GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL FACILITY
CONCEPT FOR A STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP FOR A SUSTAINABLE
FISHERIES INVESTMENT FUND
Countries:
Coastal Countries of Sub Saharan Africa (SSA)
Eligibility:
The countries are eligible under paragraph 9(b) of the GEF
Instrument.
GEF Focal Area/OP:
Waterbody-based Operational Program, OP 8
Project Title:
Strategic Partnership for Sustainable Fisheries Management in
the LMEs of SSA
Implementing Agency:
World Bank
Country Implementing Agency: TBD
Total Project Cost:
US $ 265 million
Financing Plan (tentative):
US $ 5 million Fund for Sustainable Fisheries,
US $ 200 million IDA/IBRD and other sources,
US $ 60 million GEF (disbursed in three tranches that would be
released based on trigger indicators, the 1st tranche would be for US $
20 million)
Project Duration
10 years
Preparation Costs:
TBD
PDF-B Funds Requested:
TBD
PDF Co-financing
TBD
Block A Awarded
TBD
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1. BACKGROUND
1.1 Introduction: The Global Fishing Crisis and the World Summit on Sustainable
Development Targets for Fisheries
Both the living resources of the seas and the marine habitats that support them are
increasingly threatened. The open access nature of these seas and the living resources
within them (i.e. resources supporting fisheries) has not only attracted many participants
from other stagnant sectors or impoverished conditions in countries around the world, but
has also caused the global decline of the fisheries resource base and threatened the
health of the sector in the waters of many coastal countries. Global production from
capture fisheries once grew at a rate of 6% per year, increasing from 18 million tons in
1950 to 56 million tons in 1969. However, during the 1970s and 1980s, the average rate
of the increase in fisheries production declined to 2% per year, falling to almost zero in
the 1990s, as production has since stabilized at roughly 90 million tons annually. At the
same time, the total number of people fishing and fish farming worldwide more than
doubled (compared with a 35% increase in the economically-active population in
agriculture). As a result, FAO estimates that most of the world's fishing areas have now
reached their maximum potential for capture fisheries production, with at least 60% of
the world's major fisheries over- or fully fished. The last decade of relatively zero
growth in capture fisheries production has led FAO to suggest that no increases in total
fisheries catch would be obtained in the future, to the contrary, a decline in the total
stock, and the production, in particular for the most valuable species is most likely.
However, the decline in the resource base is not yet irreversible. Provided concerted
action is taken, the prevailing opinion, also from FAO is, that stocks can be rebuilt.
Similarly, of growing concern is the degradation of the habitats (i.e. coastal ecosystems)
that support almost 2/3rds of all of the fish harvested worldwide at some stage in their life
cycle. According to estimates by the World Resources Institute (WRI), roughly one third
of the world's coastal ecosystems are considered at high risk and another 17% at
moderate risk. For example, WRI estimates that 58% of the world's coral reef
ecosystems are potentially threatened by a combination of over fishing, coastal
development, sedimentation and other land-based pollution and destructive fishing
practices (including 88% of the coral reefs in East Asia).
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The World Summit on Sustainable Development: the Call to End Over fishing
Worldwide
Unfortunately, over-fishing and subsequent declining returns from the sector have only
reinforced cycles of coastal poverty for millions of rural fishing communities around the
world, while at the same time threatening the marine biodiversity and coastal ecosystems
that support fisheries. For this reason, the recent World Summit on Sustainable
Development (WSSD) felt over-fishing represented a serious crisis meriting a concerted
effort by the international community over the next 10 to 12 years, to restore the world's
fisheries to health by the year 2015 (including the coastal ecosystems that support these
fisheries). Some of the specific actions that participating governments agreed to
undertake:
· Maintaining or restoring fish stocks to levels that can produce the maximum
sustainable yield by 2015;
· Assisting developing countries in coordinating policies and programs aimed at the
conservation and sustainable management of fishery resources;
· Strengthening donor coordination and partnerships between international financial
institutions, bilateral agencies and other relevant stakeholders to enable
developing countries to develop their capacity for sustainable use of fisheries;
· Establishing representative networks of marine protected areas, consistent with
international law and based on scientific information; and
· Developing national, regional and international programs for halting the loss of
marine biodiversity, particularly in coral reefs and wetlands.
Specifically, the WSSD called on donor agencies and stakeholders to create new and
flexible partnerships to be able to respond to the growing crisis in world fisheries and
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implement the targets listed above, in order to ensure the health of both the living
resources in the sea and the habitats that support them.
1.2 Global Importance/Ecosystem Management of the Fisheries in the Large Marine
Ecosystems of Sub-Saharan Africa1
Nowhere is the crisis in global fisheries more evident, and the need to implement the
targets set by the WSSD greater, than in the five Large Marine Ecosystems (LMEs) that
cover the coastal waters of Sub-Saharan Africa.2 Coastal countries throughout Sub-
Saharan Africa possess a wealth of globally significant marine biodiversity and habitats
that include some of the world's most fertile fishing grounds, whether along the wide
continental shelf of West Africa's Canary Current LME or the river-fed coastline of
Mozambique along the Agulhas Current LME. In many cases, these living resources and
the habitats that support them constitute an important transboundary resource that is vital
to the lives and livelihoods of millions of rural coastal inhabitants throughout the region,
and the food security of a majority of the population.
Unfortunately, growing coastal populations and persistent foreign interests in marine
fisheries are placing increasing pressures on the marine biodiversity of Sub-Saharan
Africa. Because many of the poorest countries lack the capacity for effective fisheries
management, both local and foreign fleets fish in de facto open access conditions along
most of the continent, mining once fertile fishing grounds such as those off the coast of
West Africa. These de facto conditions of open access to African fisheries exist in many
cases despite the adoption over 20 years ago of the United Nations Convention on the
Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). This "constitution of the sea" essentially gave countries
exclusive rights and control to manage their fisheries resources up to 200 nautical miles
from the coast, yet 20 years later coastal countries throughout Sub-Saharan Africa still do
not have the capacity to take control of their own fisheries resources nor prevent their
overexploitation.
The LMEs of Sub-Saharan Africa are also beginning to feel the cumulative effects of
growing populations, which threaten habitats such as mangroves and wetlands through a
variety of activities including infrastructure development and logging of mangrove
forests for fuelwood. As such, these LMEs, and the living resources they support, are
1 The importance of Sub-Saharan Africa's fisheries has been stated by the NEPAD through the "Africa
Process for the Development and Protection of the marine and Coastal Environment in Sub-Saharan
Africa", which clarifies the needs and opportunities to conserve and restore critical coastal and marine
ecosystem integrity and promote sustainable and alternative livelihoods through better management of
natural resources, particularly coastal and shelf fisheries.
