GEF SAP II PROJECT:
NATIONAL PROJECT PREPARATION REPORTS
TOKELAU
Foreword
This brief report, prepared by Les Clark and Colin Brown, aims to assemble information
relating to Tokelau necessary for the preparation of the GEF SAP II Project.
The main aims of the report are:
· To make an assessment of the implications of the WCPF Convention for Tokelau
· To identify possible interventions to support implementation by Tokelau of the
WCPF Convention
· To make an analysis of the incremental costs to Tokelau of activities related to the
Convention
· To undertake an analysis of stakeholders in Tokelau with interests in the regional
oceanic fisheries resources
· To identify relevant consultative mechanisms in Tokelau for the GEF SAP II Project
To collect information relating to available indicators of performance in areas related to the
WCPF Convention and to the financial sustainability of Tokelau's participation in the
Commission and implementation of the WCPF
1.
Background
1.1
Status of Oceanic Fisheries
Tokelau is the newest member of the Forum Fisheries Agency, and with a population of
around 1,500 and an EEZ of 290,000sq.km., is, with Niue, one of the two smallest countries
participating in the WCPF Process. There are two processes of political change underpinning
Tokelau's approach to the the WCPF Convention and Commission:
· The exercise of competence by Tokelau over the waters of its EEZ, which is the basis for
Tokelau's participation in the new Commission; and
· The restructuring of the Tokelauan administration to place the three villages as the centres
for social and economic development, including strengthening their capacities in fisheries
management and development
Tokelauans' relationship with oceanic fisheries has two aspects:
· Nearshore fishing for oceanic species, initially involving traditional methods and now
trolling and handlining from aluminium dinghies, both continues to underpin the food
security of Tokelauans as it has always done, and plays a major role in the cultural
identity of Tokelauans; and
· Offshore fishing by foreign vessels provides important revenue for the Tokelau
Government, contributing around 90 per cent of non-grant income earnings.
1.2
Oceanic Fisheries Management
The major objectives of tuna management and development policy as set out in the draft
Tokelau Tuna Management and Development Plan are:
· To ensure the sustainability of harvesting of tuna resources within the Tokelau EEZ; and
· To have a sustainable and profitable industry harvesting at or near the total allowable
catch (TAC), fully owned by Tokelauans living in Tokelau, employing the maximum
number of Tokelauans, with maximum retained value in the country.
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There are no limits in place on fishing for oceanic species in Tokelau, but the draft Plan sets
harvest targets for major species based on an analysis of sustainable levels of harvests. The
other major management measure in place is closed areas. Currently, foreign vessels are
limited to fishing outside the 12 mile territorial sea to protect small scale fishing, and
consideration is being given to extending this closed area.
1.3
Oceanic Fisheries Institutional Arrangements
Within the Tokelau administration, the newly established Department of Economic
Development & Environment & Planning & Monitoring has the primary responsibility for
oceanic fisheries management. The main emphasis in the work of the Department is on
securing benefits for Tokelau from the sustainable development of fishery resources, where
the major potential is seen in oceanic fisheries development. Within the Department, the
number of fisheries staff is being increased from 3 to 7, and there are another.. staff for
whom fisheries makes up a significant share of their work. Within the Department,
responsibilities for oceanic fisheries include:
· overall management of oceanic fisheries management and development by the Director;
· licensing and compliance, including VMS, which is the responsibility of the newly
created VMS officer post; and
· core fisheries management functions, to be carried out by 3 staff in newly created posts
for fisheries officers in each village
At the political level, all important national issues are considered within a framework of
consultation at village level, where the Councils of Elders play a key part in all matters related
to fisheries.
Other Donor Involvement
There is no other significant donor involvement in oceanic fisheries management in Tokelau,
although UNDP has approved a project to support small scale oceanic fishery development.
1.5
Other Oceanic Fisheries Management Issues
Other oceanic fisheries management issues that arose in the mission to Tokelau include the
economic impact of fluctuations in revenue from fishing fees.
2.
