Lessons Learned Brief 2012-10 Towards Sustainable Development Of Small .

3 Highlights and Findings3.1 Brief biophysical and socioeconomic characteristicsThe coastal habitats in the eight study sides are broadly similar consisting of coral reefs, mangroves and seagrass beds (Table 1). All sitesexcept one employ some form of marine protected area (MPA) or fish sanctuary as a conservation measure. All fisheries are multi-speciesand multi-gear—gill net, hook and line, beach seine, mini-trawl and spear fishing being the range of methods employed. All the fisherieswere reported to be in a state of decline.Table 1. Some fisheries-related features and characteristics at the eight study sites.FeaturesRegion 1(LingayenGulf)Region 2(BabuyanChannel)Region 4B(San Vicente,PalawanRegion 5(San MiguelBay)Region 6(Visayan Sea)Region 8(Sogod Bay)Region 11(Davao Gulf)Key coastalhabitatsCoral reefs,mangroves,seagrass bedsLiving coralcondition(percentagecover)Coral reefs,mangroves,seagrass bedsCoral reefs,mangroves,seagrass bedsCoral reefs,mangroves,seagrass bedsCoral reefs,mangroves,seagrass bedsCoral reefs,mangroves,seagrass bedsCoral reefs,mangroves,seagrass bedsCoral reefs,mangroves,seagrassbedsPoor to fairPoor to fair(11 – 51 %)Fair to good(25 – 55 %)Poor to good(14 – 69 %)Poor to goodPoor to fair( 50 %)Poor(15.6 %)Fair to good(38 – 68 %)HabitatmanagementmeasuresArtificialreefs and grovereplantingNetworkof MPAs,mangrovereplantingFish sanctuary/reserves,mangrovereplantingMPA, artificialreefsFish sanctuary/reserves,mangrovereplantingNetwork ofMPAs,mangrovereplantingNetworkof ciesand multigear (bothmunicipal andcommercial)Multi-speciesand multigear (bothmunicipal andcommercial)Multi-speciesand nd multi-gear(both municipaland commercial)Multi-speciesand multigear (bothmunicipal andcommercial)Multispeciesand multigear (mostlymunicipalsub-sector)Multi-speciesand multigear (mostlymunicipal)Multispecies andmulti-gear(mostlymunicipal)Major fishinggear type/methodsGillnetGillnet, hookand lineBeach seine,gillnetGillnet,mini-trawlHook and line,gillnetHook and line,gillnetHook and line,gillnetHook andline, multiplehand line,gillnets/driftgillnets,spearfishingCatch rates(kg/day-trip)1 – 38 kg/boat/trip3 – 6 kg(gillnets, 2009)10 kg(hook andline, 2009)25 – 500 kg/day-trip (beachseine)10 – 60 kg/haul/day(gillnet)3.1 – 41.6 kg10.5 – 106(gillnets in 2002) kg/trip1 – 6 kg (hookand line)3 – 20 kg(gill nets)39 – 85 kg(gill nets)2 – 25 kg(hook andline)5 – 23 kg(drift gill net)4 – 20 kg(spearfishing)Trends incatch ratesGenerallydecliningRelativelydeclining (i.e.,gillnets, hookand line)RelativelydecliningGenerallydeclining(based on FSP/FRMP tivelydecliningSteadilydecliningRegion 13(Lanuza Bay)Coastal residents are highly dependent on the fisheries for food, livelihoods and income. Pricing of the catch is largely dictated by tradersor middlemen; the fishers lack market power. The market chain length varies from local to international. The majority of the fish harvest ismarketed for local consumption; the rest is sold in neighboring areas or transported to urban centers, specifically Metro Manila. High valueproducts—such as live groupers, lobsters, processed squids, crabs and sea cucumbers—are exported abroad. Physical infrastructurefacilities, such as processing plants and post harvest equipment that are necessary to support SSF, have remained limited.Most fishers have low levels of literacy, less than half completing elementary school; generally, they have few economic assets or materialpossessions. There is low livelihood-diversification as evidenced by the high retention of fishers within the industry. Some alternativelivelihood opportunities include rice farming, livestock raising, harvesting of forest products, construction work, transportation or tourism.Small-scale aquaculture plays an important complementary role to SSF in the Philippines. This is due to the generally depleted status of thefishery as shown from the study sites, the need for livelihood diversification, and to ensure dietary protein sufficiency in fishing communities.3.2 Systems view of fisheries problems and issuesThe project used four methods to review the data and develop a systems view of fisheries problems and issues. The first two arestraightforward and traditional. Initially, a listing of issues was made based on the literature review and stakeholder consultations. Inthe eight study sites there were 13 common fisheries management issues identified (Table 2). From this generic list, correspondingmanagement measures could be planned to address each particular issue.5

