yahia mahmud case study - unitar · case study 1. introduction ... waters pollution of the bay of...

UNITAR Hiroshima Series on Sea and Human Security Sixth Session

Governance Towards a Comprehensive Security for Seas and Oceans: The Hiroshima Initiative

27 September – 2 October 2009, Hiroshima, Japan

UNITAR Hiroshima Office Chamber of Commerce and Industry Bldg., 5F, 5-44 Motomachi, Naka-ku Hiroshima, 730-0011, Japan 国連訓練調査研究所(ユニタール）広島事務所〒730-0011、広島県広島市中区基町、5-44、広島商工会議所ビル 5 階 T: +81 82 511 2424 F: +81 82 211 0511 W: www.unitar.org/hiroshima

P A R T I C I P A N T S ’ P R E - W O R K S H O P C A S E S T U D I E S 1

Yahia MAHMUD Project Director Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI) Bangladesh

CASE STUDY 1. Introduction

Bangladesh is fortunate enough having a coastal area of 2.30 million ha and a coastline of 710 km along the Bay of Bengal, which supports a large artisanal and coastal fisheries. In addition to this, the country has 200 miles exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the Bay of Bengal. A total of 475 fish species is available in the Bay of Bengal, of which nearly 100 species is of commercial value contributing about nearly 90% of the total demersal exploitation. The marine and coastal capture fisheries sector of Bangladesh is the only the primary sources of income and nutrition for 2.7 million family members in the coastal area of Bangladesh. Marine fisheries contribute 0.38 million tons, which accounted for 22% of the total fish production in the country.

i) Major problems of the Bay of Bengal a) Water Pollution Waters pollution of the Bay of Bengal is a great concerned nowadays, which is threatening our fish resources and eventually to the consumers. The major causes of pollution include- Industrial Pollution- coming from Steel mills, textile industries, paper mill, pharmaceutical industries, etc Agricultural Pollution- Coming from land base sources such agricultural farms, fish /shrimp farms etc where agricultural pesticides are occasionally/randomly used Human Waste- Coming from urban areas through sanitation outlet Oil pollution- Coming from ship & mechanized vessels, commercial oil tankers, etc

b) Higher Temperature Due to climatic change all over the world temperature of sea water increasing, which is impacting on distribution and abundances of fishes. Such changes undoubtedly affects fisher communities to harvest, which will hamper their livelihood. c) Sea level rise & biodiversity It will decrease availability of light for corals, affecting photosynthesis process. Decreasing rates of photosynthesis will hamper the growth of corals, causing destruction of St. Martin’s Island, the only heritage and highly productive coral island of the country. Moreover, Sea level rise would result in saline water moving further into the delta. If sea level rise 1 meter, our great heritage Sundarban will also be completely inundated destructing our biodiversity and breeding/nursery ground of some important marine fish species. d) Siltation Due to geo-morphological changes turbidity of sea water is increasing, which hampers photosynthesis and eco-friendly habitat. e) Illegal fishing by neighboring countries Some neighbouring countries of Bangladesh do illegal fishing in the Bay of Bengal, which occasionally hampers the catch rate of our domestic fishing trawlers and inter-country diplomatic relationship.

1 Listed by Country.





f) Threatening of Living resources & Environmental degradation Over exploitation of fishery by different types of illegal gears or indiscriminate catching of juveniles appeared a threat to biodiversity in the Bay of Bengal. Persistence of organic pollutants and polychlorinated benzenes (PCBs) in the Bay of Bengal recently also appeared as a great concern to scientists and policy makers regarding environmental degradation.

2. Professional Interest I have been working in the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI) since 1988. I obtained my PhD and Post doctorate degree from Japan on marine food hygiene. After return, I am involved with research on food safety and water pollution. Currently, I am working as a team leader of a fish food safety group. Moreover, I have been working as a Project Director of a development project of the Government. The main objective of the project is to create a new research station having modern equipment to conduct research on food security and nutrition. I hope that the outcome of the workshop to be held in Hiroshima will help me very much to conduct above research activities and to establish a demand driven research station here. Moreover, the information to be obtained from the workshop will be used for formulating national policy and established national and regional collaboration on marine fishery resource management and development.

3. Institutional benefit from the workshop The BFRI is the nodal organization in the country to conduct and coordinate basic and applied research and to provide policy guidelines to the government for fisheries research and development. I think that I will be able to gather some practical knowledge on sea food security, marine pollution, over-fishing etc from the workshop. Moreover, there will be an opportunity to exchange views and ideas among the trainees which will enrich my ideas to implement our research activities here. It will also immensely help to adopt policy guidelines for the sustainable evelopment of marine resources of Bangladesh. d





Md. Shahab UDDIN Chief Scientific Officer Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute Bangladesh

POLLUTION FROM SHIP BREAKING INDUSTRY IN THE CHITTAGONG PORT a. Source of the problems

Ship breaking is a process of dismantling obsolete vessel's structure for scrapping or disposal and it has much environmental, safety, and health issues involved. Ship breaking activities are being practiced in the coastal areas of Bangladesh and have gained importance in the macro and micro-economy of poverty stricken Bangladesh. The southern most part of the Bangladesh is bounded by about 710 km long coastal belt of the Bay of Bengal, but the ship breaking activities mainly takes place in the port region called Bhatiary of the port city Chittagong. Fulfilling the increasing demand of raw materials for steel re-rolling mills and other purposes in one hand and in other hand creating negative impacts on our coastal environments, ship breaking activities present both challenges and opportunities for coastal zone management in a holistic manner. These activities exemplify both the potentialities and the dangers of an increasingly globalized economy.

b. Problems observed

The ship breaking activity began in 1969 and since then it has earned a good reputation for being profitable but at a great environmental cost. Various refuse and disposable materials are being discharged and spilled from scrapped ships and often get mixed with the beach soil and sea water which in turn has a negative impact on our coastal environment and biodiversity. Moreover, accidents are normal phenomena in the ship breaking yards. Over the last 20 years more than 400 workers have been killed and 6,000 were seriously injured. Due to unconsciousness and lack of government patronization, the activities are facing several internal and external problems. Considering all these facts, a distinct and well-balanced policy is necessary for sustainable ship breaking activities. As Bangladesh is one of the largest countries in respect of ship breaking activities and the subsequent impact on the environment and violation of human rights in the ship breaking yards, the sector drew attention of different concerned bodies round the world as well as within Bangladesh. Electronic and print media; civil society, human rights organizations in seminar and workshop expressed their worries about serious violation of human rights in this sector.

c. Suggestion for a discussion topic or project

Considering the positive role of ship breaking in national economy, ship breaking can not be stopped. Rather a sustainable approach should be taken to minimize the negative consequences of ship breaking activities in our coastal zone. However, following steps may be taken for sustainable practice of ship breaking activities in Chittagong coastal area of Bangladesh:

• Government should formulate and implement a national policy and principles for safe and sustainable ship breaking after having consultation with relevant organizations, employers and workers.

• A gas, oil and hazardous materials free certificate must be obtained before any ship is broken. Oil must be removed and the oil tanks must be thoroughly cleaned either chemically or manually and the ship breakers must obtain a tank clearance certificate from the Mercantile Marine Department before beaching.





