S
I O F
P
OUTH WEST NDIAN
CEAN
ISHERIES
ROGRAMME
(SWIOFP)
NEWSFLASH 10:September 2004
An occasional newsletter to update
members of SWIOFP on current
develo pments.
The strategic workshop dealing with the science plan was held in Durban
from 8 10 September 2004. The highly successful meeting significantly
advanced the activities of SWIOFP.
Administration
· The SWIOFP secretariat has been involved in finalising the second Project B grant as well as
making travel and financial arrangements for the science workshop in Durban.
Project activities
· KMFRI has completed the questionnaire-based template to develop an approach to data
management an is now urgently requesting submissions from participants to reflect the status and
nature of their data holdings.
· There has been very welcome collaboration with the Madagascar delegation which has re-affirmed
its desire to participate in SWIOFP. Accordingly, they have already made a start with the project
management aspects of SWIOFP, for presentation at the next Plenary in Maputo.
· France has also participated more actively, not only in their excellent scientific contribution but
also in regard to their role relating to legal issues. This aspect will also be presented at the next
Plenary.
2nd Science Workshop
The South Africa focal point, under guidance of Dr Johan Groeneveld, hosted an excellent science
plan workshop. The event was co-hosted by the Oceanographic Research Institute (ORI) in Durban at
their new uShaka Marine World complex. A total of 21 scientists from ten countries participated,
contributing to the overall excellent scientific progress made. The workshop programme was based on
submissions received by MCM which had been collated into eight distinct themes. Countries had
submitted specific projects under each theme, and these were reviewed at the workshop.
The meeting was addressed by Bill Lane of the World Bank who explained a number of technical and
administrative aspects. He also indicated that-
· There was growing urgency in finalising the submission of a SWIOFP plan to the GEF. A final
submission would have to be made by July 2005, despite the fact that a host of meetings and
workshops were still required.
· He acknowledged the complex nature of SWIOFP with some ten countries participating, and
emphasised the need for individual countries to develop their own plans. There was some
flexibility in country proposals, as long as they met the trans-boundary criteria of SWIOFP. It was
possible to "attach" purely national projects to the proposal, but these would need to be financed
on a different basis e.g. loans.
· He further stressed the need for developing a preliminary estimate of total operational and
procurement costs so that implementation details could be assessed.
· Dr Lane stressed the imperative that the Somali-Agulhas LME (SALME) project and SWIOFP
become closely interfaced. This was confirmed by David la Roche from UNDP and representing
SALME.
The workshop was presented with a series of themes as follows:
THEME 1:
Review and evaluation of available information
on fisheries and oceanographic features of the
SWIO
THEME 2:
Crustacean resources and their bycatch in the
SWIO: Utilization, surveys, assessment and
ecological impacts
THEME 3:
Diversity, abundance, distribution, stock
differentiation and biology of demersal fishes,
sharks and cephalopods in the SWIO:
Development of existing and new fisheries within
an ecosystems framework
THEME 4:
Movement patterns of- and improved access by
artisanal fishers to large pelagic fishes (tuna,
swordfish and sharks) in the SWIO
THEME 5:
Status of pelagic fish resources (excluding tuna
and billfish) and cephalopods in the SWIO
region: Diversity, distribution, abundance, stock
discrimination and biological reference points
necessary for local and regional management.
THEME 6:
An ecosystems approach to the management of
the SWIO resources from plankton
productivity to large marine mammals
THEME 7:
The nature and distribution of fishing effort in
the SWIO
THEME 8:
Evolution of resource management structures in
the WIO
Based on extensive deliberations in break-away groups, the following suggestions were made in order
to rationalise the various themes:
·
The oceanographic component of Theme 1 would be better located under the SALME.
·
Theme 3 should be an overall demersal theme and not specifically refer to groups of
species such as sharks and cephalopods.
·
Themes 4 and 5 could be combined and be dedicated to pelagic resources.
·
Although it was initially suggested that Themes 2 and 3 could be combined, general
consensus was reached to keep them as separate themes.
·
Theme 8 could become a sub-component of Theme 7
·
In addition, the role of non-consumptive resources, such as dolphins, whales and
turtles, was considered to be a potential theme, as was the need to focus on socio-
economic and marketing aspects of WIO fisheries.
