FSPI

The Communities and Coasts Programme has carried out many projects that have made a tangible difference in the lives of countless people across the region. Listed below are current Communities and Coasts projects.

CRISP Marine Protected Areas

Development of new MPAs and strengthening of existing MPAs to serve as pilots or models for management intervention and building capacity in communities for marine resource management.

This is a Coral Reef Initiative for the Pacific (CRISP) which is a regional initiative to support the establishment and implementation of effective community-based MPAs, and improved watershed management. The project main goal is to empower local communities to effectively protect and manage coastal marine biological diversity and help them achieve sustainable use of marine resources to sustain Pacific coral reefs and associated habitats through the establishment and support of community based coastal management processes in Solomons, Kiribati, Vanuatu and Tuvalu.

Donors: Agence Francaise De Developpement (AFD). Conservation International (CI), FFEM, WWF

Timeframe: 1 January 2005-31 January 2010

CRISP Marine Protected Areas Capacity Building, Networking, and Lessons Learned

The project is to build capacity of communities, governments and other actors in the establishment and management of MPAs through training, networking, communication of lessons learned at both national and regional levels. The focus of capacity building is based on recognized keys (reflection, self-directed learning, continuity) for effective capacity building. Effective capacity building focuses on helping individuals and organizations take control of their own learning and develop new insights, behaviors and skills. Countries that are supported and part of this project are Samoa (Alepata MPAs), Solomon Islands (SIDT/FSPI Coastal Programme), Vanuatu (FSPV), Kiribati (FSPK), Tuvalu (TANGO), Cook Islands (WWF), New Caledonia (WWF) and French Polynesia.

Donors: Agence Francaise De Developpement (AFD). Conservation International (CI). FFEM and WWF

Timeframe: 1 January 2005-31January 2010

CRISP Reef Restoration

The initiative is aimed improve knowledge in reef restoration, train scientists and technicians in this field and promote the industrial research by carrying out two pilot projects in Fiji (Moturiki) and Tuvalu (Funafuti). The initiative will have to be used as catalyst with the development of operations of restoration in the Southern Pacific Islands. The experience and the knowledge gained in the Southern Pacific could then be developed in other tropical areas.

Donor: Agence Francaise De Developpement (AFD). Conservation International (CI). FFEM and WWF

Timeframe: January 2005-December 2008

Expanding the community based coastal resource management approaches in the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu

The project aims to develop the community based coastal resource management approach in the Solomon Islands through supporting networks of village pilot/demonstration sites, networking national projects and practitioners and exchanging experiences with other Pacific Island Countries specifically in Vanuatu, particularly between these two Melanesian neighbour. Currently Pilot local examples of sustainable resource management and conservation are currently implemented in 3 district-based networks in Gela, Marau and Langalanga, Solomon Islands and at least 2 such networks in Vanuatu in North Efate and Mystery Island.

Donors: MacArthur Foundation

Timeframe: April 2007-October 2010

Expanding the community based coastal resource management approach in Melanesia: Solomon Islands component and networking

The project aims to develop the community based coastal resource management approach in the Solomon Islands through supporting networks of village pilot/demonstration sites, networking national projects and practitioners and exchanging experiences with other Pacific Island Countries specifically in Vanuatu, particularly between these two Melanesian neighbour. A key focal area of this project is support the Solomon Islands Locally Managed Marine Areas (SILMMA). Currently provincial networks are being developed to support the community networks in Gela, Langalanga and Marau Sound to engage the provincial government and development NGOs working in the area.

Donors: David and Lucile Packard Foundation

Timeframe: January 2006-June 2009

Improving resilience and adaptive capacity of fisheries-dependent communities in Solomon Islands

The project is to strengthen the livelihood resilience of fishery-dependent communities of Solomon Islands through the development and adoption of participatory adaptive management frameworks. Those frameworks will facilitate the establishment of effective community-based management. To achieve this aim, the project will identify the key threats, vulnerabilities and strengths underpinning the resilience of coastal communities and of their small-scale fisheries activities. The key partners which FSPI/SIDT Coastal Programme, World Fish and Fisheries will facilitate the successful establishment of strong community-based management of coastal marine resources in selected fishery dependent communities, influence the policy and planning of Solomon Island government and other regional agencies on issues related to small-scale fisheries that have impact on the livelihood of rural communities and increase the capacity of Solomon Islands-based organisations so that they can provide support to communities with Community Based Adaptive Resource Management Plans.

Donors: Australian Centre for International Agriculture Research

Timeframe: July 2008-June 2011

Working to Better Assess Supplementary Livelihood Options for Pacific Island Communities

FSPI commissioned a review of Supplementary Livelihood Options for Pacific Island Communities through a desk-based study and telephone interviews with available key respondents. The study and feedback from the field suggest a number of areas that are key factors in the success of such ventures including:

• Initial feasibility and cost/benefit analysis to provide sufficient and realistic background information on potential workability and risks of livelihood option;
• Need to identify appropriate and continuous or regular support to guide the progress of the livelihood option;
• Social and governance factors such as leadership and equity to clarify responsibilities, pressures and to determine the fair and realistic allocation of resources of the livelihood options.

This project intends to complement the first phase study with a community perspective on success and failure of supplementary livelihood options and develop tools and skills for communities and their support agencies to improve approaches to supplementary livelihoods. I will aim to develop community-appropriate tools to enable communities to monitor effectiveness of alternatives themselves and build the capacity of a cadre of trainers in the region to appraise Supplementary Livelihood projects and assist communities in assessing their options.

Donor: SPREP (CRISP Project)

Timeframe: October 2007-December 2009