• Global ship recycling fund should be established by the contribution of stakeholders involved to expedite safe ship recycling for Bangladesh and other ship breaking countries,

with transfer of technology and training from relevant international organizations. • The sea shall be kept undisturbed as far as practicable for healthy growth of marine

biodiversity and human health. Because, many of the ship-breaking components are highly toxic, persistent and carcinogenic in nature and they proved fatal for aquatic food chain & human health.

• Short and long term scientific study should be immediately started to assess the impacts of ship breaking activities on coastal water, soil and fishery resources, as well as human health.

• To mitigate the problems and environmental impacts, cooperation & collaboration among scientists, policy makers, owners, local representatives, NGOs, media and different stakeholders must be achieved through consultation, seminars, discussions etc.

Problem/issue Causes Action necessary Environmental pollution from ship breaking yard

Unsafe ship breaking industry

Treatment plant, safe disposal, minimize disposal in water, underground disposal

Accidents are normal phenomena in the ship breaking yards

Careless ship breaking industry

Health & life protection law and compulsory health and life insurance

Many of the ship-breaking components are highly toxic, persistent and carcinogenic in nature and they proved fatal for aquatic food chain & human health.

Disposal of toxic substances from ship breaking industry

Prevention of the breaking of ship carrying toxic materials





Nith CHHIN Project Manager Ministry of Environment Cambodia

ATTEMPTS TO MANAGE CONFLICTS IN CHROUY PROS BAY Competition for scare livelihood resources is increasing the potential for conflicts to erupt and become unruly. Three case studies show how conflict resolution skills among village management leaders are tested through a process of trial and error, with some positive outcomes.

I. Introduction The on-going conflicts that emerge when fishing grounds are accessed by multiple fishing gear users are a particular concern for local fishers and village management committees (VMCs). Fisheries conflicts have escalated to the point of death in a few cases, as often smaller-scale fishers confront larger ‘illegal’ gear users (Sina 2004). Sometimes these conflicts endure, sometimes they are managed and sometimes they are resolved – permanently or temporarily. Conflicts may be resolved through negotiations between fishers, and/or with the VMC including the commune council (CC), district or provincial authorities. These fisheries conflicts, found in both fresh and coastal waters in Cambodia, stem from a number of causes including the perception that more people are becoming fishers, poverty, a declining fish stock, and loose law enforcement (Sina 2004).

Although fisheries conflicts have increased, they differ in nature from one place to another. For instance, the conflicts in Chrouy Pros bay are different to those of the neighboring community of Thmor Sor in Koh Kong province. In the latter location, fisheries arguments tend to emerge between those residents who abide by community by-laws and those that do not (Prum Kim Hor et al. 2006). In Chrouy Pros which is located in Koh Kong province, Cambodia, however, conflicts have arisen between fishers from one community who use stationary gear such as crab traps and fish nets and those from another village who use mobile gear like motorized pushnets and trawlers.

In Chrouy Pros bay, conflict resolution is often undertaken first between the fishers themselves. Then the VMC members, commune councils, technical departments, and provincial authorities under the facilitation and mediation of Participatory Management of Mangrove Resource (PMMR) project staff may become involved. Through these processes, all the conflicts in Chrouy Pros bay have been, to some extent, resolved outside of court through either gear confiscation or fines or both. II. Conflicts in Chrouy Pros bay Given the rich ecosystem in Chrouy Pros Bay, multiple users want to access it and conflicts do emerge. They can be intense. Traps in the bay are destroyed or moved to other areas by pushnets and trawls often at night. Crab trap owners blame the pushnets and trawlers for destroying their crab traps while the owners of the pushnets and trawling boats refute the accusation arguing that they have no intention to cause damage since they cannot see the crab traps or nets at night. Not all crab fishers can afford to use a light to demarcate their traps or nets in the dark.





Traps are also stolen, either by fishers inside the village or by those from outside. Allegedly, there are a handful of households involved extensively in the stolen gear trade. Fishers complain that it is hard to catch thieves in the act and that this issue has not yet been resolved. If the owner happens to catch the thief, he or she asks the thief to pay the cost of the lost crab traps. If an agreement cannot be reached, the issue is brought to the commune police. A VMC member of Koh Sralao indicated that when the case is brought to the commune police post, it is normally resolved through compromises agreed between the trap and net owners, negotiated through police officials.

The extraction of coastal resources in the bay is another root of conflict. While the community members try to protect the coastal resources, fishers from outside of their community - who are not engaged in the protection or conservation of these resources - encroach on them. These fishers from outside sometimes use more efficient gear such as trawling, pushnetting and motor dragging boats to catch fish. This is not acceptable to the community members. The communities complain that the effort they put into protecting the resources is wasted if these resources are then improperly exploited particularly by people from outside.

Furthermore, there are different perceptions in respect of the enforcement of the relevant community by-laws. The communities of Koh Sralao and Chrouy Pros, among whom the majority use traps and nets to catch fish and crabs in the bay, are keen to apply the law concerning the prohibition of pushnets and trawling. However, Koh Kapic VMC representatives do not agree because many of their fishers use motor pushnet and trawling among other gear. Their concern is that if pushnet and trawling are prohibited, people of Koh Kapic and Lamdam will suffer. Koh Kapic representatives have suggested, therefore, that, to be fair, all points of the community by-laws should be applied. These also include the prohibition of traps and nets with small mesh sizes that are used by many fishers from Koh Sralao and Chrouy Pros.

III. Strategy analysis 1. The by-laws of each community should be applied by all community members and

outsiders. These laws should be practiced in a step-by-step manner. 2. Provision of education on the importance of coastal natural resources and sustainable use

would play a major role. 3. Resolving fishery conflicts requires intervention from outsiders, such as technical department officials and project staff. Financial support for their intervention is important. 4. Negotiations and discussions in respect of peaceful conflict resolution strengthen cooperation among the VMC members. 5. Trap loss due to trawling/pushnets and/or theft is on the rise and no effective solutions have been introduced.

IV. Conclusions and recommendations The fishery conflict as observed and noted in Chrouy Pros, Koh Kapic and Koh Sralao may be resolved if communication strategies are initiated by the communities from the outset. Time is required for community reflection and solution creation. This ensures that the process will be inclusive of community goals and interests. Community consultations are essential for awareness raising and for working toward solutions.

It was observed that externally led coordination and facilitation that incorporated the PMMR team and officials from provincial departments, assisted in expediting the process, tempered the face to face dialogues and negotiations, and further encouraged active participation by all parties. This strategy of focusing on opening the lines of communication between the conflicting parties allowed for win-win, collaborated solutions to evolve.





Recommendations 1. By working together, communities can reduce fisheries conflicts. Continuing to build strong

relationships among the communities fishing in the Chrouy Pros bay, such as Chrouy Pros, Koh Kapic, Lamdam and Koh Sralao, would mean that they would continue to gain a better understanding of the stance each takes on issues such as conservation and protection of coastal resources. This could take the form of participatory planning and patrolling of the bay in turn or jointly. This could be started initially by the leaders of the communities with the gradual involvement of the community members. Although it takes time, this could be expected to reduce the fisheries conflicts in the bay.

2. The continuation of conflict resolution skills and techniques applied by the communities and their VMCs should be encouraged. The VMC and community members have resolved many fisheries issues based on their own strategies and initiatives which are good and are sometimes sustainable. However, their work would be much more effective and smoother if the VMC members and commune councils cooperated and consulted with each other: the resolution process for most of the cases was not as smooth and effective as it might have been because of inflexibility and lack of consultation and cooperation.