·
It was proposed that SWIOFP could possibly be implemented as a 3-tiered structure:
Themes (= components)
8 Themes
Management level
Regional Projects (= sub-components)
Several Regional Projects per Theme
Transcends national boundaries
Regional level.
Country participation
Country participation in each Regional project
(= projects/activities)
National but contributes to the Regional Projects.
Funding level.
A detailed record of the meeting has already been produced and is available to all stakeholders. All the
relevant information generated at the workshop has been made available to MCM and Johan
Groeneveld will provide an update of the themes accordingly.
South West Indian Ocean Commission
This body is being developed with support from FAO in order to secure better management of WIO
marine resources. Clearly it relates closely to SWIOFP activities and therefore SWIOFP was
represented by Ana Paula Baloi. Highlights of that meeting include:
South West Indian Ocean Commission
This body is being developed with support from FAO in order to secure better management of WIO
marine resources. Clearly it relates closely to SWIOFP activities and therefore SWIOFP was
represented by Ana Paula Baloi. Highlights of that meeting include:
· The need for collective action and management of living marine resources in the Indian Ocean
· The sharing of data, advice and technology in the sustainable development of non-tuna resources
· The drawing up joint management plans
A range of administrative issues is being addressed, including reporting, observer, and procedural
matters. Future meetings will focus on establishing country working relationships and formalising the
agreements. Clearly, this is of great relevance to SWIOFP, which in time is sure to develop a
synergistic relationship with the proposed Commission.
Nairobi Convention COP4 meeting in Madagascar
The Nairobi Convention is a Regional Seas programme implemented by UNEP in Nairobi. Its main
objective is to promote international collaboration in the protection of shared marine and coastal
resources. This is one of 17 such programmes worldwide and was launched in 1985. It recently made
considerable progress when it held its ministerial conference of parties (COP4), held in Antananarivo.
This event provided SWIOFP with considerable exposure and it was acknowledged that SWIOFP
closely related to the objectives of the Convention, which is endorsed by all countries of the WIO
region.
Updated Table of Activities reflecting approximate time schedules
INTERIM PROGRESS & PLANS
Task / Theme
Action
Status
Deadline
Finalise pdf-B extension
Completed
-
(Pre-appraisal)
Plan for 4th plenary
Underway
Mid-January 2005
(Pre-appraisal)
Plan for 5th plenary (final appraisal)
Preliminary stage only
March 2005
Secretariat
Maintain SWIOFP website; initiate
Ongoing
(IIP-Mozambique)
"FishChat"
Final version of project submitted
Basic framework
Mid 2005
conceived
Interface with other WIO projects;
Ongoing
Ongoing
establish links
Project Launch
-
Late 2005
Final plan Science plan/ workshop.
Completed
Incorporate workshop develop
Underway
End 2004
Science Plan
science plan with cost estimates
(MCM-S.Afr)
Questionnaire circulated and
Underway, countries
30 Sept.
Data Management
submitted by institutions
need to reply urgently
(KMFRI-Kenya)
Final data & IT plan + Workshop
Pending questionnaire
Mid October 04,
submissions
Mombasa
Harmonise procurement procedures
Ongoing
Operations &
Finalise procurement plan
Underway
End 2004
Procurement
2nd Specialist workshop
Planned
1st week December-
(TAFIRI- Tanzania)
Zanzibar
Questionnaire to focal points
Underway
30 Sep 04
Legal issues
Collate response from focal points
Underway
31 Oct 04
(France)
Workshop
To be planned
2nd week Nov. 04.
Reunion
Engage Madagascar
Achieved
Develop template for management
Underway
30 Sep 04
Project management
needs & costs
(Madagascar)
Questionnaire circulated and collated
To be planned
15 Oct. 04
Specialist workshop
Planned
At Plenary in Jan 05
Appoint team of specialists
Achieved
Sustain
National Focal
Workshop to develop country needs
Achieved
Points
and expectations; document prepared
Submit contribution to Science Plan
Completed
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Instituto Nacional de Investigação Pesqueira (IIP)
SWIOFP coordinator
Maputo, Mozambique
Tel: + 258 1 490536 / 490307 / 499963
Fax + 258 1 492112
Email: swiofp@moziip.org
Web: www.swiofp.org