Philippine Fisheries and Coastal Resiliency Project

active

The project area would include the coastal and municipal water of FMAs 6 and FMA 9, of the twelve FMAs established through Fishery Administrative Order (FAO) 263 (January 2019). These two FMAs were selected through a two-stage, multi-stakeholder selection processwith the following criteria: (i) level of vulnerability to natural and manmade threats, (ii) status of fisheries resources, (iii) access to sustainable- and resilient-investment opportunities, (iv) contribution of fisheries production to the national economy; and (v) institutional capacity. The project will target capture fisheries of most importance to municipal fishers, particularly demersal and small pelagic species. Implementation of management measures will focus on municipal waters within 15 km from the shoreline. Combined, the two FMAs cover 11 regions and 24 provinces. FMA 6 comprises major fishing grounds around the northwest coast of Luzon, including Pagudpud Bay, Lingayen Gulf, Subic Bay, Manila Bay, and Lubang Island. Within FMA 6, all project interventions will be limited to coastal waters of up to a few hundred meters’ depth where these species are found. These areas can extend marginally beyond the 15 km limit of the Municipal Waters of FMA 6, typically to around 20 to 30 nautical miles (nm) and in all cases no more than 50 nm from the shore. Any isolated deep ocean sea mounts are excluded from the project area. FMA 9 encompasses fishing grounds in archipelagic waters between the Visayas and Mindanao, including the Bohol Sea, Panguil Bay, Iligan Bay, Gingoog Bay, Butuan Bay and Sogod Bay. The project will be supported by an IBRD loan of US$200 million with an implementation period of 7 years. Components 1 and 2 aim to achieve improved management of fishery and coastal resources, and development of supportive infrastructure and fisheries enterprises respectively. Although the two components are interdependent, their implementation must be closely coordinated and sequenced to avoid potential conflicts. Without the foundation of sustainable fisheries management, investment in productive capacity often threatens, rather than enhances long-term fisheries production. Conversely, introduction of new harvest control measures may, in the short term, adversely impact the fisher livelihoods that they aim to support in the longer term. Sequencing of project activities will be based on the following principles: (i) only no-regrets investments will be undertaken until governance and planning frameworks are established; (ii) adverse impacts of resource management reforms will be assessed and minimized, and residual impacts will be addressed through a range of livelihoods and income support activities; (iii) Component 2 investments will be conditioned on active LGU participation in fishery management plan development and community compliance with management activities; and (iv) the project will strengthen the tools for achieving conditionality, through e.g. licensing systems, vessel tracking, product traceability and certification schemes. Component 1: Fisheries and Coastal Resilient Resource Planning & Management (FishCRRM) (IBRD $57 million) The objective of Component 1 is to establish the necessary planning framework and institutional arrangements, strengthen capacity and implement management measures to realize an ecosystem approach to fisheries management for two Fisheries Management Areas, FMAs 632 & 9 . Specifically, it will support the development of overarching FMA Framework Plans (FPs), the formulation and implementation of targeted fisheries management plans (FMPs), aquaculture development and management plans (ADMPs), and marine habitat management and restoration plans (MHMRPs) with a view to maximizing ecological and socio-economic benefits and building resilience in coastal communities. The project will further support the implementation of those plans within Municipal Waters. BFAR will take the lead in the development of the FMA framework, ensuring coordination of management policies and regulations, oversight and monitoring, and coord ination of management measures implementation. The project will assist with the formalization of these arrangements and upgrading the management system by providing support to research, extension services, capacity building, awareness raising and communication campaigns with close collaboration with the LGUs. The main outcome of this component will be a functional FMA governance structure and management systems that are science-based, results-oriented, inclusive, adaptive, and effective to manage the coastal fisheries, aquaculture, and coastal marine habitats. Subcomponent 1.1: Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management Planning and Institutions (IBRD US$24 million) This subcomponent will involve: (i) development of institutional mechanisms for FMA governance and related capacity building; (ii) formulation of FMA framework plans (FPs); (iii) formulation, adoption and implementation of spatial marine resources management plans for each FMA, namely targeted fisheries management plans (FMPs) and related MCS strategies, and marine habitat management and restoration plans (MHMRPs), including preparation of key analytical work and extensive consultation processes that underpin them; (iv); (v) establishment of a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system and strengthening existing fisheries management information systems to support adaptive FMA management; (vi) research and extension services to provide needed scientific information, data, analysis, and demonstrations for resilient fisheries management; and (vii) formulation and implementation of a communications and education program. Institutional mechanisms for FMA governance. Established in early 2021 in both FMAs, the Management Board (MB) is a multi-stakeholder governance body tasked to fulfill the mandate of FAO 263 supported by the Scientific Advisory Group (SAG).33 The MB will serve as the highest decision-making mechanism at the FMA level, whose short-term priorities include developing operational rules and procedures as well as establishing timelines for the adoption of FMA-level plans and strategies. The project will support the operationalization of the Management Board (MB) in each FMA, including provision of technical assistance and capacity building to MB and SAG members, and to help strengthen the science-to-policy linkage through the SAG and streamline the decision-making procedures. FMA Framework Plans. FISHCORE will support FP formulation for each FMA by 2022 through technical assistance, stakeholder workshops, and necessary equipment, including the establishment of an on-line platform to solicit inputs from a wide range of stakeholders. The FP is the overarching institutional and management framework for the FMA. It will establish in broad strokes the priorities and strategic directions for the management of marine resources and development of fisheries and aquaculture industries. It will formalise the administrative and financing arrangements for the implementation of FMA management activities, including the respective roles and responsibilities of MB members, other key management stakeholders such as LGUs, and additional stakeholders, and a schedule for development and implementation of adopted plans. It will also describe the activities necessary to operationalize the FMA including the preparation and necessary revision or issuance of relevant policy and legal instruments such as Declarations, MOUs, MOAs, and needed organizational reform or reorganization to ensure the FMPs will have the needed legal framework and institutional structure for their effective implementation. Fisheries Management Plans and Marine Habitat Management & Restoration Plans. FISHCORE will support FMPs for at least two priority fish stocks34 and a MHMRP in each FMA. The project will support the planning process, including recruiting consultants to design and conduct necessary studies, providing equipmen