3. Fishery conflicts are hard to deal with, and negotiating compromise resolutions is often the only way forward for VMCs. The recommendation here is that while negotiation efforts persist, the conflict situation is likely to remain stable. Gradual enforcement of community by-laws and other relevant legislation such as fisheries laws and environmental laws by the VMCs and commune councils (including the commune police and officials from technical departments of fisheries and environment), would reduce the number of the conflicts by discouraging the offenders from fishing in the bay.

4. The VMC members and commune councils need external support to deal with fisheries conflicts. Such support would include (i) financial assistance for joint activities such as meetings, project implementation, and study tours to other places involved in CBNRM, (ii) effective backstopping to support their efforts on conflict resolution, and (iii) regular visits to the areas by officials from the technical departments of the environment and fisheries.

5. The conflict resolution facilitator should have extensive experience in, and knowledge of, the issues. This is congruent with the suggested quality of the facilitators in community forestry in Cambodia (Sarin 2005). Being a facilitator, he/she should be patient, neutral, flexible, supportive, friendly, well respected, educated and determined. If possible, the conflict facilitator should be a person not involved in the conflicts, such as a technical official or a project staff member.

6. The bay should be managed by a joint group representing local communities nearby, local

authorities and line technical departments and ministries. This group should put more focus on management and sustainable development mechanisms including the recording of changes in ecological systems, catches and social issues.

7. Efforts to deploy artificial reefs and poles in the bay, which have been supported by funds from the commune councils of Koh Kapic and Chrouy Pros, the Seila program and UNDP/GEF, lead to a reduction in pushnet and trawling activities in certain areas in the bay. In addition, while such reefs and poles serve as fish and crab habitats, they also protect some smaller fishing gears of the fishers who fish in the bay and nearby. However, this type of initiative does require careful monitoring as other conflicts may emerge.





Leng Sy VANN Deputy Director of International Cooperation Division and Fish bio-ecological specialist Inland Fisheries Research and Development Institute, Fisheries Administration Cambodia

ROLE OF FISH AND FISHERY RESOURCES TO THE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT Cambodia is rich in fish productivity and fisheries resources, especially freshwater fisheries are one of the most products in the world due to the presence of the Great Lakes, Tonle Sap, Mekong and Bassack River and their floodplain ecosystem. Fish and fishery products contribute mainly to the nation development in term of: 1) improving the livelihoods of many poor rural households, 2) contributing to employment,3) contributing to food security throughout the country, 4) contributing to economic development:

Poverty reduction The role of the fisheries sector plays a main role in terms of poverty reduction. About two million people are primarily depending on fishery resources. Many poor and vulnerable people rely on the fisheries either directly or indirectly for their livelihoods. Many women, who are heads of household, are particularly poor and are engaged in fisheries post-harvest activities such as fish processing and trade.

Food Security Fish plays a vital role in food security and it is also the most important source of animal protein for human consumption in Cambodia. It provides about 75% of the animal protein requirements of households. In 1995/96, in fishing households, the average fresh fish consumption per capita (based on weekly consumption) amounted to 43.5 kg per year; adding up processed fish (equivalent to 32.1 kg of fresh fish per person and per year) resulted in a total fish consumption of 75.6 kg per person per year. In comparison, consumption of other animal proteins from chicken, pork, beef, and duck reached 8 kg per person per year. In 2002, the average consumption of prahoc (fermented fish paste) amounted to 62 kg per household, or 10.1 kg per person. Other aquatic organisms such as shrimps, crabs, mollusks, and frogs also supplement fish and they are the diet of rural Cambodians, which have been estimated at 4.5–5.2 kg per person per year

Employment The fish and fishery resources provide employment for many rural and urban people, it is estimated that at least 2 million people are either indirect or directly involved in the fisheries sector. They diversify livelihood activities and thereby insure against the risk of agricultural failures and they provide easy access to income generating activities with very little capital investment and no land. In term of fishing and fishing related activities, it is estimated about 17% of rural people are primary source for their employment; almost 30% of rural people are engaged in part-time income generating activity; and over 90% of rural people are involved in fishing for their livelihood.

Economic development The monetary value of the fisheries catch at the landing site was amounted between US$150 to 225 million/year, possibly US$300 million. The contribution of the fisheries sector to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has recently been estimated at 11.7% and 16%. In comparison, the total monetary value of paddy rice in Cambodia is roughly US$350- 400 million. In spite of the very significant contribution of fisheries to the wider economy and to the livelihoods of the millions of people who depend upon the sector, fisheries are facing problems on a scale that have not been seen before in Cambodia. The problems include:

• Declining catch rates; • Increasing fishing gears • Decreasing fish size • Increasing vulnerability of many poor fishers; • Uncertain future contribution of fisheries to domestic food security; • Major fluctuations in annual total catches; • Conflict between fishers; • Increasing degradation of aquatic ecosystems.





Chunlei GAO Associate Professor First Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration China

THE STATUS OF SHELLFISH FOOD SECURITY IN CHINA The shellfish mariculture industry is highly developed in China. In 2004, the production of shellfish reached to 12 million tons, 80% is from shellfish mariculture. Mariculture of shellfish has been a mainstay in China’s aquaculture.

Because of the pollution and unreasonable culture model in China, the most pressing problem related to shellfish safety is the contamination of shellfish with viruses and bacterial pathogens, heavy metals, organic pollutants and phytoxins. Shellfish contamination is a huge threat to public health, and seriously limits the export of related products. For example, due to the sanitary conditions beyond safety standards, the European Union has been refusing Chinese shellfish and related products from 1997.

At present, several laws and measures on controlling seafood safety had been built in my country, and the Seafood HACCP program is spreading nationally, but it is very difficult to be carried out due to the shortage of safety consciousness, lack of feasible tracing system, the lagging of basic researches, and funds shortage money among culturists. The whole situation is not optimistic, more actions are needed.

Two suggestions: 1) establishing effective and practical warning or preventive systems of HAB toxins and organic

pollutants 2) establishing a standard for classifying mariculture areas





Pei LIU Technician Ocean and Fishery Administration of Dongying China

CONSTRUCTION OF SPECIAL PROTECTED MARINE AREA IN DONGYING Dongying is the central city of the yellow river delta, the shallow sea area is 4800 km2 with the beach area of 120000 hectares. but the yellow river delta’s ecosystem is going to be much more vulnerable because of the overmuch fishing. In order to improve ecological environment of the beach and water areas, restore the marine biological diversity, promote the eco-efficiency, social and economic benefits of harmonization, achieve sustainable economic and social development, dongying established 5 national SPMA including lijin benthic fish ecological national SPMA, the yellow river estuary ecological national SPMA,the estuary of shallow water shellfish ecological national SPMA, the laizhou bay clam ecological national SPMA, guangrao clamworm ecological national SPMA. The total area of these 5 SPMA is 1691 km2, containing all the important fishing areas, the main protected species including the clam, hard clams, Nereis, Cynoglossus semilaevis and the Yellow River Mouth Coilia ectenes, Protosalanx chinensis and other large economic aquatic species and their living marine environment. Dongying will explore the sustainable development and utilization of marine living resources through the construction of SPMA so that the fishery resources density and biomass can get a growth and keep relatively stable, the quality of waters and bottom of this area can get improved, biological diversity and function of ecological structure can be restored, the quality of fishery lives can be improved, environmental indicators can get further optimization, reduce the possibility of the red rid and such marine environmental disasters，and searching a good evaluation mechanism to evaluate the construction of the SPMA.