Fish cage aquaculture of milkfish in Sual, Pangasinan, region 1Table 2. Summary of key fisheries management issues common to the eight study sites.Cluster1. Bio-physical2. Socio-economic3. GovernanceIssues/Problems1.Depleted fishery resources/Overfishing2.Habitat destruction3.Land-based pollution4.Resource use conflict5.Lack of alternative livelihood6.Limited community awareness7.Limited infrastructure and support services8.Increasing population and poverty9.Limited institutional capacity10. Inadequate/inconsistent policies11. Limited partnership, coordination and participation12. Weak law enforcement4. Others13. Climate changeIn the second method, problem trees were constructed. Such trees depict the problems in a cause-and-effect relationship. For example, inthe case of San Miguel Bay, Bicol Region, the core problem identified was ‘declining fish catch’ (Figure 4). For this core problem there are 13associated clusters of problems, which are further broken down into smaller entities. It can be seen that the issues appearing are very similar.Management recommendations are developed based on the identified problems.6

Small-scale fisher using scissor net in freshwater wetland/irrigation canal in Quirino province, region 2Declining Fish Catch1. No alternativelivelihood3. Limited infrastructure& governmentservices2. Lack of educationLow Income5. Overfishing4. Population & poverty7. Habitat destruction6. Siltation9. Funding & logisticsconstraints8. Lack of solid wastemanagement11. Weak lawenforcement10. Resource-useconflicts13. Climate change12. Uncoordinatedefforts of LGULow moral valuePoor postharvest facilitiesIncrease no.of gears & unitDestructivefishingMangrovecuttingMany plans but nofundsNo conflictmanagementmechanismUnsustainablesupport to lawenforcementNo regulationfor by-catchLack ofinformationInadequatesocial servicesIncrease no.of fishermanIllegal fishingCoral distributionNo roachment ofcommercialfishers intomunicipal watersNo unifiedordinanceFinancialmanagementMinimal researchon fisheriesPopulationexplosionMulti gearsystemDevelopingbeaches intotourist spotsLack of fundsupport from LGUCompetitionfor spaceand gear useExcessivegathering ofjuvenileConversion ofmangrovesContinueoperationsof commercialfishers withinthe bayDiscard of catchDynamite fishingFigure 4. Problem Tree for San Miguel Bay Fisheries, Bicol region.The two other methods used were participatory system analysis (PSA) and risk assessment. PSA also views the core problem as a systemof cause-and-effect, similar to a problem tree analysis. It reduces the large number of factors to elemental units, examines theirinterrelationships and identifies “driving factors” for interventions. The process classifies the problems into one of four quadrants:(1) symptom, (2) buffer, (3) critical, or (4) motor/lever.A ‘symptom’ is an element that is greatly influenced by other elements but may not have much power to change the system itself; a ‘buffer’refers to an element that is of low importance and expected to have little impact; ‘critical’ pertains to a catalyst that changes many thingsquickly and may create unexpected and undesired effects; a ‘motor/lever’ is an active element with predictable impacts. This is the mostinteresting sector for development activities.7