2 Large marine ecosystems are regions of ocean space encompassing coastal areas from river basins and
estuaries to the seaward boundaries of continental shelves and the seaward margins of coastal current
systems. There are 5 large marine ecosystems identified in Sub-Saharan Africa:
· Canary Current (West Africa)
· Guinea Current (Gulf of Guinea)
· Benguela Current (Namibia, Angola, South Africa)
· Agulhas Current (continental shelf shared by South Africa, Mozambique, Comoro Islands,
Seychelles, Madagascar and Mauritius)
· Somali Current (Tanzania, Kenya, Somalia)
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being threatened on two fronts: from the destruction of critical habitat that provides
spawning and nursery grounds for many species of fish in the early stages of their life
cycle, to over-harvesting of target fish stocks based on inadequate management of fishing
effort. Thus, for the protection of globally significant marine biodiversity and for the
welfare of the millions of people that depend on this biodiversity in the LMEs of Sub-
Saharan Africa, there is an urgent need for improved fisheries resource management
based on an ecosystem approach, which takes into account both the pressures on
individual fish stocks as well as the threats to the habitat critical to their survival. More
information on the eco-systems approach will be provided in the final project document.
2. RATIONALE FOR GEF SUPPORT
In order to reverse the depletion of fisheries in the LMEs of Sub-Saharan Africa, and to
assist the individual coastal countries bordering these LMEs to meet the fisheries targets
set by the WSSD, a ten-year Strategic Partnership for a Sustainable Fisheries Investment
Fund is being proposed. The rationale for a partnership is that the fisheries resources
supported by the large marine ecosystems of Sub-Saharan Africa are both poorly
governed and often transboundary in nature. For this reason, the WSSD has
recommended partnerships of donors, technical agencies and NGOs as the best vehicle to
assist developing countries to change both policies and practices in fisheries management
and the governance of large marine ecosystems. Thus, a Strategic Partnership for a
Sustainable Fisheries Investment Fund, focused on the LMEs of Sub-Saharan Africa, is
being proposed in order to assist the coastal countries in the region to meet the targets for
sustainable fisheries set by the WSSD and to ensure the health of the fisheries resource
base upon which so many lives and livelihoods depend.
This Partnership would establish a Sustainable Fisheries Investment Fund to encourage
country-level investments in the LMEs of Sub-Saharan Africa, which would
complement the ongoing GEF-led sub-regional LME projects. These country-level
investments would build the capacity of coastal countries in Sub-Saharan Africa to
implement policy and institutional reforms needed at national level in order to meet the
targets for sustainable fisheries set by the WSSD and build capacity of these countries to
support monitoring, surveillance and enforcement of national and international laws and
regulations with regard to fisheries and other marine and coastal resources, thereby
enabling them to more fully collaborate with and participate in the ongoing GEF funded
regional LME projects. Such investments facilitated by the Partnership's Sustainable
Fisheries Investment Fund would be consistent with the principles of the treaty of the
UNCLOS, by assisting coastal countries in Sub-Saharan Africa to build their capacity to
sustainably manage the fisheries resources they control as a result of the treaty.
3. STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP OBJECTIVES AND DESCRIPTION
3.1 Partnership Objectives
The objective of the Strategic Partnership for a Sustainable Fisheries Investment Fund
would be to provide a regional context that would encourage country-level investments
aimed at: (i) building the capacity of countries in Sub-Saharan Africa to implement
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policy and institutional reforms needed at national level in order to meet the fisheries
targets of the WSSD, and (ii) promoting the sustainable management of fisheries
resources in the LMEs of Sub-Saharan Africa. The Strategic Partnership's approach
would focus investments at the country level in order to assist coastal countries to
improve their governance of fisheries supported by the ongoing LME programs of Sub-
Saharan Africa, as well as to implement fisheries resource management measures more
appropriate (e.g. for transboundary resources) at the sub-regional level in collaboration
with the ongoing LME projects. More specifically, the Strategic Partnership would
establish a Sustainable Fisheries Investment Fund that would:
· Encourage country-level investments in order to assist individual coastal
countries in Sub-Saharan Africa to undertake the necessary policy, legal, and
institutional reforms to sustainably manage their fisheries resources;
· Assist individual coastal countries to build the capacity to participate in the
ongoing GEF-led LME projects and collaborate through these projects to
implement management measures for the marine ecosystems and the
transboundary fisheries resources that would be more appropriate at the sub-
regional scale (e.g. sub-regional monitoring, control and surveillance systems,
sub-regional research initiatives, networks of marine protected areas, etc.); and
· Promote learning, information exchange and capacity building at the regional
level, to ensure that the successes and failures of country and LME level
investments are adequately disseminated. All learning exchange activities would
be fully developed in cooperation with the ongoing three agency - GEF-funded
IW:LEARN project during the Block B preparation period.
3.2 Strategic Partnership Description
The Strategic Partnership for a Sustainable Fisheries' includes country-level fisheries
management investments, which would complement sub-regional initiatives for
sustainable fisheries management in the ongoing GEF-led LME projects. Close
involvement of the different LME projects will be ensured during the preparation of the
Partnership proposal. This will be in particular important in the areas of capacity
building, communications/ information exchange, and systemic policy development,
where the respective LME projects have important activities. This Partnership would be
based on the comparative advantages of each of the partners:
GEF would contribute with funding for an investment fund to co-finance activities at the
country level to promote sustainable fisheries management (for GEF-eligible issues) for
mostly transboundary fisheries resources (and local fishery resources as they contribute
to global benefits)in order to meet the WSSD fisheries targets. These activities or
projects would be co-financed on the basis of GEF Council approved set of criteria.
Typically under such Strategic Partnership investment funds, the GEF would commit to a
targeted envelope of funds, approved in several tranches based on progress reports
submitted to the GEF Council. For example, in the Strategic Partnership on the Black
Sea/Danube Basin, the GEF established a partnership with the World Bank, UNEP,
UNDP, other multilateral donors and financiers, and Black Sea/Danube Basin countries.
This partnership included a Nutrient Reduction Investment Fund, which leveraged a large
envelope of both World Bank and GEF funds for nutrient pollution reduction investments
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on a country-by-country basis in more sustainable wastewater treatment and agriculture.