The construction of special protected marine area in Dongying can be categorized into three groups: the local laws and regulatory framework; management mechanisms and institutional structures and various special programs. The Marine Environmental Protection Law is the most important and basic regulations for marine seafood security management. This regulations are enforced by SOA. The sustainable development and utilization of marine resources, protection of the marine ecological environment are very important to the development of local marine economics. People normally did not know that lack of governance would destroy the order of the ocean area use, and the function of ecological system. This means that the information publication and propaganda are not enough during the management. The most possible reason could be even the government didn’t attach importance to this issue. They urgently need to know the impacts of SPMA to sea governance and give priority on it.

Project suggestion: Construction of special protected marine area could effectively protect the endangered species However, that is only one aspect of marine food security. We should also give more concerns about resume of the marine environment, especially the impact to social economics. And if the SPMA construction will lead to adverse impact to ecological system, the government will give a change to construct such protected areas. We have learned that Hokkaido is operating a very similar mode. Moreover, those protection will benefit sustainable utilization of marine resources and population re-generation. Therefore, I suggest one project on “Impact assessment of typical species protection on ecological system”!





Sheng LIU Associate Research Professor South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences China

HARMFUL ALGAE TRANSPORTATION ALONG FOOD CHAIN IN NATURAL ENVIRONMENT – A CASE ABOUT ECOLOGICAL SECURITY CAUSED BY MICROALGAE Microalgae, including diatom, dinoflagellate, etc., are very important to primary production in the marine ecosystem. Some of them can produce toxin that may damage local ecosystem or human health along the food chain, such as, Paralytic Shellfish poisoning (Gonyaulax tamarensis, Alexandrium tamarense), Diarrheic Shellfish Poisoning (Dinophysis fortii), Neurotoxic Shellfish Poisoning (Gymnodinium brevis), Ciguatera Fish Poisoning (Coolia monotis), Hemolytic toxin (Amphidilium carterae), etc. With economical development, harmful algae bloom (HAB) has also been increasing, including the appearance frequency, area and scale. How about their transportation way and efficiency along the food web in the natural environment? We still do not clearly know yet. Copepods are the most numerous animals on our planet. In the marine food web, copepod link primary producers to higher trophic levels. Herbivorous copepods feed on phytoplankton, carnivorous species prey on other zooplankton, and omnivorous lineages on both phytoplankton and zooplankton. Understanding on food composition of these secondary producers is essential to the understanding of pathway of carbon flux and energy flow. The evaluation for natural environment needs powerful tools, molecular techniques provide such possibility. The potential of these techniques in studying copepod diet composition and grazing rate has been demonstrated[1]. Even Quantitative PCR-approach based on prey DNA sequences to copepod was reported recently[2]. However, to our knowledge, applications of these techniques to the understanding of copepod diet composition in situ have not been explored. Based on existing 18S rDNA dataset for various plankton organisms, we designed eukaryote-inclusive but Acartia-exclusive primers and applied them in PCR on DNA extracted from Acartia tonsa from Long Island Sound. Sequencing and phylogenetic analyses revealed unsuspected diverse and rare type of diet in this copepod[3-4]. This technique is very powerful tool for setting up the structure of food web and detecting the material flow in specific ecosystem. Then, we can try to answer some questions about ecological security caused by microalgae in the natural environment.

Reference 1. Nejstgaard, JC, ME Frischer, CL Raule, R Gruebel, KE Kohlberg, and PG Verity. 2003.

Molecular detection of algal prey in copepod guts and fecal pellets. Limnol Oceanogr: Methods 1: 29-38.

2. Nejstgaard, JC, ME Frischer, P Simonelli, C Troedsson, M Brakel, F Adiyaman, AF Sazhin and LF Artigas. 2008. Quantitative PCR to estimate copepod feeding. Mar Biol 153:565-577.

3. Sen-jie Lin, Sheng Liu, et al. Hidden biodiversity hot spot in copepods. (in preparation). 4. Sen-jie Lin, Sheng Liu, et al. Molecular analysis of copepod diet during a Heterocapsa

rotundata bloom: evidence of bloom formation due to deterred grazing (in preparation)





G. D. KHEDKAR Lecturer in Zoology Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University India

ANTIBIOTICS IN SHRIMP AQUACULTURE CAUSING NUISANCE IN INDIA The indiscriminate use of antibiotics in aquaculture to avoid disease threats may cause development of antibiotic resistance among pathogens infecting cultured animals and humans. However, this is a recent issue and has not yet been thoroughly investigated. Furthermore, there is limited knowledge about the environmental effects of antibiotic use in aquaculture. It is well known that antibiotics are commonly used in shrimp farming to treat or prevent disease outbreaks, but there is little published documentation on details of usage patterns. This study, conducted in 2005-07 shows that a most of the shrimp farmers along the west coast of India used antibiotics in their farms. Total 80 shrimp farmers interviewed, all of them used antibiotics in shrimp pond management. Most farmers used them prophylactically, some on a daily basis, and at least ten different antibiotics were used. Many farmers were not well informed about efficient and safe application practices. A more restrictive use of antibiotics could have positive effects for the individual farmer and simultaneously, decrease impacts on regional human medicine and adjacent coastal ecosystems. It is likely that dissemination of information could contribute to a decreased use of antibiotics, without affecting the level of shrimp production.





Elly Rasdiani SUDIBJO Environment Expert Indonesian Ocean Council Indonesia

CASE STUDY

Ocean governance is a complex issue in many countries, even within developed countries. When we discuss ocean governance, Indonesia in process on implementing as a ratifying “UNCLOS” state, and at present we are in the process on improving our policy, regulations, institutions and human resources. Therefore, ocean governance indirectly will and should look into the consequences of ratifying UNCLOS.

As sea consist of 60% Indonesian territory, Indonesian needs on sea and ocean product

will double or triple in the future. Therefore, if Indonesia able to manage coastal and sea/ocean natural resources, these product can be the prime mover of Indonesian economy.

Coastal development, ocean exploration and exploitation need and should apply

consistent implementation on good “ocean” governance. However, as an archipelagic state, Indonesia has to develop its own governance because the background and the culture of the people. Sea or ocean matters in Indonesia divided into various government institutions, which in consequence, the policy and regulations sometimes overlap to each other. Therefore, to overcome the conflicting issues on coastal and sea/ocean, in 1999 Indonesia developed a coordinating body for public policy and regulation (Indonesian Ocean Council).

Mechanism on governance such as transparency, accountability, participation, efficiency,

affectivity and law enforcement should be regulate and implemented. This is on going process within the council and technical sectors, both at the central and local government. Finding the mechanism to control implementation of good governance where law enforcement plays an important role is a very complex process.

In addition to the complexity of “ocean” governance, the issue of global warming will

change the science and politics approaches related to ocean. This also affect to Indonesian ocean policy. In the future, “ocean” governance should include corporation, both national and international, however, Indonesia in process on studying the best approach.

The issue on how converting science into policy, national cooperation, international

cooperation, policy-making process for national strategy and regional strategy, monitoring effectiveness and compliance are some issues that can be discussed related to ocean governance. The role of human resources (culture versus capacity) and institutions (government and non-government) development should be also discussed.