Tokelau and the WCPF Convention
2.1
Overview
Tokelau sees the WCPF Convention as reinforcing traditional Tokelauan values of
conservation and management of the resources of the sea. Key specific issues for Tokelau
throughout the MHLC and Prep Con processes have included:
· Recognition of the competence of Tokelau in respect of the management of its oceanic
fish resources, and of the right of Tokelau to take its place in the processes of the
Commission;
· The fundamental importance of the oceanic fish resources to the welfare and identity of
the people of Tokelau in their efforts to strive for self-reliance;
· The need for the work of the Commission to be structured in a way that recognises the
constraints in capacity of its smallest participants, and which promotes effective
participation by small countries.
As a Member of the Commission and a Party to the WCPF Convention, major short term
areas of implications for Tokelau are seen as follows;
· The need to systematically strengthen its institutional capacities in areas such as
monitoring, statistics, compliance and policy formulation, within the constraints of the
very limited overall capacity of the Tokelau administration;
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· The importance to Tokelau of ensuring that it can meet the additional responsibilities
associated with presenting Tokelau's interests in the Commission;
· .the need for a vigorous consultative process to engage the people of Tokelau in
understanding and implementing the Convention
Overall, Tokelau faces probably the greatest challenge of all the countries that will
participate in the GEF SAP II project to effectively implement the Convention and
effectively participate in the Commission within the limits of its available financial and
human resources. Tokelau is systematically strengthening its capacities in relevant areas,
but will also need continuing support from FFA and SPC
2.2
Implications of the Convention
2.2.1
Legal
Oceanic fisheries management in Tokelau is governed by the Tokelau EEZ Act of 1977. The
draft Tuna Management and Development Plan calls for the legislation to be updated through
the preparation of a new marine Resources Act and accompanying regulations Tokelau is
looking to the SAP II Project to support the undertaking of consultations on each island as
part of the process of reviewing its legal framework for oceanic fisheries. Tokelau will also
continue to need assistance from FFA in legal matters relating to the Convention and the
Commission, including support for participation in regional legal workshops and
consultations.
2.2.2
Policy/Institutional
The fisheries administration of Tokelau is the newest and the smallest of the countries
participating in the SAP II Project. There are presently three staff working on fisheries. This
capacity will be substantially strengthened with the appointment of a new Director, a VMS
officer and the three village fisheries officers.
Tokelau is looking for support in the strengthening of its own capacity for policy analysis and
formulation but it will also continue to depend heavily on external advice for policy analysis
and formulation, especially on issues related to the WCPF Commission, particularly from
FFA.
The Tuna Management and Development Plan provides a systematic framework for the
reform of oceanic fisheries management policies, including relationships with foreign fishing
interests, but will require a major effort to implement.
Activities which could assist Tokelau in the reform and strengthening of its institutions and
policies include:
· Participation in regional workshops and consultations on oceanic fisheries policy issues;
· In country technical assistance and consultations within the villages to ensure a good
understanding of the Convention and the Commission
· Technical assistance on the implementation of oceanic fisheries management aspects of
the Tuna Management and Development Plan.
The arrangements for the amount of financial contributions of territories to the WCPF
Commission are not yet finalised, but it is likely that the financial contribution of Tokelau will
be based on some share of the level that would be paid by Pacific Island States with only a
small domestic fleet, which is expected to be in the range of US$6-10,000 per year once the
Commission is fully established
2.2.3
Compliance
Tokelau has no dedicated compliance operations, and has depended in the past on regional
instruments such as the FFA Regional Register, and on ad hoc activities and information from
inter-island vessels, supplemented by air patrols by New Zealand aircraft. Now, Tokelau is
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installing the FFA VMS and is looking to arrange some sea patrol operations through
arrangements under the Niue Treaty. As it works to establish a compliance programme,
Tokelau will need a range of assistance in compliance activities, including training in
boarding and inspection and VMS operations, and support to establish cooperative
arrangements with other FFA Member states under the Niue Treaty.
Because of its status, Tokelau does not have a national vessel register, and some work is
needed to assess the responsibilities of Tokelau with respect to vessels that might be
controlled by Tokelau.
2.2.4
Monitoring
Tokelau has recently established a Statistics section which is planned to jointly develop with
fisheries personnel a system for collection and analysis of fishery data. Advice from SPC will
be needed to establish a licensing and fishery monitoring database, and there is also a need for
equipment and training. Even with this database in place, Tokelau is likely to continue to
need the support of SPC to prepare the level of statistical data required of Tokelau by the
Commission.