In terms of implementation, the GEF Council approved both a first tranche of US$ 20
million and a second tranche of $16 million to the fund, which was administered by the
World Bank to be available for country-specific nutrient reduction activities. Once each
tranche of money disbursed to the investment fund is approved by the Council, individual
projects administered by that fund do not require further Council approval so long as the
meet the original criteria set for projects co-financed by the fund.
Separately, GEF would also fund the on-going work on regionally-focused Large Marine
Ecosystems (LME) projects in SSA (see Annex III).
The World Bank would contribute with:
(a) the responsibility for the preparation of the country-level investments for
sustainable management of marine fisheries by use of the World Bank's ongoing
country dialogue for development of regional and country programs and by use of
the most applicable IBRD or IDA financing instrument3, which would be
combined with GEF co-financing. As with the Danube/Black Sea Basin
Partnership, the World Bank, through the Africa Region, would seek to include
considerations for coastal fisheries and habitat conservation into the policy
dialogue (PRSP, CAS or specific sector policy dialogues) of each coastal nation
in Sub-Saharan Africa. Furthermore, once potential projects have been identified
in a country, the World Bank and other donors would co-finance the project with
the GEF (which would use the Sustainable Fisheries Investment Fund) at a
targeted average ratio of 3 to 1 under the Strategic Partnership. For example, the
World Bank might finance country-level investments in institutional
strengthening and restructuring (using technical assistance loans), alternative
income opportunities and community development in rural fishing communities
(based on a community-driven development model) and monitoring, control and
surveillance activities (through specific investment loans), while the GEF-led
Sustainable Investment Fund financed the implementation of small-scale marine
resource management systems and networks of effectively managed marine
protected areas; and
3 Applicable World Bank (IBRD/IDA) Lending Instruments (See Annex II for more details)
The Strategic Partnership would include the regional and country programs of the World Bank, and would
collaborate with these programs to utilize Bank lending instruments to help reform SSA countries' fishing
sectors and promote sustainable fisheries management.3 Most coastal SSA countries would qualify for the
"soft loan" conditions under IDA, which have a reduced impact on their indebtedness. These instruments
include:
· Specific Investment Loans, which could be used for specific investments in MCS, and fishery
infrastructure
· Technical Assistance Loans, eventually to assist countries in the development of right based user
systems
· Financial Intermediary Loans (e.g. Community-Driven Development programs)
· Poverty Reduction Support Credits, in particular to develop co-management and coastal
management schemes
· Sector Adjustment Loans, for, inter alia the funding of effort reduction schemes, such as vessel
buy back programs
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(b) the establishment of the multi-donor Global Forum and Trust Fund for
Sustainable Fisheries, which would evolve from the current Trust Fund for
Sustainable Fisheries funded by the Government of Japan. The Global Forum
would be the vehicle for coordination of different donors at the LME and regional
level. The Global Trust Fund would be a separate fund from the GEF Sustainable
Fisheries Investment Fund, receive it funding from interested bilateral and
multilateral donors, but not from the GEF. It would undertake the upstream
analytical work to guide the investments under GEF and other bi-lateral and
multi-lateral sources (including the Bank). Through the Global Forum, the World
Bank would promote the use of the Investment Fund in country-based dialogues
with stakeholder governments. More specifically, one of the main tasks of the
Global Trust Fund would be to fund the preparation of fisheries sector notes and
adjustment and investment operations at the national level complementing the
ecosystems management focus supported by the GEF. In addition, within each
country where the Global Forum and Trust Fund would work to prepare sector
strategies and management operations, it would seek to coordinate bi-lateral and
multi-lateral donor investments in order to implement the actions and operations
recommended by the strategy, as well as facilitating cross-cutting work and
learning exchange between the LMEs and throughout the continent.
FAO could provide the technical expertise in the preparation of the policy sector notes
and the country-level adjustment or investments operations. In these it would be guided
by the agreed upon principles for sustainable fisheries management as provided in the
Code of Conduct (see Annex I).
WWF would provide:
(a) the technical and operational expertise to prepare and implement the proposal
preparation process;
(b) technical and operational expertise to the Steering Committee and Regional
Technical Advisory Committee of the Global Forum and Trust Fund for
Sustainable Fisheries, based on its global experience and knowledge of fisheries
management gained through its marine conservation initiatives, in particular the
development of marine protected area networks;
(c) the expertise and existing strong network with stakeholders in countries
throughout the region, including the governments, non-governmental
organizations, research institutions, and others to help prepare and implement
country-level activities, within the possibilities of the Bank's procurement rules;
and
(d) the knowledge, experience, and expertise to help replicate the experiences of the
Strategic Partnership for a Sustainable Fisheries Investment Fund in other regions
of the world in partnership with the Global Forum and Trust Fund for Sustainable
Fisheries.
A small secretariat to coordinate activities will be funded from the World Bank's budget,
the revenues from the administrative overhead from the Global Trust Fund for
Sustainable Fisheries, and the partnership premium.
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The funds flow diagram of this Strategic Partnership could then be pictured as shown
below:
Coordination
(World Bank)
Global Fisheries
World Bank
Sustainable
GEF
Trust Fund
Funding from
Fisheries
Bi-lateral
(bilateral and
IDA/IBRD (Africa
Investment Fund
Donors
multilateral
Region)
(GEF)
donors)
Upstream
Project
Project Implementation
Analysis/
Preparation
(3: 1 co-financing
Sector
average)
Strategy
Ongoing
Country-Level Projects for Sustainable
LME
Fisheries
Projects
Close
Collaboration
Regional Coordination learning exchange between Country level projects, between ongoing
LME projects, throughout the continent as well as with other programs around the world, based
on the IW:LEARN project
The Strategic Partnership would thus use most efficiently the comparative advantages of
all the partners, with the Global Forum and Trust Fund providing the coordination and
seed money for the upstream analytical work and the preparation of the adjustment and
investment needs, the separate Sustainable Fisheries Investment Fund providing co-
financing on a fast track basis for the GEF-eligible investments based on agreed-upon
criteria for projects in fisheries management, the World Bank and IDA, in cooperation
with other donors, providing the funding for the investments which mainly provide local
benefits, and the FAO and WWF providing the technical and implementation expertise.
The institutional structure of the Strategic Partnership in this global context could be
described by the figure below:
9
Forum for Sustainable Fisheries
Steering Committee
GEF, World Bank, FAO, WWF, Bi-lateral Donors, etc.
