Project Period 7/01/2014-7/31/2016 Project Location Description (from Proposal) Project Summary (from Proposal)

Transcription

1 Easygrants ID: National Fish and Wildlife Foundation NFWF Project ID: Coral Reef Conservation Fund Submit Final Programmatic Report (New Metrics) Grantee Organization: Fauna & Flora International, Inc. Project Title: Sustainable Livelihoods for Coral Conservation in the Philippines Project Period 7/01/2014-7/31/2016 Project Location Description (from Proposal) Project Summary (from Proposal) Baranagay Aramaywan is in the municipality of Quezon, Palawan, Philippines, at the apex of the Coral Triangle. The area covers 31,410 hectares and is an Ancestral Domain of the Tagbanua tribe. Work to address the cyclic issues of poverty and environmental degradation in the Coral Triangle by developing sustainable coastal livelihoods. Project will contribute to improved coastal conservation in the Philippines through a sustainable coastal fisheries enhancement program. Summary of Accomplishments The project aimed to shape, advocate, sustain, and enhance norms among individuals and institutions in the natural resource conservation movement to address root causes of coastal degradation at critical sites. As such, one of the first things that the project implemented was the Basic Fishery Law Enforcement Training Course and Deputization of Fish Wardens together with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Region IV-B and Resources and Local Government Unit (LGU) of Quezon, Palawan. There were 21 participants from the barangay Aramaywan, Quezon, Palawan and 10 participants from different offices under the local government unit of Quezon, Palawan. The participants were given an overview of the coastal and marine ecosystem and its threats, issues and problems to enhance their understanding and appreciation of marine ecosystems and marine organisms dependencies on the ecosystem. During the course, the trainer from BFAR mentioned that it is the first time that the majority of the participants were from the indigenous community. At the end of the course, having passed the test, all 21 community participants were deputized as fish wardens. A marine sanctuary and reserve was then delineated together with the Indigenous Peoples Organization (IPO) LEMTTA (Lamane Ebat ong Marnék Talabongan Tagbanua Association Lamane Tagbanua Tribal Group), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and LGU, which was supported by a Barangay Resolution approved by the Office of the Sangguniang Barangay of Barangay Aramaywan, Municipality of Quezon, Province of Palawan, entitled Proposed Guidelines Declaring An Area Of The Sea Fronting Barangay Aramaywan As A Marine Sanctuary And Reserve. The Barangay Resolution appointed LEMTTA and the traditional leaders as the Citizen Implementing Arm, thus granting them the duty and power to manage the marine reserve and marine sanctuary: A. To manage the marine reserve and the marine sanctuary in the interest of the community; B. To assist in the implementation of the ordinance under direct authorities from the Sangguniang Barangay and the Sangguniang Bayan to actively encourage citizen observe of the same; C. To assist in the enforcement of all national laws, administrative relation and local ordinance related to fishing and marine environment; D. To reflect legal sanction including valid apprehension and seizures in pursuance of the ordinance; E. To lead in the rehabilitation, enhancement, and protection of the marine area; F. To pursue education in training program in pursuit of the above oversight function; G. To organize various community groups such as the Bantay Dagat (sea patrols), citizen crime watch and similar groups that protect the coastal environment; and H. To study with mandated government organizations such as DENR, DA, BFAR, Maritime Police. Furthermore, the Resolution declared a portion of the sea marked by buoys where coral reefs abound, and where fishing and other harvesting and any destructive activities are not allowed so that fish can breed, spawn, and grow undisturbed, as the LAMANE Marine Sanctuary. Also included is a portion of the sea surrounding the marine sanctuary where only traditional and local methods of fishing and harvesting are allowed: the LEMTTA Marine Reserve. The Resolution created a multi-sectorial overall monitoring body called Barangay Resource Management Council (BRMC) composed of the Aramaywan Development Council, local officers of DA, DENR, LEMTTA and the local fisher folk organization. The BRMC has the following power: A. To coordinate development initiatives undertaken by various NGOs and other civic groups in connection with the barangay natural environment; B. To resolve environmental issues and concerns that can be settled at the barangay level; C. To sit as enquirer and arbitration board in connection with problems arising from community based management of natural resources;

2 D. To perform oversight function in connection with this ordinance; E. To advise the Sangguniang Barangay of Aramaywan regarding environmental policies relevant and applicable at the barangay level. Lessons Learned The project proved the concept that building partnerships with different institutions together with indigenous communities is a potentially successful strategy for the sustainable and equitable management of coastal resources. Although indigenous peoples (IPs) tend to operate in quite an insular way in general, the project has fostered collaboration with external organisations and government departments that has led to increased understanding on both sides and a greater will to collaborate. The project showed that the indigenous communities can manage their resources given enough support and guidance. However, for sustainability of the efforts, marine resources conservation policies need to be put in place that ensure the empowerment of the people through the provision of sustainable livelihoods and, in tandem, there needs to be a constant flow of information, ongoing education programs and communication campaigns.

