Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM) Planning and Implementation Process - Start-up Workshop, Module 2: Proposed FMA
CTC-CFF Thematic Alignment
- Ecosystems Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM)
Geographic Scope
- Philippines
Content Language(s)
- Bahasa Indonesia
Introduction/Context
Overview:
“Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM) Planning and Implementation Process - Start-up Workshop, Module 2: Proposed FMA”, developed by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Department of Agriculture, Philippines, with support from USAID, adapted from the regional “Essential EAFM Training Course”. Its goal is to introduce a proposed fisheries management area (FMA) for stakeholder consideration and validation, and to dhare background information needed to complete Start-up Task 1: Identfying the broad geographic area and boundaries of the FMA.
Background:
Following Module 1’s introduction to EAFM and the seven start-up tasks, this module walks the EAFM team and stakeholders through the first task -- defining the broad geographic boundaries of the proposed FMA -- and grounds that boundary discussion in background information on the area’s fisheries resources, coastal habitats, socio-economic situation, and existing governance arrangements.
Problem Statement:
Without a validated, shared understanding of the proposed FMA’s boundaries and baseline conditions, subsequent EAFM planning steps risk being built on an area that stakeholders have not agreed to, or on incomplete information about the resources, communities, and existing management arrangements within it. This module addresses that gap immediately after EAFM is introduced.
Specific Location
Philippines; the illustrative proposed fisheries management area (FMA) shown in the training materials spans coastal municipalities and waters across parts of the Bicol, Eastern Visayas, and Western Visayas regions (e.g., Sorsogon, Masbate, Northern Samar, and Biliran provinces), used here as a worked example of how to define an FMA.
Geographical Detail
Applicable to Philippine municipal and provincial coastal and marine waters where a fisheries management area is being proposed; the process for defining boundaries, and gathering fisheries, socio-economic, and governance background data, is generic and intended for use in any FMA.
Scale
Sub-national, fisheries-management-area scale -- the proposed FMA used as the training example spans the municipal waters of multiple provinces and LGUs -- within BFAR’s national program to mainstream EAFM across the Philippines.
Structure:
• Present the objectives: introduce the proposed FMA for consideration and validation, and share background information about it.
• Share background on fisheries resources and coastal habitats within the FMA, illustrated with a map of the proposed boundaries
• Share background on the socio-economic situation within the proposed FMA
• Share background on existing governance of fisheries and coastal resources within the proposed FMA
• Have participants complete workbook data sheets (Activity 2) on current fisheries status, socio-economic conditions, and existing management arrangements, then revisit the seven start-up tasks with Task 1 (identify the FMA) highlighted as complete
• Share background on fisheries resources and coastal habitats within the FMA, illustrated with a map of the proposed boundaries
• Share background on the socio-economic situation within the proposed FMA
• Share background on existing governance of fisheries and coastal resources within the proposed FMA
• Have participants complete workbook data sheets (Activity 2) on current fisheries status, socio-economic conditions, and existing management arrangements, then revisit the seven start-up tasks with Task 1 (identify the FMA) highlighted as complete
Success factors:
• Grounding the buondary-setting discussion in concrete background data (fisheries resources, socio-economics, governance) rather than treating it as an abstract mapping exercise
• A structured workbook (Activity 2) gave participants a consistent format for benchmarking baseline conditions across the proposed FMA
• Explicitly presenting the FMA as “proposed” and seeking validation built stakeholder ownership into the boundary-setting step from the start
• A structured workbook (Activity 2) gave participants a consistent format for benchmarking baseline conditions across the proposed FMA
• Explicitly presenting the FMA as “proposed” and seeking validation built stakeholder ownership into the boundary-setting step from the start
Critical challenges::
Delineating a fisheries management area boundary that is ecologically meaningful (covering connected fisheries resources and habitats) while remaining politically and administratively workable across the multiple provinces and LGUs it spans.
The Breakthrough::
Pairing the proposed FMA map with structured background data -- fisheries resources, socio-economic conditions, and existing governance -- and a workbook exercise turned boundary-setting from an abstract map exercise into an evidence-based, stakeholder-validated decision.
Success factors::
Presenting the FMA boundary as a proposal open to stakeholder validation rather than a fixed decision; grounding the discussion in concrete fisheries, socio-economic, and governance baseline data; and a structured workbook that gave participant a consistent way to document and benchmark that baseline.
Result snapshots::
Not specified in the source training materials - the submitting organization should provide the actual validated FMA boundaries and baseline data collected, if available
Transferable tips::
• Present a proposed boundary as open for validation, not a fixed decision, to build stakeholder ownership from the start
• Ground boundary-setting in concrete baseline data (fisheries resources, socio-economics, governance) rather than treating it as an abstract mapping exercise
• Use a structured workbook or data sheet format so baseline information is captured consistently and can be benchmarked over time.
Delineating a fisheries management area boundary that is ecologically meaningful (covering connected fisheries resources and habitats) while remaining politically and administratively workable across the multiple provinces and LGUs it spans.
The Breakthrough::
Pairing the proposed FMA map with structured background data -- fisheries resources, socio-economic conditions, and existing governance -- and a workbook exercise turned boundary-setting from an abstract map exercise into an evidence-based, stakeholder-validated decision.
Success factors::
Presenting the FMA boundary as a proposal open to stakeholder validation rather than a fixed decision; grounding the discussion in concrete fisheries, socio-economic, and governance baseline data; and a structured workbook that gave participant a consistent way to document and benchmark that baseline.
Result snapshots::
Not specified in the source training materials - the submitting organization should provide the actual validated FMA boundaries and baseline data collected, if available
Transferable tips::
• Present a proposed boundary as open for validation, not a fixed decision, to build stakeholder ownership from the start
• Ground boundary-setting in concrete baseline data (fisheries resources, socio-economics, governance) rather than treating it as an abstract mapping exercise
• Use a structured workbook or data sheet format so baseline information is captured consistently and can be benchmarked over time.
Institution:
Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)
email : info@bfar.da.gov.ph
website : bfar.da.gov.ph