Designation of Special Management Areas Notice no. 34 of 2013

Supplement "A;' to The Gambia Gazette No.20 of 19th Decembe1; 2013 Legql ·Notice No.34 of 2013 REPUBLIC OF THE GAMBIA FISHERIES ACT Gap 63.01 Law~ of The Gambia, 2009. DESIGNATION OF .SPECIAL IVIANAGEMENT AREAS NOTICE, 2013. IN E XERCISE of the powers conferred oh the Minister of Fisheries and Water Resourcesunder section 14 of the Fisheries Act,this Notice isissued. 1. Citation and Commencement This Notice may be cited as the Designation of Special . ManagementAreas N~tice 2013. 2. Designation of Special Management Area·s The Fishery Co-Management Plan forThe Gambia Sole .Complex set .out in the schedulsis are designated as Special Management Area. 3. Co-Management Plan for the Cookie and Oyster Plan The Cockle and Oyster Fishery .C.o-Managemerit Plan for the TanbiAre~ as set out in the schedules are also designated as Speci<:tl Management Area. SCHEDULE I Co-Management Agreement WHEREAS, the sole fishery is an important resource that employs many people in the coastal zone, produces export earnings for the country, and is primarily an artisana! fishery, Desigi1ation of Special Management Areas Notice, 2013 WHEREAS section 14 of the Fisheries Act, and associated regulatior;is of 2008, provide the authority for the Minister of Fisherles and Water . Resources to · designate special management areas for the purpose of community-based co management in the interest of conservation, management and sustainable utilization of fisheries resources; WHEREASsection 11 of the Fisheries Act, and associated regulations of 2008 provide the authority of The Minister of Fisheries and Water Resources to allocate property rights ov~r fisheries resources, WHEREAS Section 15 of the Fisheries Act: and associated regulations of 2008, provide the authority for the Minister of Fisheries and Water Resources to establish Community Fisheries Centers (CFCs) for the purposes of community based fisheries management (in consultation with Local Authorities, and where applicable, in accord,ance with the Local Government Act and any other laws of The Gambia). WHEREAS, The National Sole Fishery Co-Management Committee(NASCOM) and associated Landing sites Co Management Committees (LACOMs)represent community based organizations and are affiliated with the CFCs in landings sites where CFCs exist; THEREFORE,IHEREBY Declare as a Special Management Area for the purposes of fisheries management, a sole fisheries zone from the Atlantic shoreline and shorelines adjacent to the estuarine areas of The Gambia River out to one (1) nautical mile. Designate the NASCOM and its associated LACOMs through the Community Fisheries Center Management Committees as having exclusive use rights to the sole fishery in this area.· Delegate authority for the responsible and sustained management and conservation of the sole fishery 'resources in this area to the NASCOM and its associated LACOMs through the CFCs in accordance with the management plan herein. 2 Designatio'n of Spec~al Management Areas Notice, 2013 Chapter 1: Introduction Worldwide, there are over 500 species of flatfish including flounders, sole, turbots, halibut, sand dab, plaice and tonguefish. Flatfish resources abound in. the eastern Atlantic and are exploited as directed fisheries or often as bycc:1tch fisheries. In The Gambia, the primary species belong to the sole and tongue sole families (Soleidae and Cynoglossidae, respectively). These valuable fish form the basis of an artisanal based export fishery which employs many in the industrial processing sector. This is the first fisheries co management plan developed under the new Fisheries Act of 2007. The framework for the plan was developE:ld through a Marine Stewardship Council M{;magement plans become living documents with (MSC} pre-auditfor the sole artisanal frequent review fishery. The USAgency for and amendments n,ternational DeVelopnient (USAID) funded BaNafaa project implemented by the University of Rhode Island (URI) in partnership with World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) W~st Africa Ecoregional Programme and the Government · of The Gambia was able to support the development of this. plan through workshops on co managC;lment, directed trainings, · collaporative research .and institution building activities. Much of the new knowledge c:ibout sole was provided by the fishermen and the industry using local knowledge data gathering methods and confirmed through collaborative research techniques. This plan is adaptive and is expected to change as more data becomes · available arid with fluctw;ltions of environmental and harvesting Gonditioris. Fish as a fc>0d product is an important source of protein in the diet of 1.5 billion people around the globe. In both The Gambia and Seneg·a1j a large percentage of the population lives within the coastal zone and derives their livelihood, food security, and way-of-life from fishil"!g. Some 200,000 people in The· Gai;nqia are directly or indirectly employed in the fishing sector. Seafood products are a leclding export of the region and generate as much as 20% of the gross value of exports. Fisheries trade results in valuable foreign exchange earnings, revenue for Government, and employment opportunities that go well beyond the labor directly involved in harvesting.Fisheries products. are especially critical to the 3 Designation of Special Management Areas Notice, 2013 rural poor. Fish provides the main source of animal protein for the average rural