3 Activities and Outcomes Funding Strategy: Capacity, Outreach, Incentives Metric: Coral - Building institutional capacity - # FTE with sufficient training Description: Enter the number of staff or full-time equivalents with sufficient training and skills engaged in conservation activities Starting Value 0.00 # FTE with sufficient training Value To Date # FTE with sufficient training Target value # FTE with sufficient training Funding Strategy: Capacity, Outreach, Incentives Metric: Coral - Outreach/ Education/ Technical Assistance - # people reached Description: Enter the number of people reached by outreach, training, or technical assistance activities Starting Value 0.00 # people reached Value To Date # people reached Target value # people reached Funding Strategy: Capacity, Outreach, Incentives Metric: Coral - Enforcement / Compliance with existing regs - # of violations per unit effort Description: Enter the number of of violations per unit effort of enforcement Starting Value # of violations per unit effort Value To Date # of violations per unit effort Target value # of violations per unit effort Funding Strategy: Habitat Management Metric: Coral - improved management practices - Acres under improved management Description: Enter the number of acres under improved management Starting Value 0.00 Acres under improved management Value To Date Acres under improved management Target value Acres under improved management Funding Strategy: Planning, Research, Monitoring

4 Metric: Coral - Management or Governance Planning - # plan activities implemented Description: Enter the number of management plan activities being implemented Starting Value 0.00 # plan activities implemented Value To Date 1.00 # plan activities implemented Target value 1.00 # plan activities implemented Funding Strategy: Planning, Research, Monitoring Metric: Coral - Tool development for decision-making - # tools developed Description: Enter the number of tools developed Starting Value 0.00 # tools developed Value To Date 2.00 # tools developed Target value 2.00 # tools developed Funding Strategy: Planning, Research, Monitoring Metric: Coral - Management or Governance Planning - # plans developed Description: Enter the number of plans developed that had input from multiple stakeholders Starting Value 0.00 # plans developed Value To Date 1.00 # plans developed Target value 1.00 # plans developed Funding Strategy: Species-specific Strategies Metric: Coral - Fishing effort - Catch per unit effort Description: Enter the catch per unit effort Starting Value 1.53 Catch per unit effort Value To Date 1.68 Catch per unit effort Target value 1.68 Catch per unit effort

5 Final Programmatic Report Narrative Instructions: Save this document on your computer and complete the narrative in the format provided. The final narrative should not exceed ten (10) pages; do not delete the text provided below. Once complete, upload this document into the online final programmatic report task as instructed. Please note that this narrative will be made available on NFWF s Grants Library and therefore should provide brief context for the need of your project and should not contain unexplained terms or acronyms. 1. Summary of Accomplishments In four to five sentences, provide a brief summary of the project s key accomplishments and outcomes that were observed or measured. This can be duplicative to the summary provided in the reporting field or you can provide more detail here. The project aimed to shape, advocate, sustain, and bring together individuals and institutions in the natural resource conservation movement to address the root causes of coastal degradation at critical sites, namely Barangay ( Village ) Aramaywan, in the Quezon municipality of southwestern Palawan, which is part of the Coral Triangle region. The indigenous group that lives here have formed an indigenous peoples organization (IPO) known as LEMMTA, an acronym that reflects the group s Tagbanua heritage. The Tagbanua tribe are believed to be among the original inhabitants of the Philippines. In concert with various laws enacted by the Philippines Government, membership of LEMMTA confers rights to and responsibility for the sustainable development and environmental protection of these indigenous peoples ancestral domains, including ancestral waters, which are extremely biologically diverse. As the community members of LEMMTA worked to develop a coastal conservation and sustainable livelihood program that would augment their income, promote effective sustainable enforcement of their conservation efforts, and lead to sustained relief from poverty, it was clear that if the need for sustainable livelihood was not properly addressed, existing conservation efforts, while full of promise, would lack the adaptive capacity to respond to the immediate and long-term needs of IPOs. Without sustainable livelihood options, communities would be forced to continue to rely on marine resource extraction and would be less willing or able to implement effective conservation management measures. The project team worked in partnership with the national government s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resource (BFAR) and with the local government unit (LGU) of Quezon, Palawan, to create and deliver a Basic Fishery Law Enforcement Training Course targeted at the local community