Mohammadreza ALLAHYAR and Alireza KEBRIAEE Coastal Engineers Ports and Maritime Organization of Islamic Republic of Iran Iran

CASE STUDY Preparation of comprehensive management plans for optimum to optimize the utilization of existent sources and potentials in all developed and developing countries is one of the appropriate approaches to exploit natural, financial and human resources. The versatility of natural sources in coastal areas has made private and governmental users and investors participate in this section to gain the utmost profits. Thus, the necessity of preparation and implementation of management plans for perpetual utilization of existent resources in coastal areas has become inevitable. Iran with more than 5000 Km coastline in north and south owns abundant economic capacities in coastal zones; and regarding the variety of nature and coast operators and more importantly coastal activities and operations management the necessity of attention to Integrated Coastal Zone Management becomes more significant. So Ports and Maritime Organization was detailed to take the studies of ICZM into consideration. The outcome of this study was compilation of following subjects:

1- Feasible Shoreline management plan 2- Environmental management plan 3- Monitoring and evaluation plan 4- Land use plan 5- Regulation and legal issues 6- Management structure and organization chart 7- Public participation plan 8- Security and political studies 9- GIS databank

The most problematic and challenging issues are: 1- Lack of data - As you know, collecting and capturing data is an indispensable part of

every study. In ICZM of Iran, unfortunately, there was not enough data such as measured marine parameters, hydrographic maps in high resolution,…, in some cases or places.

2- Lack of efficient legislation on the coastal zone in some cases 3- Problems in public participation and integration among relevant Organizations - As there

are many governmental or public organizations and private sectors related to the coastal area, it is so difficult to implement the integration plan to unify them.

4- Absence of any organization as a leader

Suggestion. In order to tackle these issues, it is expected to discuss the problems with those involved in such projects from different countries and exchange our experiences and views and being informed about the latest achievement and experiences.





Hossein NEGARESTAN Researcher Iranian Fisheries Research Organization (IFRO) Iran

PRESENCE OF A HUGE AND LONG LASTING HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOM IN PERSINA GULF; STRATEGIES FOR MANAGEMENT OF DISASTER AND RISK REDUCTIONS

Red tide in Persian Gulf is not a new phenomenon. Several incidents of harmful algal bloom (HAB) have been reported in Persian Gulf during last 8 years. However, occurrence of Cochlodinium polykrikoides bloom is something new in regards to the species responsible for the bloom, the size of the blooms, duration of its presence in the region, and its effects on the Persian Gulf.

For the first time a huge red tide of C. polykrikoides was noted in September 27th of 2008 in Iranian waters. But first citing of this species blooming in the region is reported to be in Oman waters at Oman Sea, near Hormoz Strait on August 2008.

Blooms of this phytoplankton species expanded from Hormoz Strait in Hormozgan up to Bushehr, Covering a huge area. In some areas were HAB was dense fish kills were also reported which were estimated to be about 40 tons. A number of fish fingerlings and invertebrates also have been killed due to presence of C. polykrikoides in great numbers in the region. This has alarmed the authorities that the red tide may reduce fisheries stocks and consequently fishing income of fishermen in the next fishing season.

The presence of the bloom in Persian Gulf caused the sea to look different in colour and this resulted in a smaller interest of the people to consume fish in fear of side effects. This has resulted in a collapse in fish market and a sharp (2-3 folds) decline in fish prices. The price crash, reduction in fish costumers, and a reduce catch has caused a strong financial Bearden on shoulders of the fishing communities of the region.

Presence of HAB has not only caused a collapse in fishing activities, but also resulted in a number of painful stages in management of desalination plants, aquaculture, tourism, etc. The nasty smell of the bloom, which is due to its 8-10 days life period in the region which ends with a decaying period of huge biomass of dead C. polykrikoides, resulted in many complaints from citizens of Bandar Abbas and other areas of Hormozgan Province.

Monitoring of C. polykrikoides started from September 2008 in Hormozgan Province and has expanded to Bushehr Province from January 2009, when the bloom entered provincial waters of Bushehr. Some reports of the presence of this species in limited areas of Khuzestan and Sistan and Baluchestan Provinces also has prompted Iranian Fisheries Research Organization (IFRO) to cover these two areas too. The data of this monitoring has made it clear that C. polykrikoides bloom is centered in east Hormozgan Province and from there expansions occur.

Most of the fish kills happened in Hormozgan and basically around Bandar Abbas city area. So most studies regarding possible mitigation measures, including clay dispersal techniques were done in this area. Clay dispensing was started experimentally form 9th of February 2009. The results then were applied in pilot sites in Bandar Abbas region. This has been done using ship, land based equipments, and air. Results showed that this method can reduce C. polykrikoides and divide huge blooms into smaller ones allowing fish to escape and survive. Also clay dispensing could reduce smell production of the algae; this may be concluded that has damaged the life cycle of the invading species in the region. It should be noted that use of clay can not be regarded as a solution to the problem, but it can reduce the stocks of C. polykrikoides to acceptable densities in hot spots that are important because of citizens suffering from smell, or a particular activity that needs clean water i.e. aquaculture.





At the moment the bloom is reduced due to warmth of water, which is not tolerable for C. polykrikoides, however the presence of the species in waters of both Hormozgan and Bushehr Provinces in small numbers is an indication of its potential for blooming as soon as air temperature of summer eases.

Prediction of the place of bloom, the expansion path of the bloom, and mitigation measures are needed to be looked at in great detail to be able to manage its next presence in autumn 2009 in the region. Also physical, chemical, and biological control agents should be investigated in laboratory condition to be able to help aquaculturists in case of problems, disinfect ship ballast tanks, and help in controlling its blooms in Persian Gulf and Oman Sea. International scientific relations can help in improving mitigation efficiency, as well as conduct new research and shed light on different aspects of HAB of the Persian Gulf.





Ana Jagui Perez-KUROKI* Research Scientist Hiroshima University Japan STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF THE THREE GORGES DAM ON THE WATER CIRCULATION IN

THE YANGTZE RIVER-EAST CHINA SEA’S SYSTEM A numerical experiment for hydrological and oceanographical water circulation in Yangtze River-East China Sea System has been conducted using HSPF (Hydrological Simulation Program-Fortran) and MITgcm (Massachusetts Institute of Technology general circulation model) in a non-hydrostatic computation, to examine the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) effects on the river-ocean’s water circulation system. By using Regional Environment Simulator (RES, developed at Hiroshima University), the possible effects on the East China Sea of the water discharge regulated from the dam can be studied in advance. First we used a model which comprises topography, landuse and weather dataset to build a hydrological simulation model for the downstream area of the TGD. A preliminary numerical experiment for water circulation has been conducted in the Yangtze River-East China Sea System; they involve two different scenarios: natural scenario which assumes that the dam was not built and calculated how much water will enter to the East China Sea, and the extreme scenario which simulates the Yangtze River’ discharge assuming that the TGD retains all the upstream water. The preliminary results shows that river discharge will decrease by around 40% during the non-rainy season and by 60% during rainy season if the extreme condition of zero flow from TGD occurs. Following the discharge from Yangtze River which includes the effects of Dam discharge controlled at TGD, the test computations of fresh water diffusion in the East China Sea including Yellow Sea and Japan/East Sea have been performed to verify the reduced river water diffusion over East China Sea, in other words to study the changes of water quality, salinity concentration, sediment transport and temperature in the area. For three-dimensional ocean circulation modelling using MITgcm, both initial and boundary conditions of potential temperature, salinity, zonal and meridional velocities were imposed by JCOPE 1/12 deg ocean reanalysis data. The fresh water discharges from the hydrological simulations with two scenarios were also considered for river boundary.