family in the sub~region, where annual fish consumption can be as much as 25kg p13r capita. Fish as a source of protein is not just important to the coastal arE:as; inland populationsare equally dependent on fish food for protein in their diet.In many rural areas, fishing serves as a "social safety net" when farming turns unproductive dUe to depleted soil, drought, disease, conflict or other factors. The artisanal fishing community in The Gambia is mac;le up of people from various countries, especially Senegal. In addition to direct socioeconomic benefits derived from fishing, a well-managed sector can benefit other aspects of the region's economy and quality-of-life. This includes a growing tourism sector and a number of globally and regionally significa,nt parks and nattJral heritage areas. With annual tourist arrivals surpassing 120,000 in The Gc1mbia and 400,000 in Senegal, there is clear interest from the tourism sector in having a consistent supply of quality seafood. · Howev,er, there are many challenges facing this fishery today: open access, limited information, unl<nown p·otential harvesting capacity of the artisanal and industrial fleets, poor pricE:is paid to fishermen, fluctuating export markets, waste and inefficiencies including high post-harvest losses, as well as poor sanitary conditions at landing sites. The sustainable future will rely on using an active co-management approachto limit harvest rates and collect appropriate data to manage the fishery. 1.1 Principles for Management of the Fishery For small-scale fisheries, information on catch rates and effort is typically quite poor. In these situations, it is useful touse simple statistics to manage the fishery and/or rely on fishermen's knowledge ahd combine management approaches .that are easy to implement and requireless intensive information gathering for decision-making. Cooperative and collaborative fisheries planning and research is beginning to capitalize on the knowledge and skills of experienced fishermen and incorporate it into program design and management processes. In the data poor systems that characterize The· Gambian fisheries, traditional and local knowledge is avaluableasset for fisheries managers. Fisheries are plagued by uncertainties - in number of fish available, price, and the effects of consumer and market 4 Designation of Special Management Areas .Notice, 2013 demands. Given these uncertainties and the importance of the sector, the management framework can minimize risk by using the "precautionary approach." The "precautionary· approachl' calls Upon managers to act in a more cautious pr . conservative mannerrelative to the level of uncertainty, adequacy, or reliability of the best availabie information. Theprecautionc~ry apprbach also states that the absence of adequate scientific information should not be used asa reason for postponing ·or failing to tal<e conservation and · management measures. . ' Adaptive man:agementis another concept tf'l;;tt is crucial for successful fisheries management-:-:-especially in data poor contexts. The a.dclptive management· approach allows for changes in managernent by evaluating the effects of current management -=1ctions on reaching the objectives of management As c1ctions are implemented, they generate inforrnation to use in judging whether those actionsare having their intended effect, and to assess if the management "hypothesis" is or is not accu·rate, If anacti6n diet not have the ,ntend~d effect, managers must decide whether the problem is due to poorimplementation of the action, or whether the hypothesis must be reformt1lated and new actions identified.Adaptive management requires that decisions be mctde quickly and actions adjusted accordingly, oftenbefore the next fishing season begins. Adaptive management is especially suited for decentralizedmanagement contexts and data poor situations. An ecosystem-based management approach to fisheries management (EBFM) focuses on conserving theunderlying health and resilience of the ecosystem, thus maintaining the . system's goods and seNices andleading to increased productivity. Developing an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries managementneed no t be complicated. As both the human systems and the natural ecosystems upon which they depend become increasinglyvulnerable, fisheries management needs to become increasingly resilient· and capable of ad!3pting to changes that will occur.In capture fisheries, systems that are decentralized and use a co management approach are more capableof adapting to changing conditions.There is increased recognition that fisheries can be more efficiently managed when fisheries stakeholders are involved inthe process. As fisheries become self-regulated, issues of enforcernent and compliance-often rnajorfactors in management failure-typically diminish. Co management is a partnership arrangement where fishermen and government share responsibility and authority for 5 Designation of Special Management Areas Notice, 2013 managing the fishery. It has many varil:ltionsranging from fishermenplaying a minor role to l)eing included · as major decision-makers, often supportingthe scien<;e, enforcement, and management ofthe fishery. 