Agulhas and Somali Current Large Marine Ecosystems Project

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Agulhas and Somali Current Large Marine
Ecosystems Project
Review of Objectives and Project Update
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Project Details

• COUNTRIES Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar,
  Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, South
  Africa, Tanzania (Plus Somalia where
  possible)
• FUNDING GEF US12.2 Million.
• Co-funding US20 Million (primarily
  in-kind and from countries)
• TIMEFRAME 5 Years, until mid-2012

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ASCLME System Boundary

• The Agulhas and Somali Current Large Marine
  Ecosystems

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Project Objectives

• To undertake an environmental baseline assessment
  of the Agulhas and Somali Current Large Marine
  Ecosystems in order to
• Capture existing information relevant to their
  management
• Identify and fill information gaps needed to
  improve LME-based management decision-making in
  the two LMEs and
• Ascertain the role of external forcing functions
  (such as the Mascarene Plateau and the South
  Equatorial Current)

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ASCLME PROGRAMME

• The GEF ASCLME Programme consists of three
  partner projects
• WIOLaB (UNEP) Addressing land-based activities
  in the Western Indian Ocean (Land-based
  pollution, coastal degradation, etc)
• SWIOFP (World Bank) Southwest Indian Ocean
  Fisheries Project addressing primarily offshore
  and some near-shore commercial fisheries
• ASCLME Project (UNDP) Addressing all
  oceanographic aspects (biological, chemical,
  physical) coastal artisanal and subsistence
  fisheries, persistent organic pollutants, larval
  transport, spawning and nursery areas

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PROJECT OUTCOME 1INFORMATION CAPTURED FOR
DEVELOPMENT OF THE TRANSBOUNDARY DIAGN0STIC
ANALYSIS

• OUTPUTS
• 1.1 Review existing data available for
  development of the TDAs
• 1.2 Identification of gaps and data needs to
  populate the TDAs
• Offshore oceanographic information from priority
  areas
• Information on near-shore (artisanal) fisheries,
  nursery areas and other biologically rich habitat
  
• Information on Governance (management/policy
  processes)
• 1.3 Active offshore data collection to fill gaps
  where possible (research cruises, deployment of
  moored arrays, etc)
• 1.4 Baseline information on persistent organic
  pollutants using key indicator species

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PROJECT OUTCOME 2LONG-TERM DATA COLLECTION,
MANAGEMENT AND DISTRIBUTION MECHANISMS ESTABLISHED

• OUTPUTS
• 2.1 Adoption of LME-based indicators and adoption
  of associated national and regional ME
  mechanisms
• 2.2 LME monitoring and evaluation requirements
  captured within institutional work programmes and
  budgets
• 2.3 Socio-economic evaluation of near-shore and
  marine goods and services (particularly to build
  political ownership)
• 2.4 Use of GIS and predictive models expanded to
  increase system knowledge

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PROJECT OUTCOME 3STRATEGIC ACTION PROGRAMME AND
SUSTAINABILITY MECHANISMS ADOPTED FOR AN LME
APPROACH

• OUTPUTS
• 3.1 TDAs and SAPs negotiated and adopted
• 3.2 Financial resources brokered to ensure the
  financial sustainability of monitoring,
  evaluation and information systems to support an
  LME approach
• 3.3 Institutional, programme and human capacity
  building and training requirements prioritised
  and addressed

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PROJECT OUTCOME 4LME COORDINATION,
COMMUNICATION AND PARTICIPATION MECHANISMS
ESTABLISHED

• OUTPUTS
• 4.1 Communication/coordination established with
  other related projects and institutions in the
  region (including linkages to other LME
  initiatives)
• 4.2 Key policy-makers sensitised and engaged in
  LME process
• 4.3 Stakeholder engagement, public involvement,
  participation, and environmental education
  initiatives are developed and implemented

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ASCLME Regional Project Management Structure
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PROGRESS TO DATE

• Set up of PCU (Grahamstown link to SAIAB/ACEP)
• Recruitment of Admin and Technical
  Staff/Consultants
• Rationalisation of Project Components and
  Activities
• Inception/Steering Committee
• i) Adoption of realigned Components and
  Activities
• ii) Adoption of updated Budget and Work-plans
• iii) Confirmation of field-work priorities
• Launch of ASCLME website (in 3 languages)
• Update of ASLME Chapters on LME website
• Implementation of ASCLME National Mechanisms
• Successful completion of 1st Training Programme
  (Agulhas countries)
• First Cruise (East Madagascar) on-going and near
  completion

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Updates to LME website
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ASCLME Research Cruises
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2008 Cruise Plan (August December)
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Project National Structure

• Each of the countries has an ASCLME National
  Focal Point (designated by the Government)
  through which all ASCLME information, requests
  and communications are channeled in-country.
• This is a senior level person within the Focal
  institution (some countries have also opted for a
  Technical Focal Point)

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Project National Structure

• In addition, each country has set up national
  Coordination Groups (COGs) to address
• Technical Issues (includes the following
  logistics people)
• National Cruise Coordinator
• National Data and Information Coordinator
• National Capacity Building and Training
  Coordinator
• Plus Technical expertise identified for each of
  the modules
• Fish and Fisheries
• Productivity
• Ecosystem Health and Pollution
• Socioeconomics
• Management and Governance

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Project National Structure

• The National Coordination Groups have Terms of
  Reference to guide them. These ToR address the
  need to
• Coordinate the capture of data and information
  for the MEDAs (and thus the regional TDAs)
• Identify national capacity building training
  needs
• Coordinate research cruise requirements at the
  National Level
• Work closely with the national representatives
  of SWIOFP and WIO-LaB
• Raise awareness of the ASCLME process within
  national institutions
• Ensure effective and comprehensive in-country
  stakeholder input

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Summary of principal national COG inputs to
ASCLME Project delivery

• 1. Coordinate with the ASCLME Project and
  other Projects at the national level on
• a. Research Cruise Planning Implementation
• b. Capacity Building Training
• c. Data Information Management
• 2. Oversee the development of a national Marine
  Ecosystem Diagnostic Analysis

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Agulhas and Somali Current Large Marine Ecosystem
Project
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME