Bio-diversity

The design of this Proposal reflects the common principles for any community-based resource management initiative including; 3.1 Maximum community participation at all stages of the development of the District Fisheries Management Plan, ie. Planning, development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. Through wider community participation, ownership of the Management Plan will be enhanced and the people will be more committed to implementing project activities on their own. 3.2 Motivation and education. The Project will include awareness and educational programmes coupled with traditional knowledge. Educating the community on worrying trends in fisheries biodiversity and shifting of traditional preferences of fish/shell fish catch etc., may help to bring about some sense of motivation to improve the current situation. 3.3 A management system which is demand-based. The Meneng District has shown deep concern for the marine environment and their declining fisheries, and have in the past also reflected their willingness to participate and contribute in finding solutions to these problems. They have worked with NFMRA in implementing fisheries management activities in the recent past. The Meneng community were the first to complete community consultations and recently were proactive in seeking funding assistance from GEF SGP in March,2008 to further work that had started on their Management Action Plan. 3.4 The development of alternative sources of seafood Managing coastal fisheries in most cases may be perceived by fishing communities as depriving them from harvesting fisheries resources. For any management plan to be successfully implemented and sustainable, alternative sources of seafood/food has to be offered to the people. This Proposal includes a possible restocking of old aquaculture ponds and the option of offshore fishing for Meneng.

Fiji