1,2 The Process of Developing the Sole Management Plan Designing thesole management plan involved several steps: development of management objectives; (cJentifying cle?r pathways to reach objectives through harvesting and marketing rules; establishing evaluation criteria to determine if objectives are being met (stock assessmentwith reference points and/or sustainability criteria);development of compliance and enforcement strategies; and determining feedback mechanisms to managers to aUow for changes in a timely manner. Starting in 2009, a two-year a planning process was implemented that addressed each of these elements noted above. This process involved key stakeholders in the sole fishery including the Department of Fisheries and related government agencies, representatives of the · export processors, fishermen from the main landing sites(Kartong, Gunjur, Sanyang, Tanji, Brufut, Bakau, Banjul,Albreda, Bintang, Tendebaand Barra), fish mongers and middlemen involved in the postharvest handling between the landing sites and the export factories, among others. There were periodic meetings at the national level and with theNational Sole Fishery Co-Management Committee (NASCOM) which was formed during this planning process, along with its associated Landing site Co-management Committees (LACOMs), and further discussions with stakeholders through discussions and meetings at the landing sites. 1.3 Contents of the Sole Plan This management plan describes the outputs of the co management planning process described above for the sole species complex in The Gambia. The plan includes an overview description of the fishery, status of the fish stocks, describes the legal basis fo'r management under this plan, and details the management objectives and related measures to achieve those objectives and means for enforcement monitoring and evaluation of the plan. A number pf l<ey technical supporting documents are mentioned in the plan as part of the Appendix and can be downloaded from the · website link below. 6 Designation of Special Management Areas Notice, 2013 The Sole Cc-M,rnagemeril Plan and Appendices :isted in '.he Plan can be found ,it: Chapter 2:The Resources 2.1 The Species There are four major families of flatfish with representative species found in The Gambian nearshore waters: Soleidae Cynoglossidae, Psettododaec1ndPc;1ralichthyidae. The specie; have been confirmed thro~gh literature review, and through discussions with local. fishermen, processors and The Gambian Department of Fisheries (Appendix 1). The most abundant (and the focus of this plan) are the black/tiger sole Synapturacadenatiahd red sole; Cynog/ossussenegalensis. ' Figure 1. Sole species (From left to :ight (upper row- Spiny turbot, black sole, red sole (dorsal view); lower row: smooth flounder and red sole (ventral view)). · There is little published i~formation about the biological characteristics of these specie$. Therefore, a local knowledge approach was used to elaborate on life history characteristics. This has led to collaborative research and data collection to expand the knowledge base for management(Appendix 4). 2.2 Distribution and Migration Soles occur throughout a wide depth range, from tidepools to deep waters on the outer continental shelves and siopes (to about 1500 meters). They are found on mud, sand and 7 Designation of Special Management Areas NoHce, 2013 gravel bottoms. They play an important ecological role as prey and predator in · tliese environments. Small mouth species feed on a broad spectrum of small epifaunal and infauna! organisms. Fishermen have observed that the red sole is commonly capturedin shallower waters than the black sole. The red sole is longer and leaner in size than the black sole. The sole fish are found in the brackish water of The Gambia River. Tendeba is the most upriver location of caph.1re reported by fishermen although some juvenile fish ( C. senega/ensis, Citharich(hysstampflii and S. cadentJ) were reported as far upriver as Wale Creek byVidy, et al. (2004) and Albaret, et al (2004). Figure 2. Local knowledge describing sole movement from the south. From fishermen's observations in southern Gambia, the sole fish appear in The Gambian waters start.ing · in January (Figure 2). They migrate from the waters of Guinea Bissau and the Casamance region of Senegal to the coastal waters of The Gambia (First appearance is in Kartong, then Gunjur, Sanyang, Tanji, Brufut and Bal<au). The movement back to · deeper water occurs in August. Fishermen believe they 8 Designation of Special Management Areas Notice, 20 l 3 migrate ·from the deeper anq cooler waters into warmer shoal water for spawning.Some fishermen from northern points in The Gambia describe a southerly migration from northern Senegai to The Gambia River estuary. These migratory behaviors of the sole species into waters south c1nd north of The Gambia implicates a largElr biological stock complex that may be shared with several countries. 2.3 Growth and Spawning Growth of the tongue sole is described as rapid {Chauvet, 1972). Females grow at slightly higher rates than males (Ajayi, no date). Fishermen state that young of the year recruit to their gear 6 months after spawning. The juveniles stay within the rocky and sandy areas for approximately 6 months. When mature, which may occur within the first year, they move to deeper waters. New information relative to age/length is included iii the Appendix. Recent information obtained by the processing plant in The Gambia, irid.icate thc:lt the IElngth/weightrelationship for the red and bl.acl< sole are only slightly different. There is a great deal of scatter in the weigh.t data for each length of fish, which may be a function of their maturity and spawning stage. The condition factor (K==1 00W/L 3) varies as a function of month ranging from 1.63 and 0.54 (Figure 3). Abowei (2009) found the lowest condition factors during the spawning season for red sole in Nigeria. However, given the data collected to date in The Gambia, it appears that condition factors for red soleincrease during the s~ason that fishermen believe is the spawning period (Appendix 4). Information about black sole is missing during this period. 