPP in the CTI-CFF member country is not a new theme. All member countries have PPP modalities i.e. national policy, framework, and implementing institution, which support the development of PPP arrangement and projects for public services and infrastructures. A specific PPP institution in each member countries has been identified as listed in the section eight (8) of this TOR. With those modalities, PPP design and arrangement in fisheries sectors can be explored and developed, to some extent, by learning from relevant country’s experiences.

In the framework of the USAID Oceans, PPP becomes one of the work streams that is expected to bring participation of private sectors for development of application of CDT systems and EAFM. Aligning with the USAID Oceans work stream on PPP, CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat in support of the USAID/RDMA will play its role in developing PPP concept and practices in sustainable fisheries for the CT member countries. It is expected to, not only support for CDT systems application, and EAFM practices, but also provide a general PPP framework to member countries to develop economic performances in their fisheries sectors.

However, the challenges for the PPP developments in the context of CTI-CFF, on the other side, are recognized. Not only does it lie on the capacity of the member countries, particularly the governments to develop such as business partnerships with their existing national framework, but, it needs also mobility of business concerns to understand the business potential embedded in the sustainable fisheries sectors of each member countries. Therefore, any efforts to develop PPP arrangement in the fisheries sectors of the CTI-CFF framework should consider building-up better understanding and business capacity of the major player i.e. relevant governmental agencies to design and implement the PPP concept.

Date and Venue

• Date: 4-5 April 2018
• Venue: Aryaduta Hotel, Jakarta, Indonesia

Organizer

CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat and NCC Indonesia

Output and Outcome

The outputs of this activity are:

1. Report on the PPP preparation in sustainable fisheries
2. List of PPP task force

The outcomes of this activity are to have better understanding and active participation of the CT member countries to consider suitable and best PPP design and arrangement that meet the needs of the countries in clearly defined public services and infrastructure of fisheries sectors, and to prepare a generic PPP Task Force to guide the development of PPP arrangement.

Related Document

Description

This activity 2.2 CTI-CFF PPP will consist of 1 main event and 2 side events, which is designed to run for 3 (three) consecutive days.

The targeted participants include (national and local) government representatives, fisheries communities, small-medium fisheries businesses, fisherman, civil society organizations (CSOs), and private sectors e.g. traders, suppliers, exporters, importers, financial services, businesses, fisheries-related industries, and many other potential participants.

Date and Venue

• Date: March 2019
• Venue: Bali, Indonesia

Organizer

CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat

Output and Outcome

The outputs of this activity are:

1. List of potential collaborations among PPP stakeholders
2. TOR of PPP Dialogue
3. Report of PPP Dialogue

The outcomes of this activity are:

1. Establishment of potential collaboration among PPP stakeholders
2. Build better understanding on CDT and Fisheries Management
3. Knowledge sharing among stakeholders

Related Document