An Overview Of Our Solution
Managing rocky reefs for the future
Who is this solution impacting?
Ecosystem
Oceans/Coasts
Community Type
Rural
Additional Information
- Population Impacted:
- Continent: South America
Problem
Describe the problem
In 2010 the Nazca Institute and the lobster fishermen of Cabo San Francisco established a conservation agreement (CA) to protect rocky reefs within the Galera-San Francisco Marine Reserve (GSFMR). Under the CA the fishermen committed to: observe a temporary closure of the lobster fishery, patrol the no-take zone, test alternative fishing practices, carry out biological monitoring, and disseminate information. In exchange they receive economic incentives in the form of wages, training, technical investments to improve safety at sea and organizational capacity-building for initiating and maintaining their own businesses. Currently 20 fishermen of Cabo San Francisco are involved, comprising almost 100% of lobster fishers of the community and 50% of all lobster fishermen in the GSFMR.
Biodiversity Impact
The GSFMR features an outstanding variety of coastal and marine habitats including mangroves, estuaries, rocky reefs, and coral patches, with high levels of biodiversity. Local residents strongly depend on natural resources for subsistence, and artisanal fishing is one of their main income sources. Thus, before the CA the fishermen had no option other than to continue harvesting lobsters without regard for size restrictions or closure seasons. The Nazca Institute, together with the lobster fishermen, measured lobsters landed in the Marine Reserve between November 2009 and July 2011 and found that no lobsters met the 26cm minimum exploitation size requirement established by law. Through the CAs the lobster fishermen have an alternative to over-extraction of lobsters and have become stewards of the GSFMR. The rocky reefs –the main lobster fishing sites nearby Cabo San Francisco- are protected, and the fishermen are gathering data about lobster population dynamics that will inform improved management measures to avoid over-extraction once the population recovers. Through this effort fishermen are involved in conserving rocky reefs that sustain many other species as reproduction grounds, nurseries, feeding areas and protection from predators. Thus, the medium- and long-term impacts of the CA include reestablishing the ecosystem and assemblages of species, and also securing abundance and good sizes of fish and other resources that can be harvested sustainably by the communities in the future, once the populations have recovered.
Solution
The main threats affecting rocky reefs in the GSFMR are the use of destructive fishing gear to capture lobsters, intensive extraction of lobsters, lack of awareness and enforcement of fisheries regulations and lack of scientific data. Monofilament nets used to capture lobster become entangled on sessile organisms (e.g. corals) that are torn off when the nets are pulled up. This type of gear has a high rate of by-catch including sea stars sea horses, hawksbill sea turtles and all sizes of lobsters. A temporary closure of the lobster fishery is necessary for the recovery of the rocky reef ecosystem. The CA provides an alternative income opportunity to the lobster fishermen during this period, which is expected to last three or four years. In the meantime alternative lobster extraction gear and management measures need to be identified. At the moment the fishermen are building and testing new lobster trap designs. These devices would trap only lobsters reaching the 26cm minimum exploitation size established by law. This system will also result in far less by-catch than monofilament nets. The fishermen are also gathering information about lobster population dynamics. This information will be used to determine the appropriate length of the closure period, as well as management measures such as fishing quotas, no-take zones and seasonal closures, among others, to be implemented once the lobster population has recovered and the temporary closure ends. // In October of 2008 the Ecuadorian Ministry of Environment established the GSFMR, totaling 54,604 hectares of coastal waters. Local fishermen communities were closely involved in the planning process and supported the creation of the protected area. They worked with Nazca in the zoning of the Marine Reserve. After this process three zones where identified in the management plan: No-take zone, community management zone and responsible use zone. The rocky reefs managed by the Cabo San Francisco lobster fishermen comprise 504 hectares. 264 hectares are part of the no-take zone, and the rest of the community management zone. However the surveillance of the 504 hectares also includes monitoring the activities carried out by local fishermen in an area that comprises around 5000 hectares. Additionally the lobster fishermen work closely with the Navy, the Ministry of Environment and the Police to control the extensive trawling activity in the GSFMR by industrial vessels from elsewhere in Ecuador, as well as the illegal fishing activities by artisanal fishermen. Thus the role of the fishermen in the conservation of the GSFMR goes beyond the protection of the rocky reefs.