9 I j . I Designation of Special Managem.ent Areas Notice, 20 I J .. ·.·-·-·-···-----··· -·-=···--·-·:---·- ., ---.--,-- --,-.----···----- -·-····· ---····-·--·-· .. Growth Condition Factor (K) of Black and Red Sole 2010 1.8 ·.·. 1.6 -! i 1.4 .1 I ~ 1.2 1 l: 1 ~i C 0 • ~ 0.6 : 5 : u 0.6 ! Q.4 ~ i 0.2 ·j ! 0 : . C ..Q ~ ~ ., "' "" 2 t ~ >- ., :?: \>D ~ a. " C :, :, <( 2 2 ~ <( ... "' Month Figure 3. Condition factor of black and red sole. As the sole move to shallow waters starting in January, the females carry eggs that are not well developed (Figure 4). Fishermen observed that in June to July, the eggs are fully mature and are released in sandy areas known locally as "pass". Contrary to the commonly described spawning behavior of flatfish which produces planktonic eggs that float freely in the water column, it is believed that the eggs of red sole are laid in the bottom sediment when the fish burrow. Larval stages may vary from a few days to a couple of months influenced by water temperature. Fishermen report eggs to be encased in a thin film which hatch after 3 days. More information on spawning condition is being collected to verify these findings. 10 Designation of SpeciaJ Management Areas Notice, 2013 Chapter 3:TheFishery 3.1 History of Exploitation The artisanal fishery for sole .started in the early 1980's (or at least landings have been recorded since then). According to local history, sole fishing was introduced to The Gambia by the Senegalese fishermen from San Luis and at least 80% of the sole is landed by fishermen of Senegalese origin who leave The Gambia during the muslirri holiday of Tobaski (Eid El Fitr), or go cuttle fishing (preferred due· to higher price). This accounts for much of the variability in landings (Figure 5). . 2250 ;,2000 5 1750 .... u lSQO "i: t 1250 6 !000 ~ 750 .!: 500 'O ; 250 ..J ' -e. 0 .,.,r:tiPr':Y 1o ~ v) y) .... ... Sole Landings Figure 4.Sole landings (in metric tons) by artisanal and industrial fleets (Source: The Gambian Department of . Fisheries). Initially, the majority of landings were from the industrial fleet which landed their catch in nearby ports in Senegal. With the development of processing plants in The Gambia, the . . artisanal sector began to supply fish for the local factories for export. The number of processing facilities in operation varies considerably, highly dependent on export markets and production costs.The highest catch was recorded in 2001 and has since declined, especially evident in the industrial catches. · 11 Designation of Special Management Areas Notice, 2013 The artisanal fleet consists of coastal and estuarine vessels. The Gambian Department of Fisheries maintains landings records for the combined sole landings.Observers record landings from the industrial based fjsheryJndustrial boats do not land their catch in Gambia, There is 110 directed industrial fishery for sole and it is mainly caught as bycatch in the shrimp trawl fishery. A smaller bycatch occurs in the stern trawler fleet targeting red mullet, dorado and octopus. 3.2 Description of Fisllermen, Vessels and Fishing Areas The fisheries of The Gambia are ioned by use. The artisanal fishery has exclusive fishing rights to waters out to 9 nautical miles (nm). Vessels up to 250 Gross Registered Tons (GRT) are allowed to fish between 9-12 nm while beyond 12 nm is open to all licensed vessels, There are 155Ianding sites in The Gambia, (all but 11 are in the river) but because of resource limitations, only 13 inland sites and all 11 coastal sites are sampled for catch/effort. The principal landing sites for sole on the coast are (from North to South): Barra, Banjul, Bakau,Tanji, Kunku, Sanyang, Gunjur, and Kartong. On the River Gambia, sole is lande.d only in the Lower River North Bank (Albreda, Kerewan, !3allingho) and in the Lower river South Bank (Mandinari, Bintang, Tendaba). Industrial fishing vessels must obtain fishing licenses issued by the Department of Fisheries and endorsed by the Ministry of Fisheries before they are · allowed to fish in Gambian waters. Industrial licenses are issued twice each calendar year,in 6 month intervals (Jan-June and July-December). License fees are calculated on the basis of GRT, type of fishing method (shrimp, fish and cephalopod, and tuna) and time period of license. Fishing license fees are calculated by the Fisheries Department but are paid to the .Government Treasury. A fishing license is issued by the Department of Fisheries only after receipt of a certified Government Treasury receipt confirming payment of the calculated license fee. For the period July to December 2011, a total of 29 industrial fishing vessels have been issued ( 3ambian fishing licenses comprising: 17 shrimp trawlers (with GRTs ranging from 29-46); 5 vessels targeting finfish and cephalopods (GRTs ranging from 44-314); and 7 tuna longliners (GRTs ranging from 160-714). Only 1 out of the 29 industrial fishing vessels is owned by a Gambian national, the rest are foreign owned vessels. However, the foreign owned vessels obtained their fishing 12 Designation of Special Management Areas Notice, 2013 licenses