*with Dr. Han Soo Lee and Professor Takao Yamashita





Hla PE Project Field Officer Assistant Solidarites Myanmar Myanmar REHABILITATION OF MANGROVE IN THE CYCLONE-AFFECTED IRRAWADDY DELTA

OF MYANMAR Since the May 2008 Cyclone Nargis there has been a mounting call for re-establishing protective mangroves along riverbanks in the Irrawaddy delta of Myanmar which is so called Greenbelt reforestation. Mangrove forests are proven effective barriers against tropical storm, strong wind and tidal wave and current action buffering between land and sea.

It is apparent evidence that people takes awareness on mangrove woods where survivors saved lives when they were attached in the woods after cyclone hit villages. Advantageous impact of Cyclone Nargis is people perceive on the important of mangrove forest not only for provision of raw materials for construction and kitchenwood only but for safeguarding trees where people take refuge to avoid stormy flood and to keep trees as a wind breaker also.

Rehabilitation of mangrove is not an easy way not only to select correct species to be restored but also to rural people’s concern, interest and participation that are root causes to success.

Public education and public awareness on mangrove reforestation could not be achieved by local knowledge alone but international participation takes a favorable role in achieving technical know-how to local community and fostering implementation of many projects.

Developing socio-economic livelihood for rural people residing at remote villages is well respective approach to many successful projects worldwide but identification and improving proper way to substitute or to save fuelwood for kitchen use at every single village is the most concern particularly in least developing countries in terms of preserving post-planting mangroves.





Emmi CAPILI Project Research Assistant Manila Observatory The Philippines

EVIDENCE-BASED DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR COASTAL COMMUNITIES: A CRITICAL ENABLING TOOL TO ADDRESS VULNERABILITY AND

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Being an archipelago, the Philippines has approximately 36,000 km of extensive coastline. Two-thirds of the population are located in low-lying coastal areas, with some being occupied by greater than 1000 persons per sq km. Most coastal communities in the Philippines are rural with approximately 482,500 poor fishermen recorded. The country's coastal nature, as reflected by various physical parameters and human elements, merit important considerations in any security and development planning process.

Conventional development and security planning tools include Comprehensive Land-Use Plan and Physical Framework Plan among others. However, there remains a major challenge in addressing the lack of evidence-based decision-support tools especially for local government units (LGUs) in the country. At present, most development plans focus on the economic aspirations of the locality. This presents two major gaps in planning: (1) reflect scientific studies for evaluating baseline conditions and natural resources in the area; and (2) lack of integration of results from evidence-based analysis into policy. These have resulted in weakness to disaster management which focused on emergency responses rather than risk reduction (i.e. ex-post vs. ex-ante).

The Municipality of Baclayon is situated in Southern Bohol in the Visayas region. It is a 5th class municipality, governing constituents and resources on its mainland and one small island off the coast, named Pamilacan. The area is impacted by physical disturbances such as tectonic movements, tsunamis, storm surges, as well as human activities such as over-fishing, manta ray hunting, quarrying, and others. The Baclayon government officials, local stakeholders, and partners clamored for a tool based on scientific studies to support them in decision-making on resource use in support for economic development and cultural preservation, as well as, provide directions for climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction, and poverty alleviation.

The Sustainable Development Guidebook for the Municipality of Baclayon consists of multi-disciplinary inputs with cross-sectoral significance, taking into account climate, geo-physical, coastal geology, risk analysis, mapping, responses, and adaptation options. The Guidebook consists of two documents: (1) Technical Guidebook; and (2) Handbook. The cross-sectoral approach addresses vulnerability across all scales and types. The Technical Guidebook consists of research findings and resources for residents and authorities to have a basis for evaluating development choices. On the other hand, the Handbook is an easy-to-understand evaluation guide for planners and major stockholders. Enhancing local capacity on mapping tools to help visualize complex inter-relationships would be very valuable steps in moving forward.





Maribeth FRUTO Department Head Provincial Government of Sorsogon The Philippines

COASTAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT IN SORSOGON BAY PROVINCE OF SORSOGON, PHILIPPINES

INTRODUCTION This paper is focused on the implications of the impacts of climate change besetting the issues and problems such as Red Tide, Overfishing and Decline in biodiversity and disruption of ecosystem functions on fishery resources and coastal communities of Sorsogon Bay in the Province of Sorsogon, Philippines.

BETTER PLANNING: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION With the alarming red tide occurrence for almost a year, the City Government of Sorsogon initiated series of meetings including the two-day workshop activity to plan mitigating measures and adaptation strategies to address the red tide/ harmful algal blooms issue.

The two day activity drew considerable number of participants from different government agencies, non-government organizations and from key sectors, especially fishers of Sorsogon Bay. Active participation was elicited from these sectors and systematic participatory assessments of the problems besetting the bay were comprehensively discussed. The participants came to an agreement that the main culprit of the environmental maladies in Sorsogon Bay is the synergy of effects of natural and anthropogenic factors bringing about cascading degradation of coastal ecosystems such as siltation, mangrove deforestation, overfishing, illegal fishing, water pollution. With the very evident deterioration of water quality and decline of fish production in the background, red tide problem appeared to be the most pressing; hence, many of the proposed projects are either addressing the consequences or the causes of having red tide in the bay or both. Ecosystem restoration is the ultimate climate change mitigation measure to Sorsogon Bay to focus on Coastal Resources Management Program (CRMP) and Fishery Resources Management Program (FRMP). To achieve this, there is a need to integrate management actions aimed at conserving the structure and function of Sorsogon Bay ecosystems, in addition to conserving the fishery resource thru the following strategies:

Strict Enforcement of Forestry , Fishery and other Environmental Laws Strict Implementation of a Comprehensive Waste Management Programs Introduce appropriate technologies on fishing Provision of alternative livelihood Information, Education and Communication (IEC) Program

BETTER PLANNING: CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION Guidelines & legislation for integrated coastal resources management Mangrove resources development, with emphasis on reforestation IEC campaign on climate variability and change and resultant impacts Climate impact and coastal hazard assessment





IV. KEY OUTCOMES

Minimized victims of paralytic shellfish poisoning Community participation in environment related activities (e.g. coastal clean-up, tree

planting) Environmentally aware citizenry Reduced presence of solid waste materials in Sorsogon Bay

V. CHALLENGES 1. Formation of Sorsogon Bay Development and Management Authority 2. Bay-wide Water Use Planning and Zoning 3. Natural Resource Management Researches for Sorsogon Bay 4. Institutional and Capability Building Interventions for stakeholders

VI. CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATIONS To lessen the impacts of climate change the following are recommended for future considerations:

Undertake systematic physical, social and economic vulnerability assessments and adopt appropriate adaptation measures;

Extreme weather events and sea level rise scenarios should be given priority, due to the Philippines’ unique geographical setting and proneness to storm surges;

Improve the warning system and disaster management; Upgrade climate change awareness; and Incorporate appropriate measures into national development





Richard MAGSINO Assistant Professor De La Salle University Lipa The Philippines

THE ROLE OF DE LA SALLE LIPA IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF INTEGRATED COASTAL MANAGEMENT IN LUZON, PHILIPPINES

The first demonstration site for implementing Integrated Coastal Management in East Asia, along with Xiamen, China, is in Batangas Province, Philippines. For several years, the Batangas Bay Demonstration Project has been instrumental in the coordination of efforts for the management, protection and preservation of marine resources in the province. Under the President’s Executive Order 533, the country adopted the ICM framework for the management of coastal and marine resources in the Philippines. Thus, ICM efforts are now underway in other provinces in the country such as in Bataan, Cavite, Guimaras and Misamis Oriental. In line with this, there is a need to train future ICM implementers in the region to become more effective in the process of change through the ICM framework.