Secretariat for Coordination
World Bank
Global
Sustainable
Fisheries
Fisheries
Trust Fund
Investment
Fund (focused
on Africa)
Regional Technical Advisory Committee
Country-Level
Ongoing Sub-Regional
Projects (World Bank
LME Projects
Country Teams,
Region)
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3.3 Implementing the Strategic Partnership for a Sustainable Fisheries Investment
Fund
Role of the World Bank and the Global Forum and Trust Fund for Sustainable
Fisheries
The Trust Fund for Sustainable Fisheries is planned to evolve from the current initiative
funded by the Government of Japan, into a multi-donor trust fund that would be governed
by a steering committee of donors and country representatives within the Global Forum
and administered by the same secretariat as the Investment Fund. In general, the Trust
Fund for Sustainable Fisheries would fund the preparation of a long-term vision for the
sustainable management of the fisheries sector at the country level, through building
consensus around a concrete sector strategy with specific actions for reform.
The Global Forum would facilitate:
· The coordination of interested donors within each country to implement the
actions agreed upon in the sector strategy or long-term vision; and
· The coordination and learning exchange between individual country projects and
between LME projects, cooperating with the GEF-led IW: LEARN project
throughout the continent, as well as lessons learned from experiences around the
world.
Elements of the Strategic Partnership
The following four elements constitute funding of the proposed Strategic Partnership:
(a) GEF-funded Sustainable Fisheries Investment fund to co-finance country-level
reforms, investments and activities related to sustainable use of living aquatic
resources and their habitats in the coastal countries bordering the LMEs of Sub-
Saharan Africa [Country-level investments]
(b) World Bank and other donors providing the remaining co-financing at a ratio of 3
parts World Bank/other donor to every 1 part GEF [Country-level investments] as
the targeted average under the Strategic Partnership; and
(c) Collaboration with ongoing GEF-financed sub-regional LME projects in Sub-
Saharan Africa, shown in the below table [Sub-regional level, e.g. fisheries
management measures applicable at a larger scale, particularly for transboundary
resources];
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Brief overview of ongoing GEF-funded LME projects:
LME Project
Implementing Agencies
Current Status
Canary Current
FAO
In preparation
Guinea Current
UNDP, UNEP, UNIDO
In preparation
Benguela Current
UNDP
Under implementation
Agulhas & Somali Currents
World Bank (offshore)
In preparation
UNDP (coastal, research)
In preparation
As many of these projects are still under preparation, the timetables and schedules
would be almost parallel to the projects planned by the Strategic Partnership and
co-financed by the Sustainable Fisheries Investment Fund. These projects are
generally focused on improving aspects of marine ecosystem health which are
fundamental to supporting fisheries but not as directly involved in the sustainable
management of fisheries (e.g. coastal zone management, improved coastal water
quality, etc.), and thus will be complementary to the country-level investments
promoted by the Strategic Partnership. The Strategic Partnership would also build
the capacity of countries to better participate in these larger LME projects.
(d) The multi-donor financed Global Forum and Trust Fund for Sustainable Fisheries
which would finance upstream analytical work in the form of country-level sector
strategy notes, hold country-level dialogues with stakeholder governments to
promote the Partnership, facilitate learning exchange between countries and LME
projects.
Thus, the Strategic Partnership would operate at multiple scales to promote country-level
investments in Sub-Saharan Africa that can build coastal countries' capacity to
implement sustainable fisheries management policies and measures and meet the fisheries
targets set by the WSSD:
· Country-level [GEF Sustainable Fisheries Investment Fund, World Bank
IDA/IBRD investments, other donors]
· Sub-regional level [collaboration with ongoing GEF-led LME projects]
· Regional level [Learning exchange between LMEs facilitated by the IW:LEARN
program and the Global Forum and Trust Fund, through Regional Technical
Advisory Committee of partners]
· Global level [Global Forum and Trust Fund for Sustainable Fisheries]
Principles and Policies the Strategic Partnership would Promote
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General Principles of Sustainable Fisheries4
The Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, adopted at the 28th Session of the FAO
Conference, which articulates the general principles underlying sustainable utilization of
fisheries resources. These principles state that nations and users of marine resources
should conserve aquatic ecosystems and that the right to fish carries with it the obligation
to do so in a responsible manner that ensures the conservation and management of living
marine resources.
The Objectives of Fisheries Management5
Based on the general principles described above and detailed in Annex I, the Strategic
Partnership would promote investments to assist coastal countries in SSA to establish or
strengthen fisheries management organizations that are capable of ensuring the long-term
sustainable use and conservation of living marine resources. This would include
strengthening such organizations so that they are able to implement appropriate
management measures, based on the best scientific evidence available, which are
designed to maintain or restore fish stocks at levels capable of producing maximum
sustainable yield, as qualified by relevant environmental and economic factors, including
the special requirements of these countries.
The fisheries management measures and policies that the Strategic Partnership will assist
in Sub-Saharan African countries would have the following outputs:
- excess fishing capacity is avoided or corrected, and exploitation of the fish stocks
remains economically and ecologically viable;
- the economic incentives under which fishing industries operate results in
responsible fisheries;
- the interests of fishers, including those engaged in subsistence, small-scale and
artisanal fisheries, are taken into account, and reduce poverty;
- biodiversity of aquatic habitats and ecosystems is conserved and endangered
species are protected;
- depleted stocks are allowed to recover or, where appropriate, are actively
restored;
- adverse environmental impacts on the resources from human activities are
assessed and, where appropriate, corrected and restored; and
- pollution, waste, discards, catch by lost or abandoned gear, catch of non-target
species, both fish and non- fish species, and impacts on associated or dependent
species are minimized, through measures including, to the extent practicable, the
4 See Annex I: General Principles of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, Section 6.
5 Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, Section 7.2.
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development and use of selective, environmentally safe and cost-effective fishing
gear and techniques.