through Gambian registered fishing companies which act as agehts. Only registered .Gambian fishing companies can apply for fishing licenses. The Gambian owned fishing vessel (MV Haddijato4, a shrimp trawler), MV Fleur (shrimp trawler) and MV Renaissance (fish and cephalopod) vessel$ make their occasional landings at the Banjul port; ,di the remaining vessels land their catches in Senegal. Artisanal fishing areas have changed over time. Fishermen state that the main difference that has occurred over the years in fishing for sole has been the distance traveled. The younger fishermen are traveling to new areas that are not familiar to the older generation of fishermen (observed in the local knowledge surveys). Today, a fisherman may travel 2 hours frotn port to set their nets. Figure 5. Wooden canoes are principally used by the artisanal fleet. Fishing as a whole provides direct employment to 1,41 O head fishermen and 4,694 fishing assistants (Department of Fisheries, 2007). The artisanal fishery has a fleet of 1,785 canoes (both motorized and unmotorized) from 7-11 m length over all (LOA)operating in both the marine areas and The Gambia River (Figure 6). The artisanal fishery is the major source of raw fish materials for the fish processing establishments in The Gambia and themajor supplier of fresh fish for The Gambian population. The two most important fishing gears employed in the artisanal fisheries operations in the Gambia are encirclihg/surround gillnet and bottom set gillnet. These gears are used in fishing operations all year 13 Designatiori of Special Management Areas Nbtice, 2013 round and are responsible fqr rnost fish landings (Table 1). The bottom set gillnet targets a wJc:fe r~nge of demersal and sub-demersal fish species. 1, ~nc:fjngs · deperid on the abundance and c\vailabillty of target ffsl1 species and these may have some bearing with season.~. In 2006, bottom set gillnets landed 12,55fi,510 kg 6f all spec:ies of fish. Table 1. Total Catches, Effort and Catch per Effort by Type of Gear Used for the Atlantic Stratum for 200(:J (Department of Fisheries; 2607). Type of Gear Total Catches Effort ·cpuE Used (Kg) (bays) (Kg/Day) EncirclinQ Net 15,52'.l,468 22,414 692 Set/Bottom Gill Net 12,555,510 55,396 227 Driff Giff Net - ., ~ Stownet 93,29b, 446 209 Hook and. Une 818,324 . . 3,028 270 Purse SeJne. 4,29!5,.196 . · s;$es· '· 772.··· Other Net. 299,336 :12.z:.· 2,357 Total . 33,575;249 . ~6i~14 .. 38.6 3.3 Description of Gill net Gear The gear used to catch sole is primarily the bottom set gill net (Figure 7). ClirrElntly, there is no targeted sole fishery because. of the lovv price and sole are a bycatch of the other benthic species fisheries,. When sole was targeted, a low rise . gillnet was used (1.5 m -height), how~ver, because of the low price, fishermen increased the net helght to 2meters to allow. for a more diversified catch; ThEl cwrreilt fishery is actually a · mixed demersal assemblc¾ge with. Oie pr1m;;1ry species caught being salt w~ter catfish andCym~iumspecies. Figure 6. Gil/net being prepared 6n the beach. 14 Designatioi1 of Special Management Areas Notice, 2013 A mesh size of 80 mm (stretched length) is referred to as the minimum mesh size in the regulations. Observed mesh sizes ranged from 80-92 mm, Although it is referred to as a gill net, fishermen . describe it as an entanglement net; with fish becoming tangled in the webbing. Nets a:re typically made up of 20 m sections that may be joined together to make nets up to 800 - 3000m Ion~. Figure 7. Repairing a monofilament gillllet. Either monofilament or multifilameht netting mat~rial is used in the nets; Although the life pf the monofilameht nets may be between 3-6 months, fishermen are observed repairi'ng these nets and probably extl3ndirig their useful lqngevity (Figure 8). A recent study conducted by the BaNafaa project confirmed the lack of selectivity of these giUnets (Appendix 5), as hanging ratios are not consistent. Head and foot ropes are usually simply strung though the mesh panels and not tied at regular intervals (Figure 9a). The webbing is loose and results in et1tanglement The Jishermen often do not place sufficient floatation to keep the net upright in strong currents, which allows the. nets to lay on the boftc;,m and ideal for catching Cymbiumspecies (Figure 9b). 15 t l il 11 1: i1 11 ,, ii !\ i I: I' I'· L i Designation of Special Management Areas Notice, 2013 · Figure 8. (a) Sole entangled in a gi!lnethung without ahanging ratio, (b) Illustration of a g{llnetinstrong current without proper floatation. 3.4 Other Gear Types Figure 9. Common !bhgline cor,figyrEdion for catfish. . . . . . . . : . Lohgline fishing gear Was observed as. a common fishing gear in The Gambia (Figur!3 10). The ob$erVed longlines had straight shank J-Hool<s with mohofilament gangions, which are attached to a rhonofilarrient mainline. Fishermen stated that the gangions were typically constructed of 37 pound test mondfilament arid the mainline was constn,.H~ted of 60 pound test monofllament. The most common typ$ of bait used in the longline . fishery .· is the madeiransardinella(Sardlnellamaderensis). Similar to gillnets, up and down lines were attached to floats on the surface for easy retrieval. The anchqrs used were a.lso similar to that used in the gHlnet fishery1 in that they were constructed of rocl<s held together in a mesh bags. The target 16 ·-···------------------------------.i Designation of Special Management Areas Notice, 2013 species identified by the fishermen were catfishand occasionally sole species. Although pelagic longlines existj they are not common, as other methods are preferred for pelagic species. There is no data on catches from this gear or other artisanal !1ear types available for comparison. 