3.3 Synopsis of the Governance of Small-ScaleFisheriesFor example, at the San Vicente (Palawan) site, the motor/leverissue identified was “inadequate/inconsistent fisheries policies”(Figure 5). It implies that the LGU should focus its limitedadministrative resources on this issue. However, depending oncapacity some resources may also be allocated to the criticalelements—climate change, weak institutional partnerships andlimited institutional capabilities - although with caution.SYMPTOMCRITICAL4- Post-harvest Losses1- Climate Change7- Weak InstitutionalPartnership8- Limited InstitutionalCapabilitiesBUFFERMOTOR/LEVER2- Degraded Fishery Habitats3- Illegal Fishing Methods5- Intensified Resource UseCompetion and Conflict6- Lack of AlternativeLivelihood9- Inadequate/InconsistentFisheries PoliciesGovernance and management functions are organized at severallevels (Table 4). At the village (barangay) level two bodies aretypical. The first is the Barangay Fisheries and Aquatic ResourcesManagement Council (BFARMC). This body has multiple functionswhich include assisting in the arbitration of disputes betweenfishers over fishery rights, taking active participation inestablishing fishing zones and navigation lanes, and gatheringdata at fish landing points for the preparation of managementplans. Second, there is the Bantay Dagat composed of deputizedfishery wardens, which has largely law enforcement functions.Members normally go after the illegal fishers, such as cyanide anddynamite fishers, at the village level.Table 4. Major fisheries management bodies at local levels.Administrative Level Provincial Agriculture OfficeMunicipal/City level Municipal Agriculture Office Municipal Fisheriesand Aquatic ResourcesManagement Council(MFARMC) Municipal Bantay-DagatVillage/Barangay level Barangay Fisheriesand Aquatic ResourcesManagement Council(BFARMC) Barangay Bantay-DagatFigure 5. Result of participatory system analysis in San Vicente, Palawan.Finally, a risk assessment was conducted on each of theidentified issues to determine an appropriate level of response.This is another method of prioritizing issues as it determines howrelevant an issue is in terms of the threats it poses. Risk value maybe computed by multiplying the consequence (minor to extreme)with the likelihood (remote to likely). The risk values calculatedfrom the 11 issues identified in Lanuza Bay, Surigao del Sur, aregiven in Table 3. The two issues with the highest values are habitatdegradation (16) and low income of fishers (12). Inadequatepolicies and weak institutional set-up, and post harvest losses hadthe lowest risk values of (4) and (2), respectively. Managementinterventions may then focus on activities related to theconservation of coastal habitats, as well livelihood projects toincrease income.At the municipal level the three most common bodies arethe Municipal Agriculture Office (MAO), which is the main unitin charge of fisheries operations, the Municipal Fisheries andAquatic Resources Management Council (MFARMC), and amunicipal level Bantay Dagat. Functions of the MFARMCinclude assisting in the preparation of the Municipal FisheryDevelopment Plan, recommending the enactment of municipalfishery ordinances, and assisting in the enforcement of fisheryrules and regulations in municipal waters.Table 3. Risk assessment results from Lanuza Bay, Surigao del Sur.Problem/IssueImpactAt the provincial level, the Provincial Agriculture Office takes thelead in fisheries-related matters. Its mandate includes thedevelopment of provincial agriculture and fisheries plans andtheir implementation in coordination with relevant partners,and other provisions relating to production, processing, andmarketing of agricultural and fishery products.Likelihood Risk Value1.Habitat degradation44162.Low income offishers34123.Limited information,awareness, andadaptive capacity3394.Increasing humanpopulation3395.Overfishing3396.Weak lawenforcement3397.Limited LGU fundingsupport3398.Climate change3399.Limited/inadequatepolicies22410. Weak institutionalset-up22411. Post-harvest losses122Fisheries Management BodyProvincial levelThe institutional arrangements for undertaking fisheriesmanagement functions across administrative levels may becomplex (Table 5). Though some fisheries managementfunctions are quite specific, others are not. For example, fisherieslaw enforcement is the direct responsibility of the Bantay Dagat,whereas fisheries planning and policy making is normallyhandled by the FARMCs. Other functions are shared betweenmanagement bodies. Activities related to information, education,and communication may be shared by the MAOs and localacademic institutions. Other functions, such as the role ofsustainable financing, appear not to be specific to anymanagement body. The linkage of fisheries managementbodies with other institutions is generally not explicit.8

Aquaculture can contribute significantly to food security, Pangasinan provinceTable 5. Institutional arrangements for some fisheries management functions across administrative EnforcementAdvisory/Policy/EnforcementHabitat ManagementFishery ritime;PCGNFARMCDENR Central OfficeTuna Maritime;PCGIFARMCDENR Regional officesTuna fisheriesProvincialNational/LGU- ProvinceDA-BFARprovincialoffices, PAOPNPMaritime;PCG;ProvincialBantay DagatPFARMCDENR-PENROTuna fisheries, Smallpelagics, cipalmunicipalBantay Dagatoffices, MAOMFARMCDENR-CENROSmall pelagics, DemersalReef fisheriesVillageLGUBarangayBarangayBantay DagatBFARMCDemersal, Reef fisheriesSmall-scale fisheries are largely managed by local government units (LGUs) through three organizational entities: (1) village (barangay) onthe lowest rung, (2) municipality/city, and (3) province at the highest level. In terms of fisheries, the municipal (and city) governments havethe mandate to manage “municipal waters” and resources within the territorial boundaries of these municipalities or cities.The Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) are the two main nationalgovernment agencies (NGAs) that are involved in fisheries management. The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), a lineagency within the DA, is the primary agency mandated to manage the country’s fisheries sector. In collaboration with other NGAs, BFARhas overall jurisdiction over fisheries and aquatic resources management, except those within municipal waters. The DENR is the primaryagency responsible for the conservation, management, development and proper use of the country’s environment and natural resources.The DENR’s areas of responsibilities pertaining to the fisheries sector include the management of foreshore and shoreline areas, as well asprotected areas.This study reviewed four different fisheries governance arrangements. These categories were developed earlier by Pomeroy et al. (2010).The first was the “Clusters and alliances of municipalities to integrate coastal resource management”; included in this category are LanuzaBay, Lingayen Gulf, Sogod Bay and Visayan Sea (Figure 6).9