members of the Barangay Aramaywan. This was very successful: There were 21 participants from Aramaywan, and 10 participants from different offices of the local government. The attendees were given an overview of the coastal and marine ecosystem and its threats, issues and problems to enhance their understanding and appreciation of marine ecosystems and marine organisms dependencies on the ecosystem. During the course, the trainer from BFAR mentioned that it was the first time that the majority of the participants were from the indigenous community. At the end of the course, having passed the test, all 21 community participants were deputized as fish wardens. Further work with LEMTTA, BFAR and the LGU led to the approval of an official Barangay Resolution entitled Proposed Guidelines Declaring an Area of the Sea Fronting Barangay Aramaywan as a Marine Sanctuary and Reserve. The Resolution declared an area marked by buoys where coral reefs abound, and where fishing and other harvesting and any destructive activities are not allowed, so that fish can breed, spawn, and grow undisturbed, as the LAMANE Marine Sanctuary. For the sea surrounding the marine sanctuary, only traditional and local methods of fishing and harvesting are allowed and this is the LEMTTA Marine Reserve. The Resolution also granted LEMTTA and the traditional leaders the duty and power to manage the marine reserve and marine sanctuary in the interest of the community. Responsibilities include running sea patrols, implementation of ordinances, assisting with the enforcement of local and national laws, rehabilitation of protected areas, and providing training and education to others in the community. Furthermore, the Resolution created a multi-sectorial overall monitoring body called Barangay Resource Management Council (BRMC) composed of the Aramaywan Development Council, local officers of government departments and the local fisher folk organization. The BRMC s role besides overall oversight includes the coordination of development initiatives in connection with the barangay natural environment; arbitration and resolution of issues, and advising on environmental policies.

6 2. Project Activities & Outcomes Activities Describe the primary activities conducted during this grant and explain any discrepancies between the activities conducted from those that were proposed. Outcomes Describe progress towards achieving the project outcomes as proposed. and briefly explain any discrepancies between your results compared to what was anticipated. Provide any further information (such as unexpected outcomes) important for understanding project activities and outcome results. Activity 1 & Outcome: Building institutional capacity Fish Warden Training In cooperation with the Department of Agriculture (DA) Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resource (BFAR) and with the local government unit (LGU) of Quezon, a Basic Fishery Law Enforcement Training Course was conducted. This course was designed to train local fishing community members to become officially-sanctioned fish wardens. Fish wardens are mandated under the Philippine Fisheries Code (RA 8550); while the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) also mandates enforcement of ancestral waters. The training covered these laws as well as equipment use such as GPS, patrolling gears, binoculars, BFAR log books, etc. Legal enforcement training was also provided along with instruction on how to file charges. Thus, the focus of the training was on the proper protocols for handling illegal fishers caught in their ancestral waters, and other relevant environmental laws and procedures. This was critical training, because fish wardens often do not understand these protocols, and as such do not perform them properly, so it is not uncommon for these cases to fail, or for courts to reverse decisions on violations or even to penalize fish wardens for improper arrest. Twenty-one members of LEMTTA - the indigenous peoples organization (IPO) in Aramaywan - were trained. The DA- BFAR deputized these fish wardens, and after training, the fish wardens voluntarily organized themselves to continue patrolling their area and reminding the people of the proper practices. Activity 2 & Outcome: Outreach/ Education/ Technical Assistance Development of Communication and Education Materials A team of communication experts from FFI-Philippines team developed communication materials to promote understanding of local laws and regulations and the need to support marine conservation in ancestral waters. Packages of community training materials are available from other sites across the region, and will be considered as more of these materials are developed. Communications are in Filipino, and tailored to the local situation in order to facilitate information sharing, and ensure educational messages are promoted effectively. The communication materials for this project include: Comics on environment for LEMTTA children, MPA awareness posters and pamphlets, and billboards for several public sites. The project has reached of about 250 people, which includes the LEMTTA households that have Certificates of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) over ancestral waters in the project area and other stakeholders in the area. As a baseline, no LEMTTA households or CADT holders