Since there are no commercial landings of oceanic species in Tokelau, port sampling is not
likely to be a requirement for some time, but Tokelau does need support to establish an
observer programme.
2.2.5
Scientific Analysis
Tokelau will continue to depend on SPC for scientific advice and information on oceanic
fishery resources, and it is important to Tokelau that the capacity of SPC to provide scientific
support to Pacific Island Countries is not diminished as SPC moves to play a leading role in
the scientific work of the Commission. However, Tokelau also needs to build its own
capacity to interpret the scientific information made available from regional scientific
programmes.
There is limited national awareness of ecosystem issues and this area needs attention.
Bycatch issues are very important to Tokelau for food security reasons, but there is no
documentation of bycatches in Tokelau waters. Improving the understanding of the impact of
oceanographic changes is an important area in which better information is needed from
regional work to enable results to be useful at national level.
3.
Potential Contribution of SAP II Project
Potential areas in which the SAP II Project could contribute to assisting Tokelau in the
implementation of national activities related to the WCPF Convention are summarised in the
table below.
Activity
Incremental Actions
Possible Interventions
Legal
Revise Legal framework
Prepare new Marine Resources Act
Technical legal and fisheries
and regulations.
management assistance
Support for consultations in
villages
Support Commission
Provide legal advice
Regional Legal Workshops
participation
Implement Commission
Interpret legal requirements
Regional Legal Workshops
decisions
Policy
Participate in the
Commission meeting participation
Regional Fisheries Management
Commission and new
Additional FFA Meeting
Training/Consultations
regional management
participation
Attachments
arrangements
Strengthen In-Zone
Implement management aspects of
Technical assistance, especially on
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Management/
the Tuna Plan
foreign fishing management
Compliance
Increase IUU deterrence
Technical assistance on
in-zone
Regional MCS Working Group
participation
MCS staff training
Monitoring
Improve at-sea data
Establish Observer Programme
Assistance to start up observer
programme
Improve statistics/
Start up Fishery Statistics
Technical Assistance, training &
Provide data to the
Programme. Create licensing & stats
equipment to start up Statistics
Commission
database
programme
Science
Improve understanding
Strengthen national capacity to
Ongoing support from SPC
of oceanic resources and
analyse national data
ecosystem
Strengthen national capacity to
interpret regional analyses
ANNEXES
Annex 1
Incremental Cost/Co-financing Analysis
Annex 2
Stakeholder Inventory and Analysis (including consultative mechanism
inventory)
Annex 3
Record of Stakeholder Consultation
Annex 4
Indicator Availability
Annex 5
Sustainability Analysis
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Annex 1 Incremental Cost Analysis
Summary
National Funding
Total 2005-2009
Theme
Total 2005-2009
Baseline
Incremental
(US$000)
1 Law
0
45
2 Policy/Management
50
100
3 Compliance
95
245
4 Monitoring
40
22.5
5 Science
0
37.5
Total
185
450
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Tokelau will be building its oceanic fisheries management capacity almost from scratch within a restructuring of the economic development administration
generally that will give higher priority to oceanic fisheries.