Fisheries Management Policies
In order to implement the objectives of sustainable fisheries management described
above, the Strategic Partnership would (through the sector strategy notes funded by the
Global Trust Fund for Sustainable Fisheries) assist countries in SSA to translate these
objectives into actions, formulated as a fishery management plan or other management
framework that would provide a long-term vision for the country's fishery based on the
consensus of all stakeholders. This management plan or long-term vision would include
policies, which ensure that:
· the level of fishing permitted is commensurate with the state of fisheries
resources;
· no vessel be allowed to fish unless so authorized, in a manner consistent with
international law for the high seas or in conformity with national legislation
within areas of national jurisdiction;
· where excess fishing capacity exists, mechanisms are established to reduce
capacity to levels commensurate with the sustainable use of fisheries resources so
as to ensure that fishers operate under economic conditions that promote
responsible fisheries;
· the performance of all existing fishing gear, methods and practices is examined
and measures taken to ensure that fishing gear, methods and practices which are
not consistent with responsible fishing are phased out and replaced with more
acceptable alternatives;
· fishing is regulated in such a way as to avoid the risk of conflict among fishers
using different vessels, gear and fishing methods;
· when deciding on the use, conservation and management of fisheries resources,
due recognition is given, as appropriate, in accordance with national laws and
regulations, to the traditional practices, needs and interests of indigenous people
and local fishing communities which are highly dependent on fishery resources
for their livelihood;
· in the evaluation of alternative conservation and management measures, their
cost-effectiveness and social impact is considered;
· the efficacy of conservation and management measures and their possible
interactions are kept under continuous review, and these measures are, as
appropriate, revised or abolished in the light of new information;
· appropriate measures are taken to minimize waste, discards, catch by lost or
abandoned gear, catch of non-target species, both fish and non-fish species, and
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negative impacts on associated or dependent species, in particular endangered
species6; and
· measures are introduced for depleted resources and those resources threatened
with depletion that facilitate the sustained recovery of such stocks, including
restoration of habitats critical to the well-being of these resources.
Instruments to Implement Fisheries Management Policies7
In order to implement the general principles and policies to support sustainable fisheries
management, the Strategic Partnership would assist Sub-Saharan African countries to
develop and utilize the following instruments or tools:
· Long-term vision or strategy for the fisheries sector, which articulates decisions
about who would participate in the fishery, what resources can be utilized and in
what manner, where specific participants can fish, etc., based on reasonable
scientific projections and consensus from all stakeholders;
· An effective legal and administrative framework at the local and national level, as
appropriate, for fisheries resource conservation and fisheries management (i.e.
fisheries resource use rules);
· More effective capacity to negotiate equitable fishing agreements;
· Fisheries monitoring, control, surveillance and law enforcement measures to
ensure compliance with the above rules and regulations, including, where
appropriate, observer programs, inspection schemes and vessel monitoring
systems (such measures should also be promoted and, where appropriate,
implemented by sub-regional or regional fisheries management organizations and
arrangements);
· Collaborative, or co-management measures, where appropriate, to share the
responsibility of fisheries resource management between Government and the
resource users, particularly in small-scale fisheries in conjunction with
community development efforts;
· Rights-based management measures, where appropriate, that specify fishing
rights or fish catch quota which can be considered as property, e.g. quota
management systems;
· Where overcapacity exists, effort reduction measures, e.g. vessel buy-backs,
decommissioning, etc.;
6 Where appropriate, such measures may include technical measures related to fish size, mesh size or gear,
discards, closed seasons and areas and zones reserved for selected fisheries, particularly artisanal fisheries.
Such measures should be applied, where appropriate, to protect juveniles and spawners. Fisheries
management organizations and arrangements should promote, to the extent practicable, the development
and use of selective, environmentally safe and cost effective gear and techniques.
7 Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, Section 7; World Bank Approach Paper to Sustainable
Fisheries. The instruments and tools listed in this section are for indicative purposes only, and are not
meant to be comprehensive or all-inclusive.
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· Effective networks of marine protected areas, based on sound scientific
information, to allow for the protection of critical fisheries habitats and spawning
grounds, as well as the replenishment of fishing grounds; and
· Promotion of alternative livelihoods to fishing, where necessary, in conjunction
with fisheries management and effort reduction measures.
Types of Projects Financed by the Strategic Partnership (GEF Sustainable Fisheries
Investment Fund, World Bank IDA/IBRD instruments, other donors, Global Trust
Fund for Sustainable Fisheries)
The Strategic Partnership for a Sustainable Fisheries Investment Fund would work at the
country scale within large marine ecosystems in Sub-Saharan Africa, in collaboration
with the larger sub-regional LME projects.
Some of the types of projects that the Sustainable Fisheries Investment Fund and the
World Bank (along with other donors) would co-finance in countries could include8:
· Institutional strengthening, technical assistance for policy reform (e.g. World
Bank technical assistance loans, sector adjustment loans);
· Fishing fleet reduction, management infrastructure for monitoring, control and
surveillance of the fisheries (e.g. World Bank specific investment loans);
· Alternative income opportunities for displaced fishers, economic diversification
in rural fishing communities (e.g. World Bank financial intermediary loans,
community-driven development activities);
· Extension, education and institutions for co-management of small-scale fisheries
(e.g. GEF Sustainable Fisheries Investment Fund); and
· Establishment of effectively managed networks of marine protected areas (e.g.
GEF Sustainable Fisheries Investment Fund).
At the sub-regional scale, the Strategic Partnership and the country-level projects it
promotes would complement and collaborate with the ongoing GEF-led LME projects.
For example, the country-level projects might include activities such as:
· Assisting each country within a LME to implement LME-wide policies for
sustainable fisheries and meet targets set at a regional level;
· Assisting countries within a LME to implement management measures in
collaboration at a sub-regional scale (e.g. LME-wide vessel monitoring system,
research activities, etc.)
· Assisting countries within a LME to more fully participate in ongoing GEF-led
LME projects.
The country-level projects promoted by the Sustainable Fisheries Investment Fund which
are the focus of this Strategic Partnership would begin with funding and technical
assistance from the Global Forum and Trust Fund Partnership for Sustainable Fisheries
for country-wide stakeholder consensus-building around a common vision for the sector
8 For a more detailed description of the World Bank instruments which might be applied to use IDA/IBRD
funds to co-finance country level projects with the GEF Sustainable Fisheries Investment Fund, see Annex
II.
16
and the fisheries resources over the long-term, and an action plan for the reforms
necessary to achieve sustainable fisheries management. Based on these country-specific
sector strategy notes or management plans, and based on the criteria set at the regional
level for the Sustainable Fisheries Investment Fund, countries could apply to the Fund for
resources and technical assistance to implement the activities recommended in these
plans. The plans and activities would include verifiable indicators and benchmarks for
success. These plans and activities would work in parallel and collaboration with the
ongoing sub-regional LME projects.