had been formally introduced to these conservation messages before this project. Activity 3 & Outcome: Tool development for decision-making - Income diversification scheme analysis-feasibility study The income diversification analysis-feasibility study was built on the project's Sustainable Livelihoods Analysis and Development (SLAD) analysis. Experts in sustainable livelihood development worked with LEMTTA to help the communities develop identified income diversification schemes and then two feasibility studies were conducted. Activity 4 & Outcome: Enforcement / Compliance with existing regulations A baseline report of violations in the Aramaywan ancestral waters indicated 36 violations. Violations included: compressor fishing, sodium cyanide fishing, fine mesh nets, use of strong light source (super lights), modified Danish seine (mini trawl). The project goal was to reduce the violations per unit effort of enforcement by 50%, from 36 violations to 18 violations. Enforcement efforts were conducted by deputized fish wardens, trained in legal, regulatory and monitoring protocols as mandated by Republic Act 8550 of the Philippine Fisheries Code. Among other things, this regulation requires fish wardens to guard assigned coral reef areas 24/7 throughout each fish warden shift. The deputized fish wardens were given

7 refresher courses based on the amendments on the Fisheries Code. Training was conducted to support legal enforcement and successful prosecution under the law, including how to collect, record and track evidence of violations. Activity 5 & Outcome: Improved management practices Increased number of acres under improved management Over the course of the project, hectares under improved management increased from 0 to more than 8,900 hectares of the Ancestral Waters now under the jurisdiction of LEMTTA member-managed areas with existing CADTs. Fish wardens that were deputized and trained through this project are monitoring and patrolling the barangay waters of Aramaywan for illegal fishers conducting poaching activities or destructive fishing practices. Fish wardens operate as allowed under Republic Act 8550 of the Philippine Fisheries Code. In addition, the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) also allows for enforcement activities in ancestral waters. The training provided by the project pertain to equipment use (GPS, patrolling gears, binoculars, BFAR log books, etc.). Specific patrol protocols are being developed by patrol teams following training exercises. Eventually, monitoring the waters of the marine sanctuary in Barangay Aramaywan, should greatly influence the management of the 8,900+ha of ancestral waters. Filing of charges training was also conducted following IPO recommendations to the Department of Agriculture Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR). Twenty-one LEMTTA members were trained. The fish wardens were deputized by DA-BFAR. These trained fish wardens are enforcing these laws, arresting violators and bringing cases to court for prosecution and, ultimately, sentencing. Activity 6 & Outcome: Management or Governance Planning Development of plans for sustainable livelihood options One Sustainable Livelihoods Plan was developed and integrated into LEMTTA's Ancestral Domain Sustainable Development Protection Plan (ADSDPP) to enhance availability of sustainable livelihood options with the goal of decreasing pressures on the local marine resource. (The Ancestral Domain Sustainable Protection Plan is mandated by the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act of the Philippines.) Activity 7 & Outcome: Management or Governance Planning Analysis of Income Diversification Scheme and Implementation of Pilot Income Diversification Plan The lack of capacity to diversify livelihoods IP fishers in Aramaywan (mostly LEMTTA members) threatens to increase poverty in the area. Most of these IP fishers rely on spearfishing, gleaning, hook and line fishing, and use of fishing nets. The project goal was to develop and map out at least two income diversification plans for LEMTTA and a sustainable livelihoods plan to be integrated to their ADSDPP. A systematic workshop in sustainable livelihoods analysis and development (SLAD) was conducted by the project. The workshop specifically investigated the financial, environmental, and social assets of the indigenous peoples group required for the development of livelihood options and income diversification schemes. Livelihood options concentrated on resource-based schemes. The activity required focus group discussions with all the ancestral waters communities; the act of bringing all these groups together by itself contributes to the Sustainable Coastal Livelihoods Management initiative and addresses threats on direct coastal resource extraction. A prototype of the lead income diversification scheme identified through feasibility studies was piloted by the project; FFI collaborated with LEMTTA to implement this pilot. A policy document was drafted on the income diversification scheme and institutionalization of these policies to be incorporated into conservation and ancestral domain planning documents. By drafting an "indigenous peoples resolution on profit" the income generating scheme will be passed on to other members of LEMTTA and the broader community so that members can initiate the identified scheme individually. A percentage of the profit from the identified scheme is allotted for maintenance of the ancestral waters and the No-Take Zone identified during the project; patrol materials include additional patrol boats, GPS units, binoculars, etc. By trialing the income diversification schemes we ensure regular community feedback into the process, and have the opportunity to review the successes and challenges that the scheme poses at regular intervals. Activity 8 & Outcome: Fishing effort Improved Catch Per Unit Effort