Co-financing cost estimates are based on:
Law: participation by government legal advisor in legal review and Commission-related activities
Policy/Management: capacity strengthening through additional staff including a new Director, VMS personnel and fisheries officers as part of a broader
approved restructuring of Government services; participation in the activities of the Commission; annual contribution to the Commission of US$5,218.00
Compliance: Development of MCS programme including installation of the FFA VMS node, Niue Treaty activities, training; use of MV Tokelau in surface
surveillance operations
Monitoring: expand observer programme develop data collection and analysis programme;
Science: fisheries database to be established under the Government Statistics officer
Base Data
2004 Budget
Institution
Programme Theme
%OFM
2004 OFM
(US$)
Budget
Off. Director
Policy/Mgmt
20
100%
20
DEPEPM
Monitoring
10
100%
10
DEPEPM
Science
2.5
100%
2.5
DEPEPM
Compliance
5
100%
5
Transport
Compliance
40
100%
40
Legal Adviser
Law
4
100%
4
Total
81.5
Details
2004
2004
2004 WCPF
2005-2009
Total
Theme
Institution Programme
OFM
Non-WCPF
New WCPF Increment
Increment
Baseline
Incr
budget
Baseline
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Total
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1 Law
Legal
4
4
0
0
5
5
5
5
5
25
45
Adviser
2 Policy/Mgmt Off. Director
20
10
10
50
10
10
10
10
10
50
100
3 Compliance DEPEPM
5
4
1
5
5
5
5
5
5
25
45
TransportD
40
20
20
90
20
20
20
20
20
100
200
4 Monitoring DEPEPM
10
2
8
40
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
12.5
22.5
5 Science
DEPEPM
2.5
2.5
0
0
5
5
5
5
5
25
37.5
81.5
42.5
39
185
237.5
450
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Annex 2: Stakeholder inventory data sheet [and preliminary participation plan]
Country:
Tokelau
Date:
11 June, 2004
Data Recorder: Colin Brown, cibn@oyster.net.ck
Description of
Stakeholder analysis and preliminary participation plan
Interests
Representative/
1o s/holder
2o s/holder
Other
Stakeholder
Contact details
post
[factors that may
[role in decision-
[2-way flow of
influence
making]
information]
participation]
[Keep informed]
PO Box 865, Apia
Department
of
Economic
Phone: 20822
National
fisheries
Development
and Mose Pelasio
management
X
Email:
Environment
authority
mose.pelasio@clea
r.net.nz
Village management
Village Council of Elders
X
body
Council
for
On-going
National
governing
X
Government
body
NGO: group of able-
X
Aumaga
bodied men
NGO:
women's
X
Fatupaipai
affairs
General Public
X
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Inventory of Project-related national consultative mechanisms
Consultative body
Parent/host
Representative/
Area(s) of
Frequency of
Members and affiliations
body
interest
contact details
meetings
Senior Management National
PO Box 3298
Social
and
General Manager, National Office
Team
Office
economic
Phone: 685 32325
Departmental Directors
matters
Fax 30328
Atoll General Managers
Email:
falani.aukuso@clear.
net.nz
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GEF SAP II Country Mission
Tokelau
Wednesday, 9 June, 2004
Stakeholder Consultation
The Mission to Samoa, included a stakeholders consultation with representatives from
Tokelau to discuss the WCPF Tuna Convention and development of the GEF SAP II project.
Those present were: Falani Aukuso, Director, Office of the Council of Faipule; Mose Pelasio,
Senior Policy Advisory Officer (Fisheries); Tony Jones, Public Service Adviser; Tino Vitale,
Tokelau Telecom; Kele Kelekoleo, Policy Advisory Officer (Statistics); Fatu Tauafiafi, Editor
Tapu Magazine; Alan Shaw, General Manager Finance.
Mr Les Clark gave a presentation on the Convention. Issues raised in discussion were:
· With the WCPF Tuna Commission headquarters apparently destined for location in
FSM, travel is an issue in terms of time and cost
Following a presentation on the development of the GEF SAP II project, issues raised were:
· Work on the Tokelau Tuna Management Plan has been initiated but assistance is
required to complete the work
· There is a need to enhance the human resource capacity to adequately fulfil the
requirements and obligations of the Convention
· The lack of surveillance of the Tokelau zone is an issue of concern through the
Niue Treaty, Tokelau is interested in coordinating with Samoa to use the patrol
vessel, Nafanua
· The recent declines in US purse seine catch is of serious concern as this revenue
forms a significant part of the Tokelau economy.
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Annex 4 Availability of National Indicators
Current Value, if easily
Indicator
Availability
available
1. Coverage of:
Not
a) catch and effort logsheets: domestic fleet
applicable
b) catch and effort logsheets: foreign fleet
Not
c) port sampling
applicable
Not
d) observers: domestic fleet
applicable
2. Levels of budgets and staffing for these
programmes
3. Levels of fleet capacity and fishing effort
4. Catch of target species,
5. Levels of mortality of related species,
including bycatch and seabirds
Note: this analysis does not include a range of national indicators which are known to be
available for all countries such as status of legislation, undertaking of national reforms etc.
Annex V - Sustainability Analysis
Annual Government Revenue from Licensing: US$700,000
Annual In-Zone Catch Value: (to be estimated by FFA)
Annual Domestic Catch Value: NZ$1,000,000
Annual Production Value (including value of processing): NZ$1,000,000
Expected Annual Commission Contributions: not known at this stage, but less than
US$6,000
Estimated Annual Government Incremental Costs: US$90,000
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