Initially, the Strategic Partnership would likely focus on the countries within the LME
projects where the World Bank and FAO are already involved:
· The Canary Current LME (West Africa)
· The Agulhas Current (continental shelf shared by South Africa, Mozambique,
Comoro Islands, Seychelles, Madagascar and Mauritius)
· Somali Current (Tanzania, Kenya, Somalia)
Box 1: Investments in the Canary Current LME an indicative example for
investments under the Strategic Partnership
As an indicative example, the Strategic Partnership for a Sustainable Fisheries Investment
Fund might invest in the countries within the Canary Current LME, covering the West
African coastline with the wide continental shelf and shared upwelling currents and
pelagic migration routes. This would include Mauritania, Senegal, the Gambia, Guinea-
Bissau, Guinea-Conakry, and Cape Verde. These six countries have already formed a
sub-regional fisheries management organization, the Commission Sous-Regional des
Peches (CSRP), although it is weak.
Country specific projects in the countries within the Canary Current LME might begin
with (funded by the Global Trust Fund for Sustainable Fisheries):
· Preparation of Sector Strategy notes, identifying specific actions for sustainable
fisheries management, in collaboration with CSRP and sub-regional activities and
meeting the criteria set by the Strategic Partnership.
Based on the sector strategy note for each country, in this example Guinea-Bissau, the
following components or activities for country-level project might be recommended and
financed (co-financed by the GEF Sustainable Fisheries Investment Fund and World
Bank IDA/IBRD instruments, as well as other donors):
· Technical assistance to facilitate policy, institutional and legal reforms, based on
and in parallel to sub-regional research results (funded by World Bank PRSC);
· Assistance to establish a VMS for monitoring and surveillance, in conjunction
with sub-regional monitoring, control and surveillance (World Bank specific
investment loan, or Sustainable Fisheries Investment Fund);
· CDD-type assistance to establish a co-management system for artisanal fishing
and to promote fishing as well as alternative livelihoods and community
development (IDA component of a larger Financial Intermediary Loan);
· Legal assistance to work through the CSRP and sub-regional initiatives to reach
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bi-lateral fishing agreements with both Senegal and Guinea, as well as to re-
negotiate the EU fishing agreement (Sustainable Fisheries Investment Fund); and
· Institutional capacity building and legislative reform (in this case establishment of
a free trade zone) to facilitate local and foreign private investment (Sustainable
Fisheries Investment Fund).
Country activities implemented at the sub-regional scale in collaboration with the Canary
Current LME project might include (funded by the GEF Sustainable Fisheries Investment
Fund):
· establishing a sub-regional network of marine protected areas, sub-regional
assistance to each country to establish and effectively manage these areas, and
exchange of lessons learned and good practices in management between these
areas;
· establishing a region-wide vessel registry, as many of the same vessels fish in
several countries' waters, to enable joint monitoring and surveillance
information;
· facilitating bi-lateral and sub-regional fishing agreements, to allow for joint
monitoring, control and surveillance of migratory fleets (e.g. artisanal fleet in
Senegal); and
· technical and legal assistance could be provided to strengthen negotiations for
foreign fishing agreements.
· establishing a sub-regional fisheries research and assessment program, which
would not be economical at a country scale. Such a program could cover several
countries and the larger marine ecosystem and utilize shared vessels for research;
Eligibility Criteria for financing under the investment fund:
Project proposals from coastal countries in Sub-Saharan Africa would need to fulfil basic
eligibility criteria for financing under the Sustainable Fisheries Investment Fund:
· Adhere to the principles of the GEF Operational Programs. Projects would follow
the approaches of Waterbody-based Operational Program (OP 8), particularly in
the selection of projects with crosscutting and demonstration potential and proven
implementation capacity.
· Submit an endorsement from the proposing country's GEF focal point.
· Have secured financing for non-incremental project costs and ensure that the
minimum leveraging requirement is met (targeted average ratio of 3:1 of other
donor financing to GEF under the Strategic Partnership).
· Be consistent with the principles and policies of sustainable fisheries management
outlined in this document and further described in the Code of Conduct for
Sustainable Fisheries.
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· Contribute towards the capacity-building of countries and sub-regions in Sub-
Saharan Africa to sustainably manage the fisheries resources supported by the
large marine ecosystems of the region, as stated in the Partnership objectives.
Additionally,
· Project proposals would be encouraged to include country-expressed commitment
to the policy, institutional or legal reforms necessary to implement sustainable
fisheries management.
· Whenever a project has potential for additional global environmental benefits,
such as conservation of biodiversity (for example, through protection of an area of
the sea designated as critical for the support of internationally significant
biodiversity, e.g. manatees, sea turtles, etc.), the existence of such benefits would
be a positive factor, but not constitute per se an eligibility condition. In all cases,
sustainable fisheries management would be the essential eligibility condition for
projects.
Leveraging
The goal of the proposed Strategic Partnership would be to increase GEF grant
leveraging against other project financing sources in countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, and
to increasingly encourage the World Bank and other partners to cover larger shares of
investments in sustainable fisheries management within these countries. The leveraging
target for investments by the Sustainable Fisheries Investment Fund is a 1 (GEF) to 3
(other) average ratio. Co-financing may be obtained from a combination of national
sources, World Bank financing or other international financial institutions, or additional
grant funds from bi-lateral donors. Progress toward leveraging goals would be discussed
in overall progress reports for approval of subsequent tranches.
3.4 Triggering the Release of GEF funding tranches
Release of GEF funding tranches against progress reporting
It is expected that GEF funds would be approved for disbursement into the Sustainable
Fisheries Investment Fund in three tranches, each of US$ 20 million. Approval and
subsequent disbursement of remaining tranches would be subject to progress reports to
the GEF Council prepared by the secretariat for the Strategic Partnership in ARD of the
World Bank. A progress report would be submitted to the Council for each tranche
request to fund the Sustainable Fisheries Investment Fund. Reporting for the Investment
Fund would consist of progress to date on the Partnership leveraging target; a description
of the project pipeline and the stage of development of each project proposal;
coordination of the Fund with the sub-regional LME projects and other key partners; and
progress towards meeting M&E targets
M&E System with triggers for the release of successive GEF funding tranches
During the Block-B preparation of the Strategic Partnership, a monitoring and evaluation
component of the Partnership would be prepared, with one set of clear and measurable
targets and indicators for the entire region (based on the WSSD fisheries targets), against
19
which each country-level project would be evaluated. For example, in current World
Bank projects such as the second phase of the Coral Reef Rehabilitation and Management
Program (COREMAP), a monitoring and evaluation component is being prepared with a
scientifically validated list of biophysical, socio-economic and governance/management
indicators and targets for the sustainable management of small-scale coral reef fisheries.