3.5 Bycatch Species This frshery lands 100% of all fish Gaught in nets; discards or bycatch are therefore not currently an issue of concern in this fishery. The · legal minimum fish size is currently 25 cm. Landing date;\ showed that the majority of fish captured were above the minimum size (Figure 11).The 2008 Fisheries Regulations introduced a mfnimuin landing size for sole of 30cm. However, this management plan was not implemented for the fishery. Clearly, the current gillnet fishery catches fish smaHer tha.n this minimum size. It is not thought that this will lead to a significant discarding problem since there is a qualification in the regulations stating that undersfze fish which are dead when caught should. still be landed, however mesh size will hot be a11 effective management tool unless gear selecUvity is improved. 3500 ·I Sole Landings July-Nov 2010 3000 .. ! . I 2500 1 ! qi 2000 j Jl ! E ; ~ 1500 -l i 1000 ·{ ! I 500 i E~'=l O ! ·-··- ,Ji~ -. im Red Sole •;r Black Sole. 20 25 30 35 4d 45 50 55 Length (~m} 60 Figure 10.Length freqw~ncy ofred and black sole captured by giilnet in four main landing sites (Kartong, Sanyang, Brufut and Gunjur). Sole 1s essentially a bycatch in a multispecies fishery. Recent byc9tchd,atc1 has been collected by the Department of Fisheries· and the Ba Nafaa ProJect on a monthly basis from four landing sites. A progr~ss report on this study is available in the Appendix. 17 Designation of Special Manag( ')mef1t Areas Notice, 2013 Molluscs (Cymblumcymbium, Cymbrumpepo, and Cymbium glans) account for a large percentage of the byoatch in the gillnet fi shery (by weight) (Tabi~ 2). With molluscs removed (Table 3); the mo~t comrricfr1 fish captured were the sea catfish, rubberlip a.ncj. sgmpat grunt, longneck, law · and cassava croaker (July-Dec>, 2010). Table 2.Percent (by weight) of CymtJium spec;ies captured as bycatch in gilfn·ets(Ju/y-becember, 201 o. · Species · KartOng S~ny~hg : Brufut Gunjur Cymbiumc 3.3 3.7 7.2 7.8 ymbium Cymbium 20.97 9A 6..8 18.45 p1:mo Cymbivm 12.23 . 8,15 1.46 5.9 glans .. TcJb/e 3.Percfmt catch (in weight) of remaining species (with Cymblum species removed) from four landings sites (July becember 2010). The final so!umn ls the risk $fq(US associated with that species as determined by the pre., assessment (Medley et al., 2008). Name Kartong S;myang Brufut ~unjur Risk Artus /EJttscutatus .... 39.4 27.7 14.8 30;9 hi~h Potiwdasvsjvbel(ni 8.0 4.8 8.9 :15.1 low PseiJdotolithilstypils 4.9 5.7 8.i 15.6 med Scombf:romorustritor 4.9 0.03 0,55 0.2. ~ Cynog!dssussenegalensis- 4.9 . 12.6 8.6 8.3 target PseitdotoiithusseneC1.alensis ·. 3,1 . 13.5 8.7. 3.1 rned Pseudotofithusbra.chyflathlis 1 . .7 3.4 9.9 0.09 med Pseudotolithuselongatus -1..2 0 5. 9 1.2 med P!ectoryhnuesrrifldlterrineoqs .1:2 0.06 5.4 0.7 low Synaptur?cadeil?fi .· t7 ·.· 2.8 4.8 6.0 target totaj Weight of all catch (kg 110:r ,Z17~ 60~4 2530 The Marine Stewardship Coi,,incil (MSC) pre- assessment performed a simple an~lysls to Identify the level of interaction · with other species and the consequent' effect on those species. The overall conclusion wc1s that the majority of species caught· In a sole net were at a low risk of overexploitation. Some were deemed to be. medium· ris.k (croaker; rays and lobster) while others were .high risk (because of low productivity or high sllsceptibility of capture). These included guitar fish, catfish, shark and captain fish. Overall it was concluded that there was a medium risk of the 18 Designation of Special Management Are~s Notice, 2013 sole fishery cawsing an overexploitation on other retained species. This study confirms that the majority of fish caught in addition to sole are medium to low category except for the catfish, However, this points to the need to develop a more comprehensive multispecjes plan in the. fuh.ire; especially in re.gards to catfish as a key species to be managed as it is ·also important food fish locally and with some export of ~moked catfish regionally and to the European Union (EU). Five speeies· of cetaceans are found in The Gambia: the bottlenose dolphin, Atlantic humpback dolphin, Clyhlene dolphin, long-beaked common dolphin, and short finned pilot whale. The Gambia's Niumi National Park cmd the outer estuary of The Gambia· River are key habitat areas for this species. During the interviews conducted by the Integrated Coastal and Marine Biodiversity Management Project (ICAM), 31 % of the respondents stated that had accidently captured a dolphin in their gear and many times, the animal is released alive (Leeney, et al., 2007). There is no market for dolphin meat and if captured, they tend·to be given to the community. However, very few fishermen wHI sell dolphin meat. · The ICAM-11 study (Leeney et al., 2007; Hawkes et al., 2007) confirmed no interactions with sole fishing gear and ETP species (turtles. and dolphins).Many species undergo a seasona.1 onshore-offshore migration. There is a concern that as many fishermen venture further frorn shore; tha,t encounters will increase. . . 