How can you build a strong governance and management system for your fishery and community? Fisheries governance systems, formal or informal, help make and enforce rules about our fisheries. Co-management and participatory decision-making help ensure that fisheries management benefits local communities. Start here to learn about secure tenure and co-management and explore other resources in the sub-categories below.

Resources

The Tun Mustapha Compliance Plan

The Tun Mustapha Marine Park (TMP) is home to mangrove forests, sea grass beds and coral reefs all of which serve as a critical breeding ground for resident marine species, as well as migratory species such as whale sharks. In this report, we analyze the legal framework, competencies and jurisdictions of all marine enforcement agencies in order to design an enforcement system for the TMP project that is practical, affordable and feasible to implement over a four-year timeframe.

Barbuda Blue Halo Enforecement Blueprint

The Barbuda Blue Halo Initiative (BBHI) aims to develop sustainable ocean policy and local management capacity for the enforcement of fishery regulations within the Codrington Lagoon National Park (CLNP) and throughout Barbuda’s near shore jurisdictional waters (3NM). The BBHI represents a collaborative effort among the Barbuda Council, the Government of Antigua & Barbuda, and the Waitt Institute.

FishCounts: increasing the visibility of small-scale fisheries in Cambodia's national planning

This report explores the current state of Cambodia’s fisheries and the data that would be needed to develop such a set of accounts. It considers the country’s existing statistical information and monitoring efforts, and where the gaps, inconsistencies and overlaps lie. It proposes a phased approach to build on what already exists to create greater visibility for the contribution of small-scale fisheries to the national economy and their role in developing sustainable fishing and aquaculture in the face of growing demands and climate change.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on a queen conch (Aliger gigas) fishery in The Bahamas

The onset of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in early 2020 led to a dramatic rise in unemployment and fears about food-security throughout the Caribbean region. Subsistence fisheries were one of the few activities permitted during emergency lockdown in The Bahamas, leading many to turn to the sea for food. This study highlights the role of small-scale fisheries as a ‘natural insurance’ against socio-economic shocks and a source of resilience for small island communities at times of crisis. It also underscores the risks to food security and long-term sustainability of fishery stocks posed by overexploitation of natural resources.