Establishment and management of Marine Protected Areas in

Establishment and management of Marine Protected Areas in West Africa By S. K. Sankoh Research Fellow/Lecturer, Institute of Marine Biology & Oceanography ( IMBO) Fourah Bay College (FBC), University of Sierra Leone (USL) Mount Aureol, Freetown National Coordinator, West Africa Regional Fisheries Programme in Sierra Leone (WARFP-SL) Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources 25 King Harman Road, Brookfields Freetown, Sierra Leone Tel. +232 78698115/ +232 247854 E-mail: salieusankoh@hotmail. com salieusankoh@yahoo. co. uk Skype: salieu. sankoh Knowledge Exchange and Targeted Regional Workshop for GEF International Waters Marine Projects in Africa 29 – 31 May 2019

Presentation outline • MPA Definition • MPA Sizes and Management Approach • Declared Marine Protected Areas • Declared MPAs in Senegal and Liberia • Reasons for declaring the respective areas as MPAs • MPA Establishment Process and Management Measures • MPA Boundaries and Organisation of Communities into CMA/Os • The CMAs as Management Structures for the MPAs • Other Resources Governance Structures in Coastal Sierra Leone • MSP Tools Applied in the Management of MPAs and Success Stories • Enforcement of the Community By-laws by CMAs • Key Challenges in the MPAs Management • Recommendations

What are Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) • A marine protected area (MPA) is an area in the ocean where A marine protected area (MPA) human activities are regulated more than in the surrounding waters (similar to the parks we have on land) • It is an area of intertidal or subtidal terrain, together with its overlying water and associated flora, fauna, historical or cultural features, which has been reserved by law or other effective means to protect part or all of the enclosed envt. ”. • Protection of the natural or historic marine resources can be done at local, state, territorial, native, regional or national authorities level. • Closing areas of ocean and seas to specific activities or for certain periods of time is a tool commonly used for nature conservation or fisheries management

Fisheries MPAs • When the objectives of establishing the MPA is for fisheries management, the area is called a Fisheries MPA, which is a spatially defined area of sea or estuary where natural populations of commercial fish species are protected either in part or completely from exploitation or other detrimental human activities. • Fisheries MPAs provide a tool for issues such as stock management and fish stock recovery. • They can be permanent or non-permanent, gear type specific, fish species specific, vessel type or size specific etc.

Fisheries MPAs cont. MPAs can be powerful means of: i. Protecting Critical Marine Areas; ii. Increasing public awareness and understanding about the importance of life in the sea; and iii. Providing sites for research and monitoring. MPAs can enhance fisheries by: i. Reducing fishing mortality of both target and non target species ii. MPAs could aid in the restoration of commercially important fish species and endangered marine megafauna

MPA Sizes and Management Approach • MPAs range in size from: • Small, highly protected reserves to larger, multiple use areas and biosphere reserves, which can employ Large Marine Ecosystems (LME) or Integrated Area Management (IAM) approaches. • No one approach has emerged as best in every situation • Each management approach can make a valuable contribution to maintaining biological diversity, depending on the ecological and socio-economic factors in each area.

Declared Marine Protected Areas MPA 2 MPA 1 MPA 2 MPA 3 MPA 4

Declared MPAs in Senegal and Liberia • In Senegal four marine protected areas were declared coastal zone, protecting fisheries and biodiversity covering more than 7, 500 km 2 in 2003 1. The Saint-Louis Marine Protected Area near the northern border of Mauritania, 2. The Kayar MPA north of Dakar, 3. The Joal-Fadiouth MPA, and 4. The Abene MPA in the coastal waters south of The Gambia.

Declared MPAs in whole of West Africa • The ecoregion of “West Africa” have established a total of 32 MPAs from Mauritania to Sierra Leone (11 National Parks, 1 Natural Park, 12 Marine Protected Areas, 3 Community Managed MPAs, 2 Areas of community heritage, 3 biosphere reserves); • Although these may seem a lot but together they cover less than 1% of the region’s EEZ.

Reasons for declaring the areas as MPAs a) Geography - All 4 MPAs have: - High Freshwater discharge, - Depth range of between 2 m and 33 m - Tidal ranges of between 1 to 2 meters - They are horizontally stratified with Extensive Mangrove Swamps and mudflats - High primary and secondary productivity b) Importance - Creeks and Estuaries that serve as breeding areas for the following: White shrimps (Parapenaeopsis atlantica and Pink Shrimp (Penaeus notialis) between September and December.

Reasons for declaring the areas as MPAs: Scarcies River Estuary cont. - Rich in Fish species 152 species recorded) by IMBO (Gwangwa, Lady, Shinenose, Sheephead), Inshore pelagics (Herrings, Bonga, Mackerels), Shrimps (Pink shrimp – P notialis), Snappers, Manatee (Trichechus senegalensis), Endangered species like Turtles, Porpoises, Sawfish (Pristis pristis), Crocodiles (Crocodylus niloticus), Sharks and some Migrant Birds. d) Activities • Agriculture (Rice cultivation), Mangrove logging, Salt production, sand mining, Use of poisons and explosives • Use of channel nets, beach seines, mina & monofilament