De La Salle Lipa in Batangas has been designated as the academic partner to form a pool of local trainers in Integrated Coastal Management for Luzon Island. As the lead ICM trainer, we are working towards an objective to serve as resource persons in workshops and trainings for government and non-government personnel engaged in marine conservation through ICM. One of the existing problems and challenges at both local and national levels in the implementation of integrated coastal management in the Philippines include capacity building of personnel engaged in ICM. At present, there are limited human resources who will fill in for the need to capacitate future implementers of ICM in the country. To address this challenge, the guidance and supervision of Partnerships for the Environmental Management of Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) through the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will be critical in forming local mass of ICM experts in the country. Through this UNITAR Hiroshima Initiative workshop training, the knowledge gained from this seminar will be used to develop or build the capacity for ICM training in compliance with the EO 533. This workshop training will address this specific problem in local capacity building, thus aiming for a more comprehensive understanding of socio-economic security in the field of integrated coastal management.

The Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) training of trainers course will definitely provide participants with better understanding of how the ICM framework can be a useful methodology to promote sustainable development of coastal areas. This will emphasize governance elements such as policy, strategies and action plans, institutional arrangements, legislation, public awareness and information management, sustainable financing and capacity development. Advanced topics and discussions of these governance elements will strengthen knowledge and skills essential to ensure effective delivery of ICM training course within international standards.





Hema Malinie Kumbalgoda Kankanam PATHIRANA Professor in Chemistry University of Ruhuna, Matara Sri Lanka

CASE STUDY I. Description Sri Lanka is rapidly becoming an industrialised country. It is a common practice in Sri Lanka to dump industrial effluents into aquatic systems including sea and coastal lagoons & marsh lands, without applying any treatments. This can cause pollution in surface water and ground water in land-based ecosystems and water & sediments in lagoons and the ocean. This can cause pollution in surface water, ground water, lagoons, sea water etc. Bioaccumulation of toxic materials can occur in aquatic plants, fish, crabs etc. living in such aquatic systems and certain pollutants which may have toxicants that end up in man due to bioaccumulation along food chains & food webs. Change in pH, BOD, COD etc. can also affect habitants of such aquatic systems. Oil spilling in harbours, dockyards and ship- accidents is a problem to be solved to protect pollution of marine ecosystems. II. Problems observed Reports are available on discolouring of water where effluents are released to lagoons and shallow coastal waters. Bad smell experienced in these areas is another problem for people living in the vicinity of such industrial areas. There are reports on contamination of ground water in coastal wells, especially after recent tsunami incident. Our own research have indicated that levels of lead and copper in certain fish species and crabs in one of the coastal lagoons in the Matara District, of Southern Sri Lanka exceed the levels recommended for human consumption. People who eat fish, crabs etc. from that lagoon might face health problems due to this reason. Release of industrial effluents into sea without considering the hydrography of the area can cause long lasting problems to coastal land based ecosystems. We had the opportunity to examine a project proposal for a tannery complex in Bataatha Area in the Southern Sri Lanka, on a request made by the Southern Development authority. According to the Proposal tannery was planning to clean the effluents to a level of 99% and it was revealed even after such a purification, Chromium remaining in the water exceeds the minimum recommended level. Other important matter noticed by us was the hydrography of the coastal area, where the effluents were to be released. It was an area about 40 meters from the shoreline & that area is surrounded by a rocky substratum forming a small lagoon-like structure. If the effluents were released to this area Chromium would have accumulated within the sediments & return to coastal lagoons, estuaries & terrestrial ecosystems due to high tide and stormy wave action. If the Chromium got into the grass and other vegetation fed by buffaloes &cattle, the curd produced by their milk also would have got contaminated with Chromium. Fortunately government did not approve this tannery project considering our recommendation. In certain coastal areas Batik clothes industry is established & their dying process is carried out without giving much consideration to impacts on the environment. Discussion topics

III. Suggestion for a discussion topic “Strategies for protection of coastal aquatic ecosystems from industrial pollution in the South-Asian Region.”





Pannarai CHUAPIBUL Director, Administrative Division Hydrographic Department Thailand

THE EXPLOITATION OF THE SEAS TO EARN INCOME I. Description Thailand is one of the unique countries in the world because it has two different coastlines. One is along the Gulf of Thailand which is a semi closed sea and open to the South China Sea. The other one is open direct to the Andaman Sea. Hence, the characteristics of the coastlines and the marine life are different. Both seas offer many excellent areas for scuba diving and snorkeling to observe the biodiversity of marine life. These areas have become tourist attractions for both local and overseas visitors and tourists. Consequently these areas generate much needed and substantial income for the communities and businesses in the coastal provinces in which these marine life study areas are located. Some coastal provinces gain their major income from tourists and the tourism industry. Some time ago, the government authorities carried out an experiment by dumping concrete blocks, old and worn vehicle tires, old train carriages, and the like into the environmentally and physically damaged sea areas where coral reefs had been destroyed and marine life had virtually disappeared. The purpose of the experiment was to establish and create replacement reefs. The experiment was successful and attracted corals which were followed by fish and other marine life. As a result of co-operating sensibly with the sea, tourists returned and brought business, jobs and income to the coastal towns. That successful and highly beneficial experiment set the example for other coastal towns and communities to follow, and clearly demonstrated that, by co-operating with and respecting the sea, it produced a win win outcome. Other local coastal authorities have, where appropriate, been following this model with the aim of developing a healthy tourist industry and a pristine sea area. The local coastal authorities sought advice from my office whether the dumping sites would be suitable, and whether the dumped materials would provide obstacles for navigation, and whether the proposed artificial reefs would cause changes to the coastlines or affect the environment. All very thoughtful and sensitive questions showed a much improved empathy and understanding of protecting the seas.

II. Problems observed The advice given to the local coastal authorities by my office can generate a number of actions. If it is found that the site would obstruct navigation, the local authorities would have to find a new site, and seek advice again on its acceptability. If the site did not affect navigation, approval would be given and the local authorities would proceed to establish an artificial reef. However, the glaring weakness in the system is the lack of a follow up programme to inspect, and ensure that the artificial reef has been located as agreed, whether the dumped concrete blocks and other large objects (artificial reef) has attracted marine life to the areas, and whether the work has affected the environment and later any changes to the coastline. The local authorities appear to be caring for the condition of the sea and marine life but at the same time will fail to ensure that their actions are in the best interest of both the environment and their local businesses and local economy.

III. Suggestion for a discussion topic The need for Authority and Regulations for controlling and monitoring of any changes and improvements to the sea for the benefit of the environment and the balancing of benefits and business opportunities which the seas and oceans provide particularly to coastal communities.