8 In this region, the total mean catch per unit effort (CPUE) for traditional spear fishing without motorized outrigger is 4.53 kg/hr, according to studies conducted in However, overfishing has led to a significant drop -- CPUE following 1Q 2014 was 1.53 kg/hr. LEMTTA members are traditional fishers, so their nutrition and livelihood depend on reef productivity, and with their CPUE declining, they increasingly need to augment fishing income to survive. At the beginning of this project, the CPUE was in the range of 1.53 kg/hr. The project goal was to improve fisheries management so that the resource begins to recover and over the two years of the project, the yield for IP fishers operating in these ancestral waters measurably increased by 10% to 1.68 kg/hr. Aramaywan s marine biodiversity faces threats including overfishing, destructive fishing methods (dynamite, muro-ami and cyanide fishing), and coral bleaching due to climate change. Meanwhile, the population continues to increase at a rate of approximately 2% per year, increasing pressure on declining resources, and poverty rates among coastal communities are on the rise. To compound matters further, conflicts between resource users are increasing as commercial fishers take a growing percentage (now over 50%) of total catch, often encroaching on ancestral waters to outcompete indigenous fishers for dwindling fish stocks. LGUs, tribal leaders and NGOs are often unaware of, do not fully understand, or lack the capacity to enforce marine-tenure legislation within ancestral waters. Yet existing legal and regulatory tools exist to address the stated threats through sustainable coastal resource management and creation and enforcement of No-Take Zones within ancestral waters and offer strong potential to benefit indigenous coastal communities. In coastal areas where fish wardens are active, coral reefs are recovering, spill over is observed, fish catch increases, and poverty is alleviated. This project has established IP fish wardens and built their conservation and enforcement capacity to support their enforcement of coastal conservation under existing law. 3. Lessons Learned Describe the key lessons learned from this project, such as the least and most effective conservation practices or notable aspects of the project s methods, monitoring, or results. How could other conservation organizations adapt similar strategies to build upon some of these key lessons about what worked best and what did not? The project proved the concept that building partnerships with different institutions together with indigenous communities is a potentially successful strategy for the sustainable and equitable management of coastal resources. Although indigenous peoples (IPs) tend to operate in quite an insular way in general, the project has fostered collaboration with external organizations and government departments that has led to increased understanding on both sides and a greater will to collaborate. The project showed that the indigenous communities can manage their resources given enough support and guidance. However, for sustainability of the efforts, marine resources conservation policies need to be put in place that ensure the empowerment of the people through the provision of sustainable livelihoods and, in tandem, there needs to be a constant flow of information, ongoing education programs and communication campaigns. 4. Dissemination Briefly identify any dissemination of project results and/or lessons learned to external audiences, such as the public or other conservation organizations. Specifically outline any management uptake and/or actions resulting from the project and describe the direct impacts of any capacity building activities. Much of the coastal degradation at Barangay Aramaywan has been the result of unsustainable and damaging fishing practices as local fishers attempt to maintain their livelihoods and avoid poverty. The projects ultimate goal was to reverse such degradation by showing the indigenous peoples how they could become empowered to protect their marine resources and develop more sustainable and diverse livelihoods, which in turn allows fish stocks to rebound and the coastal ecosystem to recover and flourish. Progress towards this goal was significant. The project team drew on its collective experience and, knowing that empowerment needs to be backed by authority, brought together not just the local indigenous people, but also representatives from the Philippines Department of Agriculture Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) and from the local government of Quezon, who were well-versed in national and local environmental regulations and issues. Thus, all stakeholders were brought together allowing for very productive discussions, including training courses and workshops.

