An Overview Of Our Solution
Piloting Community Conservation Areas (CCAs) in coastal and marine management in South coast, Kenya
Who is this solution impacting?
Ecosystem
Oceans/Coasts
Community Type
Rural
Additional Information
- Population Impacted:
- Continent: Africa
Problem
Describe the problem
This is a solution implemented by two organizations in partnership i.e. the EAWLS and FFI to develop community conservation areas (CCAs) through building communities capacity in coastal and marine management, development of alternative income generating options & provision of education and awareness on linkages between sustainable use of marine resources and community well being. The outputs from the solution is demarcation and development of seven (7) CCAs in South Coast Kenya in the villages of Shimoni, Mkwiro, Wasini, Kibuyuni, Majoreni, Jimbo and Vanga covering a total area of 120 sq km, development of eco tourism as an alternative means of income generating and training of beach management units in fisheries governance, financial management and institutional management.
Biodiversity Impact
The solution has worked collaboratively to engage local communities in 7 fisher villages, the Fisheries Department and other stakeholders in a process which involved establishment of Beach Management Units (BMUs) which are community natural resource governance structures legally constituted under the Fisheries BMU regulations of 2007. In addition, the solution has also engaged the communities in a participatory process to define CCAs areas and the development of management plans for each of the areas/sites. The CCAs have designated and demarcated no-take areas as well as gear restricted fishing areas where use of such gear as beach seines, spear gunds, gill nets is not allowed. These management measures have led to recovery of fish populations leading to increased catches and size of fish and recovery of degraded habitats such as coral reefs and seagrass bed. In addition, building the capacity of the BMU in monitoring, control and surveillance ensures no illegal fishing practices are undertaken within the CCAs such as poaching through regular patrols conducted by the BMUs themselves.
Solution
The solution is being implemented in an area known to harbour highly significant marine biodiversity including 64 coral genera, 9 species of mangroves and 12 species of seagrass including an endemic species Enhalus acroides. In addition, five species of turtles, dolphins and whales are found within the region. The designated no-take areas protect key sessile species such as corals, seagrass beds from all extractive activities such as fishing enabling their growth and recovery from several years of unchecked and unregulated use while the sustainable fisheries areas protect threatened species such as turtles, dolphins and whales from illegal fishing and fishing mortalities from such gears as gill nets and beach seines. In addition, an education and awareness program targeting fishers on importance of the local resources and need for sustainable management is expected to promote an understanding and appreciation of and the measures required for the conservation, protection and sustainable management of the local biodiversity while at the same time change community negative attitudes and perception leading to the reduction of activities which have a negative impact on the environment. Local communities have drafted By Laws which guide the management of the CCAs. The laws were agreed upon and instituted through the BMUs and enforcement of these by-laws is managed by the BMUs through sub-committees that are appointed to patrol the CCA area // The total area is equivalent to 120 sq km equivalent to 12000 hectares (1 sq km equals 100 ha). This area encompasses both no-take areas and sustainable fisheries areas with the breakdown as follows 18 sq km no-take areas and 102 sq km as sustainable fisheries areas. A total of 7 villages are involved in the solution namely Shimoni, Wasini, Mkwiro, Kibuyuni, Majoreni, Jimbo and Vanga.
Replicability
How many years has your solution been applied? 3 years // Have others reproduced your solution elsewhere? Yes // During the implementation phase of the solution (the last 3 years), key support has been received from UK DEFRA Darwin Initiative and other donors such as Waterloo Foundation and UNDP GEF SGP. The solution is currently being implemented by two organizations ie FFI and EAWLS working as partners. However, building local communities capacities to independently run the solution post donor support has been key and towards this end local communities institutions have been established and developed such Beach Management Units (BMUs), development of income generating initiatives to provide funds to run the CCAs, incorporation of the solution within government programs for increased support and finally development of the capacity of the BMUs in fisheries management specifically in monitoring, control and surveillance.
Human Well Being and Livelihood Impact
One of the key benefits since the establishment of the CCAs is increases in fish catch levels in the nearby waters as a result of protection of breeding/spawning sites, spill-over and effort control to reduce overfishing. A total of 900 people are directly benefitting from the implementation of the solution as fishers and who are also members to the 7 beach management units. On average, each fisher has a nearly 6 dependents which directly translates to nearly 6000 people directly or indirectly benefitting from the implementation of the solution. One of the objectives of the solution is providing local communities in the seven villages with sustainable environmental friendly source of income through provision of alternative income generating options. A highly successful eco-tourism initiatives has started operating in the village of Wasini with monthly incomes in the range of between Ksh 35,000 – 60,000 annualized to Ksh 420,000 – 720,000 (USD 5000 – 7000). The full potential for this source of income has not yet been utilized as its still being piloted. The solution is currently in the process of establishing sustainable mariculture initiatives in the area such as seaweed farming, culturing of coral and pearl farming. // Local community based institutions have been established and their capacity built. Such institutions include BMUs established under the Beach Management Unit (2007) Regulations, Legal Notice 402 of the Fisheries Act (Cap 378). BMUs is an association of fishermen, boat owners, fish traders and other users of fisheries around a particular landing site. All fishermen must register thus becoming part of the BMU assembly. BMUs have an elected assembly of all members within the village, who democratically elect an executive committee. Vetting of candidates to the Executive committee is done to ensure that all candidates comply to the conditions of being a law abiding individual. Conditions to be fulfilled are provided within the Beach Management Unit Regulations. In addition, to electing an Executive committee comprised of a Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and Vice-Secretary, the Assembly also elects various sub-committees to lead various initiatives such as Patrols and Monitoring, Conservation, Eco-tourism, Marketing etc. Each BMU develops a workplan and budget each year and makes regular reports on the implementation of its work program as well as an annual report. Capacity development has involved training in fisheries management, financial management, BMU roles and responsibilities, development of By-laws to guide the utilization of resources within the CCAs and finally development of co-management plans. The BMUs are currently recognized and approved by the government as well as the By-laws and co-management plans.