Arpaporn EIAMSA-ARD Training and Extension Officer Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center Thailand

CAPACITY BUILDING ON COASTAL AND MARINE RESOURCES MANAGEMENT FOR THE NEW GENERATION

I. Description of the Case Study The youth of today are going to be the manpower of the future. University students, who will soon finish their studies in the very near future, are especially important since they could have some influence in shaping the future of the country and its people. As more and more people are living in coastal areas, rapid population growth and climate change pose tremendous challenges for the sustainable development of the coastal areas. Thus, building awareness and capacity among the younger generation and future leaders in the areas of sustainable fisheries management and Coastal and Marine Governance becomes very critical and necessary.

The Training Department of the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC/TD) regularly organizes short term training courses for University Students twice a year. These courses are conducted to support the Government of Thailand in developing the necessary human resources in the field of fisheries as well as in coastal and marine resources management. About 40-45 University students from all over Thailand attend the courses every year. The focus of the training courses is mainly in raising the awareness and understanding of the young generation on the situation of coastal and marine resources as well as on the way of life of the people in fisheries and in the fishing communities. The courses consist of presentation/discussion sessions, practical sessions on designing simple but responsible fishing gear and methods as well as shipboard training and oceanographic surveys. Moreover, the students also have the opportunity to visit the fishing communities and discuss with fishers, fish farmers, and also with people in areas affected by coastal erosion. The students could also have the chance to join various mangrove rehabilitation projects and other related activities. At the end of the course, the students are always requested to present the skills and knowledge that they have learned from the training course, and could also have the opportunity to offer suggestions for the improvement of the course. II. Problems observed The training course for University students should be so designed to be able to capture the students’ interest and foster their abilities to create new and innovative ideas and thoughts on Coastal Governance and Marine Resources Management. For the course facilitators and resource persons, this poses a great challenge making it necessary for them to continuously stay abreast of the current fisheries and coastal resources situation considering not only the national scenario but the global situation as well, and to explore approaches for management that are most appropriate for addressing the real situation of coastal and marine resources. Techniques and methods for improving the effectiveness of the course and its delivery need to be adapted by the resource persons, to ensure that the course could attain the desired impacts on the participants. III. Suggestion for a discussion topic or project Currently, this course is offered to Thai University students only, for whom it aims to provide them additional capacity building and learning experiences complementary with their regular studies. To expand the potential impacts of this training on the students, the following three issues could be taken up in a small project or a special discussion topic: 1.) Developing and testing new approaches for better and more effective delivery of this course

through innovative training methods and techniques that could broaden the skills of the participants in coastal resources and fisheries management as well as deepen their passion for engaging in activities in the coastal communities for the sustainable development of coastal areas.

2.) Effective monitoring, evaluation and impact assessment methods of the training course for further development and improvement.

The possibility of conducting this type of training course at the regional or international level in the future.





Nopparat NASUCHON Department of Fisheries Thailand

A CASE STUDY ON FISHERIES MANAGEMENT OF THAILAND Fishery production is one importance for the GDP of Thailand. From 1976 to 2006 Thailand export fishery products from 133,454 tons to 1,948,423 tons. According to market demand for food, year by year increases have caused use of marine resources have lead to resource over exploitation. As Thailand’s trend of total yearly catch declined from 27,861,000 tons in 1996 to 26,256,000 tons in 2005. Thai Government has realized that their marine resources needed managing so as to ensure long term sustainable use. Department of Fisheries is the main controlling agency and this includes 3 supporting organizations, they are the Department of marine and coastal resource, Marine police Department and the Thai Royal navy. Accordingly, we implemented this for fisheries management to include many inter-related organizations, it definitely overlaps areas and activities. The results of which caused the loss of a lot of money and brought conflicts among agencies. In addition, the Thai fisheries act is outdated, fines are very low, and we still have large incidents of illegal fishing. The patrol units are responsible for an extremely large area, with communication technology as good as it is, fishers tend to know when patrols are near in all Thai waters. Moreover, Thai Governments system has some problems in its approach to sustainable fisheries management. In the beginning of the funding year for about 3 months all Government agencies have no funds for implementing activities especially for fishing controls. Also, the Thai Government allocates funding at the beginning of the year for each center and there is no process in place to request and receive additional monies before the end of the fiscal year The organization who involve with fisheries management should establish the fisheries committee and members will come from all agencies. The committee should make a plan and allocates responsible area of each agency it will reduce cost and conflict. For the problem of funding during the beginning period of the year, the organization should prepare themselves and all necessary things before the end of the fiscal year.





Sakanan PLATHONG Lecturer for the Department of Biology, Prince of Songkla University Head of Coral Reef and Benthos Research Unit, Center of Excellence for Biodiversity of Peninsular Thailand Thailand FISHERIES RESOURCES AND MANAGEMENT INTERVENTION FOR REEF FISH FISHERIES

IN THE INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES, SOUTHERN ANDAMAN OF THAILAND The Andaman coast of Thailand has extensive coral reefs along its length and is home to numerous communities operating small-scale fisheries on the reefs as well as large fishery operators. The reefs of Thailand are among the most diverse in the world but are under threat and have been seriously degraded by human activity and natural causes. Over-fishing, destructive fishing practices (notably blast fishing), coastal development, tourism, crown of thorns starfish infestations, strong storms, a mass bleaching event in 1997 and the tsunami in 2004 have all taken their toll on the health of coral reefs along Thailand’s Andaman coast. Many research studies have shown that many reef species have become depleted over the last few decades due to increasing fishing pressure and habitat loss. However, it is unclear to what extent small-scale fisheries are responsible for this and there has been little effort to monitor, manage and regulate them. Often there is a conflict of interest between the fishers and the need to preserve certain areas rich in diversity and marine life. One such instance is the sea gypsy community inhabiting Lipe Island, and local villagers of Bulhon islands, Satun province, Southern Thailand.

For many years, life on Lipe Island has revolved around the coral reefs of Lipe, Adang and Rawi Islands while the life on Bulhon islands are around the coral reefs, mangrove and pinnacles within Mu Ko Petra National Park. Through their experiences, the sea gypsies have acquired extensive knowledge about marine life, from which they have developed a variety of methods for harvesting the abundant natural resources in the area. They have a deep and broad understanding of the behavioral patterns of different fish species and found the best time and methods to catch them.

This research aims to collect vital fishery data to identify target fishery species, survey and monitor these target species and examine the dependence of the local communities on the reef fisheries. This data will show the extent of the fishing pressure being placed on the reef and the importance of the reefs resources to the sea gypsies. It will enable better planning and management strategies to be implemented where the requirements of the sea gypsies to sustainably harvest fish is balanced with the need to conserve and protect these important resources.

The causal chain analysis was used in the identification of the rooted cause of change in environmental state, the level or scale of threats at a particular site, and the alternative points of intervention, along the chain of cause. The loss of coral reef and associated animals is the primary issue.

Carefully throughout management strategies are required to balance the needs of the sea gypsies and tourism business with the protection and conservation of the reefs biodiversity. Given the root causes for coral reef degradation, the proposed interventions for management of coral reef in Adang-Rawi and Bulhon islands were prepared. Furthermore, a compromise between fishing pressure and conservation of the reef is needed where fishing is allowed in a controlled manner either through the use of licenses or the implementation of protected no-take areas. Several sites in the Adang-Rawi areas should be set up as reserves.

The causal chain analysis technique is recommended for further discussion with other participants during the workshop. The chart was an output of an extensive work during the last two years. The rooted causes of the issues and the management interventions will be very informative to other region of the Asia Pacific.

yahia mahmud case study - unitar · case study 1. introduction ... waters pollution of the bay of...

Documents