9 The Basic Fishery Law Enforcement Training Course, which was designed to train local fishing community members to become officially-sanctioned fish wardens, covered equipment use, relevant environmental laws and procedures, protocols for handling illegal fishers, and instruction on how to file charges. Upon completion, 21 members of LEMTTA - the indigenous peoples organization (IPO) in Aramaywan - were trained and officially deputized as fish wardens. Currently, having organized themselves into patrols, these new wardens are monitoring the coast around the clock and advising other local fishers on best practices. The number of regulatory violations has significantly decreased. Furthermore, in these coastal areas where the fish wardens are active, coral reefs are recovering, spill over is observed, fish catch is increasing, and poverty is being alleviated. This project has been most successful by establishing IP fish wardens and building their conservation capacity to support their enforcement of coastal conservation under existing law. Further work with LEMTTA, BFAR and the local government led to the approval of an official Barangay Resolution entitled Proposed Guidelines Declaring an Area of the Sea Fronting Barangay Aramaywan as a Marine Sanctuary and Reserve. The Resolution delineated an area where coral reefs abound, and where fishing and other harvesting and any destructive activities are not allowed, so that fish can breed, spawn, and grow undisturbed, as the LAMANE Marine Sanctuary. For the sea surrounding the marine sanctuary, only traditional and local methods of fishing and harvesting are allowed and this is the LEMTTA Marine Reserve. The Resolution also granted LEMTTA and the traditional leaders the duty and power to manage the marine reserve and marine sanctuary in the interest of the community. This is a significant development one of which we are very proud which goes a long way towards meeting the ultimate goal of reversing coastal degradation while assisting local communities develop more sustainable livelihoods. Much of this work bringing together stakeholders from local and national groups, proposing conservation guidelines and framework, and providing training that covers both practical and legal and regulatory aspects serves as a model for similar parts of the country. 5. Project Documents Include in your final programmatic report, via the Uploads section of this task, the following: 2-10 representative photos from the project. Photos need to have a minimum resolution of 300 dpi. For each uploaded photo, provide a photo credit and brief description below; Report publications, Power Point (or other) presentations, GIS data, brochures, videos, outreach tools, press releases, media coverage; Any project deliverables per the terms of your grant agreement. Additional Documents: 1. List of Acronyms & Abbreviations 2. Photos and captions related to: a. Workshop in Barangay Aramaywan to establish the marine sanctuary i. Community members were very participative in providing input as to how their project will roll out ii. Facilitating the scheduling of activities iii. Taking the lead in making a patrol schedule with the help of colleagues b. Communications Materials: i. Pamphlet -- Front ii. Pamphlet - Inner iii. Fish Sanctuary Billboard POSTING OF FINAL REPORT: This report and attached project documents may be shared by the Foundation and any Funding Source for the Project via their respective websites. In the event that the Recipient intends to claim that its final report or project documents contains material that does not have to be posted on such websites because it is protected from disclosure by statutory or regulatory provisions, the Recipient shall clearly mark all such potentially protected materials as PROTECTED and provide an explanation and complete citation to the statutory or regulatory source for such protection.