The Block-B preparation team would utilize such examples to identify one set of
indicators and targets for the entire region, which would be applied to each country-level
project. This criteria would be the core of the Strategic Partnership proposal that would
be submitted to the GEF Council for approval. Upon approval of the first tranche,
progress of the country level projects in reaching these targets would determine
disbursement of each successive tranche of GEF funds to the Sustainable Fisheries
Investment Fund. Thus, clear and measurable indicators and targets would be developed
during Block B preparation so that the Strategic Partnership can be evaluated by the GEF
prior to disbursement of each tranche, which would be conditional on progress towards
the targets.
4. EXPECTED OUTCOMES OF THE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP
Country-level Outcomes:
· Implementation of policies, programs and laws aimed at the conservation and
sustainable management of fisheries resources, consistent with the targets set by the
WSSD and the principles contained in the Code of Conduct for Sustainable Fisheries;
· Preparation and implementation of national fisheries sector strategy notes and
management plans;
· Reforms and strengthening of institutions necessary to control fishing effort in
country waters and maintain or restore the fisheries to levels at or below maximum
sustainable yield;
· Increase in socioeconomic benefits for fishers remaining in the sector, as well as for
those individuals departing the fisheries; and
· Strengthened commitment and coordination between the World Bank and other
donors to enabling coastal countries in Sub-Saharan Africa to develop their capacity
for the sustainable use of fisheries.
Sub-Regional and Regional Outcomes:
· Improved scientific information and knowledge on fish stocks and the marine
ecosystems that support them, at the LME-scale and particularly concerning
transboundary stocks;
· Effectively managed sub-regional and representative networks of marine protected
areas; and
· Learning exchanges and dialogues between countries and sub-regions on best
practices and collaboration for marine ecosystem governance and the sustainable
management of fisheries.9
9 As mentioned previously, these learning exchange activities would be fully developed in cooperation with
the ongoing GEF-funded IW:LEARN project during the Block B preparation period.
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5. SUSTAINABILITY AND REPLICABILITY
5.1. Sustainability
Sustainability of the Partnership and its activities would be assured at the following
levels:
· At the level of the Sub-Saharan countries, the focus of the partnership would be
on institution-building with public and private partners, whereby the proposed
duration of the partnership (10 years) and this focus should assure more
permanent actions post project. Thus, the policies and institutional capacity built
by the country-level investments that are the focus of this Strategic Partnership
would enable sustainable management of the fisheries resources long after the
completion of individual projects.
· At the LME level, the funding of the MCS systems, and the policy and
investments at the country level, would enhance the sustainability of the LMEs
surrounding Sub-Saharan Africa. Inaction would cause further over-exploitation
of these ecosystems, and degradation of this resource;
· At the Partnership's Institutional level, the Global Forum and Trust Fund for
Sustainable Fisheries supported by international community is expected to
become a permanent body, firmly embedded in reliable institutions such as FAO
and the World Bank,
5.2. Replicability
An important objective of the Strategic Partnership would be to promote replication of
investments in sustainable fisheries management in the countries bordering the LMEs of
Sub-Saharan Africa. Since the Sustainable Fisheries Investment Fund would only
provide a portion of the investment needs to build coastal countries' capacity to
sustainably manage marine fisheries, the proposed Partnership and the Investment Fund
would specifically finance project components that promote wider replication of the
investments. For example, research initiatives, networks of marine protected areas,
communications collaboration for surveillance, etc. with other countries in the region
would be encouraged.
6. STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT
First and foremost, the Strategic Partnership would be guided by the priorities and needs
of the coastal countries themselves, in order to build their capacity to sustainably manage
marine fisheries. These priorities and needs would initially be reflected in a Stakeholder
Involvement Plan that will be produced during the Block B preparation phase. This plan
would help guide the participatory work conducted by the Global Forum and Trust Fund
Partnership in the preparation of the sector strategy notes. In the preparation of the Sector
Strategy Notes, broad consultations with a wide range of stakeholders is already practiced
and would continue. Furthermore, sub-regional activities and capacity-building would be
led by existing sub-regional fisheries institutions, such as the Commission Sous-Regional
des Peches in West Africa.
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In terms of additional partners and stakeholders, the Strategic Partnership would be
facilitated and coordinated in partnership among GEF, the World Bank, FAO and the
WWF. The Partnership would involve stakeholders such as, inter alia, Marine Sector
Coordinating Unit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC),
Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC), the World
Meteorological Organization (WMO), The CORDIO Programme (Coral Reef
Degradation in the Indian Ocean), the Secretariat for Eastern African Coastal Area
Management (SEACAM), the IOC sponsored Regional Cooperation in Scientific
Information Exchange-WIO (RECOSCIX), the International Union for the Conservation
of Nature (IUCN) and private philanthropic foundations in Europe and the United States.
Additionally, the Partnership would explore interests with other donors including DGIS,
DANEDA, SIDA, DFID AND the European Commission's DG-Development.
7. PROJECT PREPARATION
Upon approval of the Concept Note, a PDF-A for an initial consultation with the key
international partners, including all the GEF-led LMA projects, and a PDFB for the full
preparation (including some initial investment models) would be requested.
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Annex I:
General Principles of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries,
Section 6
States and users of living aquatic resources should conserve aquatic ecosystems. The
right to fish carries with it the obligation to do so in a responsible manner so as to ensure
effective conservation and management of the living aquatic resources.
Fisheries management should promote the maintenance of the quality, diversity and
availability of fishery resources in sufficient quantities for present and future generations
in the context of food security, poverty alleviation and sustainable development.
Management measures should not only ensure the conservation of target species but also
of species belonging to the same ecosystem or associated with or dependent upon the
target species.
States should prevent overfishing and excess fishing capacity and should implement
management measures to ensure that fishing effort is commensurate with the productive
capacity of the fishery resources and their sustainable utilization. States should take
measures to rehabilitate populations as far as possible and when appropriate.
Conservation and management decisions for fisheries should be based on the best
scientific evidence available, also taking into account traditional knowledge of the
resources and their habitat, as well as relevant environmental, economic and social
factors. States should assign priority to undertake research and data collection in order to
improve scientific and technical knowledge of fisheries including their interaction with
the ecosystem. In recognizing the transboundary nature of many aquatic ecosystems,
States should encourage bilateral and multilateral cooperation in research, as appropriate.
States and subregional and regional fisheries management organizations should apply a
precautionary approach widely to conservation, management and exploitation of living
aquatic resources in order to protect them and preserve the aquatic environment, taking
account of the best scientific evidence available. The absence of adequate scientific
information should not be used as a reason for postponing or failing to take measures to
conserve target species, associated or dependent species and non-target species and their
environment.
