Solomon Islands Sea Cucumber Management Plan Long history
Solomon Islands Sea Cucumber Management Plan Long history of commercial collection (late 1880’s) • Throughout the nation • Based on demand from international merchants • Almost no management measures in place (some traditional practices – taboo reefs) • Harvesting and processing taught by merchants.
Solomon Islands Sea Cucumber Management Plan History • Boom and Bust cycle for species. • Over harvesting in one area and move to another location. • Increased exploitation as technology increased – wide use of SCUBA in 80 s-90 s • Remote reef location targeted as stock declined. • Political interference $$$ • Lead to significant decrease in commercial sea cucumbers throughout the nation.
Solomon Islands Sea Cucumber Management Plan The fisheries • 30 plus species commercially harvested. • Free diving, reef gleaning, SCUBA (previously). • Collected and process by fishers, sold to merchants (most Chinese) and exported. • Over exploitation lead to management of sea cucumber in 2000.
Solomon Islands Sea Cucumber Management Plan The fishery: • Nation wide stock assessment commission in early 2000 found; • Exploitation of commercial sea cucumbers (stock populations low, size small) • Recommendation a management plan to be developed – and immediate ban. • Political and community intervention (livelihood concerns – ban not activated) • Further stock decline.
Solomon Islands Sea Cucumber Management Plan The fishery: • Mid 2000’s – crisis situation and political/community will to manage sea cucumbers. • Marine Resource Division tasked to Manage the fishery. Aim • To ensure the bêche-de-mer fishery is sustainable and that bêche-de-mer harvesting has minimal impact on the marine and coastal environment. • b) To ensure the bêche-de-mer fishery benefits coastal communities of Solomon Islands.
Solomon Islands Sea Cucumber Management Plan The Management Plan: First step • A moratorium for 5 years was placed on the fisheries banning all export. • Significant community/public awareness. Second step • Commission of nation wide resource assessment to provide empirical data on stock populations (took 2 years). • Data confirmed significant population declines in all commercial species. Some alarming (white teat fish)
Solomon Islands Sea Cucumber Management Plan The Management Plan: Third step • Management plan developed long term management of fishery • Review and amendment of Regulations of sea cucumber fishery ISSUE • Due to extended period (after 3 years) community pressure forced ban to be lifted and a one year open seasons was allowed. • Significant harvest of sea cucumber occurred (further decline in stocks - $$$ made by all.
Solomon Islands Sea Cucumber Management Plan The Management Plan: After ban lifted • A moratorium for another 5 years was placed on the fisheries banning all export. • Significant community/public awareness. Issue: • Community pressure forced ban to be lifted another one year open seasons was allowed. • Significant harvest of sea cucumber occurred (further decline in stocks - $$$ made by all. • Opening the season prevented the ban to be effective in repopulating reefs.
Solomon Islands Sea Cucumber Management Plan The Management Plan: Key criteria. • Based on precautionary principals and resource data (such diverse and large reef systems – difficult to assess). • Includes periods of closed and open seasons, • Total Bans on some species (over exploited) • Size restriction on certain species (based on data). • Ban on collection in specific areas islands – (based on scientific data and/or community MPA requirements). • Only Solomon Island nationals are allow to collect. Need Community permission. • Total ban on use of SCUBA/Hooker. • Total ban on use of underwater or surface lights for collection (specific law for H. scabra). • Ban on bottom trawling and sea cucumber “bombs”
Solomon Islands Sea Cucumber Management Plan The Management Plan: Key criteria. • Only licensed exporters to trade domestically and export sea cucumbers. • All exporter will be licenced, limit to 5 export companies only, reviewed annually. • All exporters to provide full disclosure of product (species, weight number). • A range of penalties developed to discourage illegal activities, including at all levels of the industry. • Marine Resources to undertake regular marine assessment on stock populations and up date management plan. • Community/public Awareness Importance.
Solomon Islands Sea Cucumber Management Plan The Management Plan: Issues – Concerns • Political Interference • Lack of Political support • Lack of compliance – enforcement • Exporter & Community/Merchant interference. • All Non Compliance to Regulations • e. g Harvesting continues during bans – product stored to be sold when ban is lifted.
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