3.6Value Chain Analysis Sole is one of the important demersal species in The Gambia.A value chain analysis was recently conducted in the soie fishery for The Gambia(Figure 12; Appendix 6). It is commercially processed and ' exported, primarily to Ewrope.Exports of solefish ger,erate considerable amounts of foreign exchange earnings. In 2007 a,lone, 297tonnes with FOB value of 017.7 million were exported. Although there are 5 major processing plants located in The Gambia, only three are presently exporting. Those processing plc1nts are not operating at full eapacity due to the shortage of raw materic;:1L The price paid to the fishermen is very low compared to other species and fishermen frequently do not target sole (20 Dalasi/kg). Although the new fisheries port under construction will allow for landings of industrial bo~ts in Bahjt..ll increasing availability of product, it is unlikely to assist the artisanal community, Electrical costs are some of the highest in Africa leading to high production costs. . I I 19 ,-------~- Designation of Special Management Areas Notice, 2013 Afr.ican j\ export . ·-~- ----. ··vi Domesilc Snle The followiugprice, for a kilo of sole: foh were observed in th~ ~ole i-nlue ch~ui: Bnuaboua pnJ.:,hnse 1>nc.1-0f sole Ot fish laudltlg iile: Price of dried ·,pie ~I )3n1fot lnodiug me: ·Processing plru1~pur<;h~,e pxic~ otao!e: H9tel/r~~tntm1ui pui·~hGse pifoi: · Price of,ot~.plaJe nt 1Iotel: 10 GMD (USSO. 75) ·10 Gi·ID (USS(t.31) 3?04~ Gl':--ID {US~ UO. $1,4~) 75 GMD (USS.2.iJs) i25-38Q GMD (U.SSS.30 - $14.07) Figure 11. Value chain for The Gambian caught sole. One of the most important findings of the report was that much of the sole product is. qot sold in The Gambia, but cross~s the border into northern Senegal as southern Senegal-c~ught fish. This is the11 pmcf:lssed and exported. This origin mislabeling not only affects stock assessments but al$6 export statistics.· CtJrrent workinvestigating cross border trade will attempt to calculate out these amounts. 3.7 Subsidies There is no evidence of subsidies in the fish.eries that would create an um,ustainable harvesting .condition. Fuel mix subsidies· were disoontihued in ·1~94.The Governrnent does provide a duty vvaiv·er on the export of fishery products and import of fishing related equipm,ent. The value chain provjdes more detailed i'nformation regarding tariffs. and profitability in tlie fishery. · Chapter 4:Current Status of the Fishery Preliminary work was· conducted as part of a Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) (Medley et al,, 2008)pre asqessment to assess the status of the stock using available information.That assessment is summarized below. The following data sets and methodology were, used 20 Designation of Special Management Areas Notice; 2013 • The processors grade fish by species and size. These da,h~ are available fro111 theprocessor, but are not currently collected by the fisheries department. They form the basis for a size based stock assessment. • One of the processors during the MSC assessment was requested to collect length and weight data over the full size ra,nge of the two species being landed. These data were collected and form the basis for interpreting the weight composition data provided by the same processor. 111 The processor size composition for export was used to estimate the current fishing mortality ahd appropriate reference points with the purpose of assessing the. status of the stock. rhis approcich to stock assessment can be carried out very r~pidly and indicate in general terms the state of the stock and whether current levels of exploitation can be consider sustainable or not. 4.1 Assessment The MSC assessment J:onsisted of a length converted catch curve fitted to the processor size graded exports and growth model estimated by Ch.auvet (1972). This estimates the current fishing mortality based on size which can be . compared oirectly to the spawner-per-recruit (SPR)reference points. The assessment uses the weight composition of the landings. These are converted to numbers at age using the growth model arid mec;m weight within each size category. It is then ass1.,1me.d that the relative numbers in each size category ls proportional to the relative numbers in the fished population(Figure 13).Taking the log of the numbers ahd plotting against the mean age· shouid produce an approximat13ly linear decline as long as the proportion pying in each year has remained constant. The slope · of · this relationship estimates the to'talmortality (fishlng pius naturBI mortallty). Natt.1r<:ll mortality can be estimated approximately usitig Pauly (1980), which also depends on the growth model.The fundamental assumption is that the catches are proportional to the stock size of that length-converted age group. 21 ~ -----~ - - - --- --~- - Designation of Special Manag~inent Areas Notice, 2013 Stock Status . L~ngUi-CQnvertod C~lch cu1vo 16.0 .. - -~---~ 14.0 8 12.0 C {j 10.0 g · 80 .a . <( &, (1.Q j 4.0 ·2.0 y =-1.217H 16.868. R 2 =0.9964 0.0 +--'--~-~----~~~----'--,,--~---' 0 1200 1000 J: . .s eoo ... (.) V 600 " i: " (11 400 ~ 200 0 0 2 3 4. 5 Rela!ive Age (Years) . . . . ··.· - . -- . ·. LGi;gih-based C.iihort Anafj$is }'=t19956x +3,3271 R2~ 0;97,i 200 .400 600 Expected C~1~f1 · 6 7 8 BOO . 