Dried sea cucumbers Pangasinan province. Could provide additional income for coastal NRProvincial BDMUNICIPAL BDMFARMCSB Committee onAgriculture, Fisheriesand EnviromentBarangayBFARMCBarangay CouncilBarangayBFARMCBarangay CouncilFisherfolkFigure 6. Existing fisheries management bodies and their connections/linkages in Northern Iloilo, region 6.10

Fish pens (stationary gear) are usually established in rivers to catch migratory and estuarine species, Pangasinan provinceThe second category was “Integrated Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Councils” (IFARMC); San Miguel Bay is an example ofthis modality. The third was “Gulf Management Council”; Davao Gulf belongs to this category as depicted in Figure 7; and the fourth was“integrated municipal council” (IMC) as exemplified by the municipality of San Vicente, Palawan Province (Figure 8). It is recognized thatthese institutional modalities are not cast in stone but are either in a state of flux or continuously evolving. Strengthening their technicaland institutional capacities, and creating linkages between various types of fisheries management bodies are two concerns crucial to theimprovement of the sector’s governance.AdministrativeOperation LevelCo-Management PlanningLawEnforcementDavao GulfMgt. vao GulfBFARRegion /CostGuardAdvisory/RegulatoryBodiesMunicipalBantay DagatMFARMCDENRRegion XIMAOBarangayVariousMPAsBFARMCBarangayBantay DagatFishingAssociationFigure 7. Existing fisheries management bodies and their connections in Davao Gulf, region 11.11BarangayBantay DagatPENROMPAManagementBodiesCENRO

AdministrativeOperation LevelCo-Management y/RegulatoryBodiesRAFCBFARRegion IV-BDENRRegion AOMFRBBarangayFARMCBFARMCPNPMunicipalBantay DagatCENRORoxasBarangayBantay DagatFigure 8. Institutional linkages for fisheries management in San Vicente, Palawan, region 4b.4 Conclusions and Lessons Learnedfishing organizations and associations, NGOs and civil societygroups, particularly when debating crucial issues and engaging inpolicy dialogues. In this way, diverse perspectives from a range ofdifferent stakeholders may be more easily harmonized. Morepro-active participation by LGUs would also be beneficial.4.1 Project MethodologyThe rapid appraisal methodology used was able to quickly analyzethe various features of SSF—from biophysical to socioeconomicto governance. The methodology was cost-effective, relying on asmall, elite, multidisciplinary team of local academics andprofessionals. The data gathering instruments were found to besuitable for the task.4.3 Institutional arrangements need to be defined,established and put into practiceIt is extremely difficult for an individual LGU to manage the fisheryresources within their jurisdiction on their own, due to thetransboundary nature of these resources. At the end of theFisheries Resources Management Program, the need washighlighted “to review bay-wide planning, and particularly torevisit the institutional relationships between Bay ManagementCouncils and FARMCs, leading to strengthening bay-wideplanning though proper linkages between FARMCs” (ADB, 2007p. 11). This notion of scaling-up is supported by BFAR through itsspatial approach known as the Integrated Fisheries ManagementUnit (IFMU). In 2008, BFAR issued Fisheries Office Order No. 217on the Adoption and Implementation of the IFMU Scheme. This isintended to address the mismatch between governancejurisdiction and the habitats of the fish stocks.Innovations that could be implemented include on sitemeasurements of biophysical characteristics, which would beuseful for updating data and validating claims on habitatdegradation. Some water quality parameters essential to fisheries,such as dissolved oxygen and turbidity, could be measured usingportable instruments. Experimental test fishing could beundertaken by the field researchers.4.2 Innovative project partnership arrangementsare feasibleThe partnership arrangements, although unconventional,were largely successful. The DOST led project operations incollaboration with various LGU partners. The field researchactivities were largely undertaken by rapid appraisal teammembers who were mostly drawn from local academicinstitutions and government line agencies. The WorldFish Center,through its in-house staff and pool of consultants, provided thetechnical back-stopping.This study supports the view that there is no single governancearrangement that can handle all fisheries systems. However,there are a variety of governance arrangements that can be usedto manage small-scale fisheries systems in the context of largercoastal ecosystems. These may range from ‘loose’ alliances ofFARMCs at all levels to the more rigid organizational structures.What is further required, though, is the clarification ofmanagement functions. The linkage of fisheries managementbodies with other institutions and organizati

1 Counterpart contributions were provided by the WorldFish Center, DOST regional offices (Regions 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 11 and 13) and AGHAM Party List. 2 These consist of the following institutions in the eight regional sites: Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) regional and provincial offices;