Selective and environmentally safe fishing gear and practices should be further developed
and applied, to the extent practicable, in order to maintain biodiversity and to conserve
the population structure and aquatic ecosystems and protect fish quality. Where proper
selective and environmentally safe fishing gear and practices exist, they should be
recognized and accorded a priority in establishing conservation and management
measures for fisheries. States and users of aquatic ecosystems should minimize waste,
catch of non-target species, both fish and non-fish species, and impacts on associated or
dependent species.
The harvesting, handling, processing and distribution of fish and fishery products should
be carried out in a manner which will maintain the nutritional value, quality and safety of
the products, reduce waste and minimize negative impacts on the environment.
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All critical fisheries habitats in marine and fresh water ecosystems, such as wetlands,
mangroves, reefs, lagoons, nursery and spawning areas, should be protected and
rehabilitated as far as possible and where necessary. Particular effort should be made to
protect such habitats from destruction, degradation, pollution and other significant
impacts resulting from human activities that threaten the health and viability of the
fishery resources.
States should ensure that their fisheries interests, including the need for conservation of
the resources, are taken into account in the multiple uses of the coastal zone and are
integrated into coastal area management, planning and development.
Within their respective competences and in accordance with international law, including
within the framework of subregional or regional fisheries conservation and management
organizations or arrangements, States should ensure compliance with and enforcement of
conservation and management measures and establish effective mechanisms, as
appropriate, to monitor and control the activities of fishing vessels and fishing support
vessels.
States authorizing fishing and fishing support vessels to fly their flags should exercise
effective control over those vessels so as to ensure the proper application of this Code.
They should ensure that the activities of such vessels do not undermine the effectiveness
of conservation and management measures taken in accordance with international law
and adopted at the national, subregional, regional or global levels. States should also
ensure that vessels flying their flags fulfil their obligations concerning the collection and
provision of data relating to their fishing activities.
States should, within their respective competences and in accordance with international
law, cooperate at subregional, regional and global levels through fisheries management
organizations, other international agreements or other arrangements to promote
conservation and management, ensure responsible fishing and ensure effective
conservation and protection of living aquatic resources throughout their range of
distribution, taking into account the need for compatible measures in areas within and
beyond national jurisdiction.
States should, to the extent permitted by national laws and regulations, ensure that
decision making processes are transparent and achieve timely solutions to urgent matters.
States, in accordance with appropriate procedures, should facilitate consultation and the
effective participation of industry, fishworkers, environmental and other interested
organizations in decision making with respect to the development of laws and policies
related to fisheries management, development, international lending and aid.
International trade in fish and fishery products should be conducted in accordance with
the principles, rights and obligations established in the World Trade Organization (WTO)
Agreement and other relevant international agreements. States should ensure that their
policies, programmes and practices related to trade in fish and fishery products do not
24
result in obstacles to this trade, environmental degradation or negative social, including
nutritional, impacts.
States should cooperate in order to prevent disputes. All disputes relating to fishing
activities and practices should be resolved in a timely, peaceful and cooperative manner,
in accordance with applicable international agreements or as may otherwise be agreed
between the parties. Pending settlement of a dispute, the States concerned should make
every effort to enter into provisional arrangements of a practical nature which should be
without prejudice to the final outcome of any dispute settlement procedure.
States, recognizing the paramount importance to fishers and fishfarmers of understanding
the conservation and management of the fishery resources on which they depend, should
promote awareness of responsible fisheries through education and training. They should
ensure that fishers and fishfarmers are involved in the policy formulation and
implementation process, also with a view to facilitating the implementation of the Code.
States should ensure that fishing facilities and equipment as well as all fisheries activities
allow for safe, healthy and fair working and living conditions and meet internationally
agreed standards adopted by relevant international organizations.
Recognizing the important contributions of artisanal and small- scale fisheries to
employment, income and food security, States should appropriately protect the rights of
fishers and fishworkers, particularly those engaged in subsistence, small-scale and
artisanal fisheries, to a secure and just livelihood, as well as preferential access, where
appropriate, to traditional fishing grounds and resources in the waters under their national
jurisdiction.
States should consider aquaculture, including culture-based fisheries, as a means to
promote diversification of income and diet. In so doing, States should ensure that
resources are used responsibly and adverse impacts on the environment and on local
communities are minimized.
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Annex II:
IBRD/IDA Instruments which could be Utilized to Promote Fisheries
Management
· Specific Investment Loans Support creation, rehabilitation and maintenance of
economic, social and institutional infrastructure; may also finance consultant
services and management training programs.
· Technical Assistance Loans Used to build institutional capacity in borrower
country; may focus on organizational arrangements, staffing methods, and
technical, physical or financial resources in key agencies.
· Financial Intermediary Loans (e.g. Community-Driven Development programs)
Provides long-term resources to local financial institutions to finance rural sector
investment needs; financial institutions assume credit risk on each sub-project.
· Poverty Reduction Support Credit Supports IDA countries' medium-term policy
and institutional reform programs to help implement their poverty reduction
strategies; principally draws from and elaborates on the reform measures and
policy actions set out in the PRSP.
· Sector Adjustment Loan Supports policy changes and institutional reforms in a
specific sector.
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Annex III:
Large Marine Ecosystems of Sub-Saharan Africa
Large marine ecosystems are regions of ocean space encompassing coastal areas from
river basins and estuaries to the seaward boundaries of continental shelves and the
seaward margins of coastal current systems. They are relatively large regions
characterized by distinct bathymetry, hydrology, productivity and trophically dependent
populations. Annually, the areas around the world identified as LMEs produce 95 percent
of the world's fish catch, thus making them the focal point of global efforts to reduce the
degradation of linked watersheds, marine resources and coastal environments from
pollution, habitat loss and over-fishing.
There are 5 large marine ecosystems identified in Sub-Saharan Africa:
· Canary Current (West Africa)
· Guinea Current (Gulf of Guinea)
· Benguela Current (Namibia, Angola, South Africa)
· Agulhas Current (continental shelf shared by South Africa, Mozambique, Comoro
Islands, Seychelles, Madagascar and Mauritius)
· Somali Current (Tanzania, Kenya, Somalia)
Current GEF-funded activities in these LMEs include:
· Implementation of a Strategic Action Program toward Achievement of the
Integrated Management of the Benguela Current LME
· Combating Coastal Area Degradation and Living Resources Depletion in the
Guinea Current LME through Regional Actions
· Southwest Indian Oceans Fisheries Project (Somali and Agulhas Current LMEs)
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Document Outline