Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (PMNM) team managing large-scale marine protected areas

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942182_620045174691430_283350712_nMMS is honored to have been invited to lead discussions last week on the experience and knowledge that the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (PMNM) team has on managing large-scale marine protected areas. Along with facilitation partners from Conservation International/Hawaii Fish Trust and the Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, several sessions were held with government and non-government representatives on a variety of topics, including enforcement and permitting, scientific research, Native Hawaiian cultural practices, policy, evaluation, and administration, finance, and operations.

The facilitation team comes away from last week both enlightened and humbled by the depth of knowledge and expertise that PMNM represents after 13 years of operation. Such expertise and knowledge will serve as an invaluable source of lessons learned and recommended practice for those who are just getting started with large-scale marine protection.

Local fisherman report full nets and larger fish in Liberia

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A few years ago in post-conflict Liberia, the indigenous artisanal fishers fought and feared an emboldened and heavily-armed foreign pirate fishing fleet, who operated illegally throughout West Africa with impunity.

Today, the situation has completely changed. Now it is the artisanal fishers who are empowered to fish their own waters, supported through national legal reforms, an innovative plan allowing them to fish sustainably and make management decisions, and a formidable and battle-hardened maritime enforcement division who has nearly eliminated pirate fishing from home waters.

During our most recent visit, local fishers such as those pictured here reported full nets and larger sizes of fish than they had seen since before the two consecutive civil wars (i.e., not since the early 1990s). Today they certainly have a good reason to smile, and feel proud.

This evolving success story in war-weary West Africa should be an inspiration for any fishing community who thinks that things have gone too far for any hope of return. MMS is deeply honored to have been welcomed in to contribute toward this local solution.

Photo by John Parks, Marine Management Solutions.

MMS heading to Indonesia [VIDEO]

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Preparing to depart to Indonesia to assist Conservation International and the Coral Triangle Initiative with planning for marine management efforts at a seascape level; that is, across large areas of multiple marine ecosystems, and inclusive of human interests and uses, across nations.

The below video briefly provides an overview on CI’s ongoing efforts in support of the Coral Triangle and its globally outstanding seascapes.

MMS in Sanur Bali

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Small scale commercial fishers in Indonesia on lagoon patch reef.

Coastal fisheries serve as a livelihood for tens of millions of people globally, serving as a critical source of both food and income.

Photo by Marine Management Solutions, 2012. — in Sanur, Bali.

MMA in West Africa

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Cut mangrove fuelwood ready for fish processing/drying in a West African small scale fisheries community. Due to their critical role as nursery grounds for coastal fisheries, over harvesting of mangrove forest for fuelwood can threaten the repopulation of the very same fish stocks being dried. Wetlands conversation and mangrove forest harvesting is one of the many associated environmental security issues that must be addressed within artisanal fisheries co-management.

Photo by John Parks/Marine Management Solutions 2012.

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