Replicability
How many years has your solution been applied? 2 years // Have others reproduced your solution elsewhere? Yes // Nazca Institute is the CA implementer and is in charge of coordinating capacity-building events and conservation activities together with ArteLangosta. Nazca Institute is committed to supporting the legal establishment and strengthening of the fishermen association. To accomplish this objective, the CA includes funds to hire a manager for ArteLangosta; at the moment Nazca’s project coordinator is also the manager of ArteLangosta. Until the association has the capacity and confidence to manage the project autonomously, this person is in charge of guiding CA implementation. Nazca also provides the materials and equipment need to perform the conservation activities, and it is in charge of distributing the monthly economic incentive to the fishermen ArteLangosta and Nazca have established strong collaborative relationships with the Navy, the Police and the Ministry of Environment. The Navy is in charge of keeping fishing trawlers out of the GSFMR. The Police are in charge of confiscating marine products that are illegally caught by artisanal fishermen. The Ministry of Environment is in charge of overseeing management of the GSFMR, and implementation of the CA is a key element of the management plan. Conservation International Ecuador has provided technical and financial support during the negotiation, design and implementation phases of the CA. Thus, the initiative has the support of governmental, non-governmental, and community-based organizations, as it is seen as a promising solution for marine resource management with numerous additional potential applications.
Human Well Being and Livelihood Impact
Before the CA initiative the lobster fishermen were regarded as the poorest of all fishermen. They lacked the means to buy better fishing equipment and could not shift to more profitable fisheries. As they were so dependent on lobster extraction, they did not respect the closure season or the capture size restriction. As a result average size of lobsters continually decreased, as did the fishermen’s incomes. Through the CA initiative, the 20 fishermen from Cabo San Francisco established ArteLangosta, a fishermen association. Under the CA each member receives a direct incentive of $241/month during the lobster fishing season (June 15 – January 15). This amount was defined based on the opportunity cost of conservation. These funds have been used for the purchase of school materials, medicines, food, and building materials, and to pay debts. Additionally the fishermen decided to establish a group savings fund managed by ArteLangosta. Each member agreed to deposit $20/month for emergency purposes and to carry out other activities during the legal closure period (5 months). Now the members of ArteLangosta are no longer just regarded as the poorest of the poor, but as a group that is organized and receiving support from external organizations, including the Navy, to protect the marine resources on which the entire community depends. Thus, ArteLangosta has become recognized as an important group by the communities within the GSFMR. The direct benefit that accrues to the 20 fishermen thereby benefits not only them, but also their families and the community as a whole. // Through the CAs the 20 lobster fishermen of Cabo San Francisco established ArteLangosta. This included the development of statutes and an operations manual, and the definition of the management structure. Nazca’s project coordinator works with ArteLangosta in the strengthening of the organization and the development of a business plan. For the CA initiative the association established four teams: patrolling team, biodiversity monitoring team, lobsters research team, and communications team. The patrolling team is in charge of keeping outsiders from the rocky reefs during the temporary closure period. The biodiversity monitoring team is in charge of collecting data about all the species found in the intertidal zone, as this is the area where larval lobsters are found. The lobster research team is in charge of gathering data on the abundance and sizes of lobsters in the rocky reefs. They are also in charge of building and testing improved traps for future use after the closure ends. The communications team promotes the initiative in all the communities within the GSFMR. They also manage the relationships with the Navy, Ministry of Environment, and Police. Thus, each member has a responsibility to fulfill within the group. ArteLangosta was the first fishermen association in the GSFMR. Based on their example other associations have been established in nearby communities. Thus, ArteLangosta has become an example of how group work can help not only improve the management of marine resources, but also the livelihoods and self-governance capacity of the fishermen involved.