MPA Establishment Process & Management Measures 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. Identification and consultations with stakeholders Participatory identification of sites to be protected Participatory demarcation of the protected areas Participatory zoning of the demarcated areas Physical demarcation of ecologically sensitive areas Participatory development of MPA management plan and strategy Organisation of the resource users into associations/organisations (CMA/Os) Development of community by-laws for the community management of the resources by the CMAs Popularisation of the community by-laws Enforcement of the bylaws Review of measures and strategies and update of plans

MPA Boundaries and Organisation of Communities into CMA/Os • The communities adjacent the 4 MPAs were organised into clusters, based on proximity to the 4 declared MPAs and shared resources, particularly fishing grounds. • The CMAs were formed with the aim that they would evolve into Territorial Use Right Fisheries (TURFs). • MPAs establishment and management plan and strategy were developed by co-mgt. consultants

MPA Boundaries and Organisation of Communities into CMA/Os

MPA Boundaries and Organisation of Communities into CMA/Os

The CMAs as Management Structures for the MPAs • In all 37 CMAs were formd for the management of the 4 declared MPAs in Sierra Leone and all had elected executives, their functions agreed and signed within the framework of binding constitutions. • The CMAs were registered with both Local and central government and they all have police clearances with the rights to operate as community based organizations and to control fishing in their respective territories (TURFs concept). • All the Paramount Chiefs and their sub chiefs were in full support of the CMAs’ work and endorsed their bylaws

Other Resources Governance Structures in Coastal Sierra Leone • Other pre-existing good natural resources governance structures, in the coastal communities include: Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD) District Councils and their sectors committees (Agriculture, fisheries etc. committee) Council of Paramount Chiefs (at district and national level) Chiefdom Development Committees (CDCs) Council of Section Chiefs and Chiefdom Speakers Wards Development Committees (WDC) Community Management Association (CMAs) Village Development Committees (VDCs) CMAs within the pre-existing local government structures Local/municipal councils structure

Ward Development Committee Chiefdom Development Committee Fishers Organisations CMA Executive Committee Environment & Beach Management Committee Village Development Committee Fish Processing Committee Master Fisherman Harbour Master MCS Committee Community By-Laws Enforcement Committee Community By-Laws Formulation Committee CMA Structure

MSP Tools Applied in the Management of MPAs and Success Stories The IEZ- 6 n. M - No go area for industrial fishers

MSP Tools Applied in the Management of MPAs and Success Stories • Within the MPAs areas identified by resources as ecologically sensitive areas, where a complete ban of fishing activities is enforces. • In other areas, active fishing gears are forbiden. • Mangrove cutting is prohibited along the river banks and in some areas of the intertidal zone • CMAs are participating in the fisheries data collection using mobile phones at Konakridee and Tombo

CMA members participating in fisheries data collection

Fishers meet regularly to discuss issues of fisheries management and MPA management has resulted to increase fish landings

Enforcement of the Community By-laws by CMAs • The community surveillance had also enforced the restrictions on fishing in certain areas of the MPAs, example canoes propelled by outboard engines or using active fishing gears are not allowed to fish within the MPAs. • Similarly, CMAs in Bonthe have started removing illegal fishing gears (monofilament and channel nets) from the fisheries • At Tombo, the CMAs first arrested two semi-industrial vessels from Guinea and fines them Le 5000, 000) plus seizure of the fish catch of the boat. • More recently during the closed season, 3 other Guinean boats were arrested and fined $500 each

CMA community surveillance exercise checking mesh sizes

Enforcement of the Community By-laws by CMAs Monofilament nets seized in Bonthe by CMAs with the District Master Fisherman leading the operations

Enforcement of the Community By-laws by CMAs Place No. OF People affected Bonth Municipal (Cluster 1) 39 No. of yards of net materials seized 13, 500 Kiegbe Village 4 2, 600 Gballoh Village 2 800 York Island 10 2, 600 Gbanporvulahun Village Cluster 4 1, 950 Hanging Sight Village (Cluster 6) 26 18, 900 Tengisha Village (Cluster 2) 13 4, 300 Bomblake 11 3, 400 Zogoda Village 4 1, 100 Nbembehun Village 6 2, 450 Kpantnibu Village 2 1, 600 Nguangutuibu Village 2 700

Key Challenges in the MPAs Management • The CMAs lack sustainable sources of income/support for the discharge of the responsibilities they were set up for • There is a long tradition of migratory fishing practices in the country, in response to the migratory nature of their target species of pelagic fish. • The time frame for the full empowerment of CMAs and the level of support required to fully equip local communities for the management of fisheries and other coastal resources was grossly underestimated in the WARFP project planning. • Sustainable alternative livelihoods are key to the success of MPAs management and the introduction of closed seasons.

Recommendations • Support the conduct of studies for the introduction of closed seasons as some areas of the MPAs, as all areas of the MPA are currently being fished, with only gear type or craft restrictions in place. • Sustainable alternative livelihoods are key to the success of MPAs management and the introduction of closed seasons. West African governments should consider supporting sustainable alternative livelihoods schemes for the CMAs and coastal communities

Recommendations • Regularly review the MPAs establishment and comanagement strategy to meet the challenges of managing fisheries access rights in a previously open access fisheries. • Regularly engage and consult with stakeholders, particularly after change of government at the central and local government levels

Thanks for your kind attention