100) 1200 Figure 12.Length converted catch curve and length based cohort analysis: Length weight d9ta were colle9ted over a short time period · for the purposes of the MSC assessment. The main species is red sole, Which appears to hav~ ~ hJgherasymptotic; iength than black sole. Blac;k sol~ t$ncl to have a hfgher weight with a different shape. One of the original refer~nces on growth was unavailable for this gssesshient, although the instantaneous annual growth rate Vyas reported from an indirect source as 0.34, The maximum lehgth repartee;! in Fishbase for ·red sole w·as 66 cm, The maximum length is almost always higher than the asymptotic length (L) required for the growth model, so cl precautionary value of 60cm was chosen for this parc1meter. Unfortunately the estimate of the growth rate usually depends on the estimate of the asymptotic length, so it was unfortunate thc1t the original article could not be found.The only growth parameters 22 Designation of Special Ma11agement Areas Notice, 2013 available were for red sole, yet the reportedcatches do not discriminate between the two species. It was not po~sible to determine what effect assuming all catches were ,red sole would have. It is possible that the heavier size group is overestimated, bl.it these would still be correctly interpreted as older animals close to their asymptotic size. 4.2R.eferelice Points Reference points were estimated using the standard Thompson and Bell approach. The size at maturity is 30cm, so a very steep logistic was used (steepness -0.5, 50% maturity 30) to define spawning stock. Knife-edged selectivity w<;1.s assumed at the minimum size of 27cm. Selectivity is likely to be more complex since gill nets are likely to be taklng fish around a particular size. Dome-shaped selectivity should, in general, indicate the stock is in a better state, so assuming knife-edge selectivity is precautionary. The reference points relate to fishing mortaHty only. As the stock is assumed to be atequilibrium, it is not pm~sible to discriminate between biomass and fishing mortality and in this context the two are treated broadly the sc:1me. The estimate of the curr~n t fishing mortality can be compared directly with the spawner-per-recruit (SPR) 40r 30 and 20% points, Where SPR40% can be seen as a reasonable target, SPR30% <;1. trigger point for specific management action and SPR20% the limit reference point (Table 4). Because thenaturai mortality is high, the SPR reference points are also high, It should be noted also that the parameters are strongly · inter-related; with the natural mortality estimated directly from the growth parameters. These results suggest that the red sole stock is not overexploited, That is, the quantity of larger soil? being reported in the catches is commensurate with a stocl, which is not overfished. Cleariy there is considerable uncertainty With this rapid assessment, but these issues need to be addressed through further d ata collection and research. The main sources of uncertainty are • Species mix in the catches • , Asymptotic length and growth model • The cohort analysis results are unstable. Alternative likelihoods can lead tounrealistically high mortality estimates. Length based cohort analysis could form the basis of a dynamic size based model. However, the accuracy . of the 23 Designation of ~pycial. Manageinent Areas Notice, 2013 growth model will become critical in reducing uncertainty ofjhe assessment. • Gear selectivity; The . gear selectivity for the commercial gear is unknown, Table 4.Spawner-per-recruit ($PR) reference point Emd current fishing mortality including a sensitivity analysis of the current growth parEimetf]rs (K,L00). Estimates of the current fishing mortality .from th(,) two methods are shown and are broadly compa,rable. The far left estimc;1tes . r(3present the growth parameters . closest to the esfimf:lted va/µes. fhe results are sensitive to the choice of asymptotf 9 length in particular. A,t no point in the anEJ/ysis does the current fishing mortality /eve/ exceed the limit referenc.e points. LLCA :::: Length converted catch curve fishing mortality; LCA· Length based cohort analysis fishing mortality. P;:irameter l::sfimaJ~s K {per· yei:ir} .. 0,34 0;,10 0.34 0.34 L'1" (cm) .. 6'd.QO ... . . $0iO O .. 66.00 72.0C LCCc· 0:49····· ·· o,b3 ' 1,12 1.71 l,CA .. 0,89 Q:14 . 1.23 1,61 SPR.40% i0.83 0.37. 0.79 0.80 SPR30% .. 1'23 .··: .Q.56 .. 1.17 1, 18 SPR20% t9.9 ,b,94 1.85 1.87 Chapter 5:Fishery Management in The Gambia . . . 5.1 Legaf Basis for Co-Management The fisheries legisli:ltf on of The Gambia (Fisheries Act 2007) . provides the legal oasis for co-management of artisanal fisherie$. Section 14 of the Ac:t gives power to the Minister of Fisheries to declare "Special Management Areas'' for the purpose of comrnunity:.based fisheries cons.ervation and management. Section 15 cif the Act al$o gives power to the Minister to establish Community Fisheries Ceriters (CFCs) for the purpose of cornmunity,-based fisheries conservation and management of Special Management Area$ or parts of it. In the 1980's, Government began the esfablishri1ent of CFCs to better manage artisanal fisheries, th.en best described as indivi.dual family units and operations, The CFCs made it possible to concentrate ori shore activities within an area provided with basic fisheries infrastructure including: stores for processed products (dried and $rnoked); individual lockers 24 Designation of Special Management Areas Notice~ 2013 for fishermen to keep outboard motors, fishing nets arid other gears; mechanical workshop; boat building yard; fish smoking houses; fish drying platforms; fish handl!ng area; and office building. The most recent CFCs have additional facilities such as ice-making plants and chill rooms. Initially, the CFC Were m,maged by a partnership between Governrnent (Fisheries Department) and representatives of the differeot artisanal economic operators (fishermen, fish dryers, fish smokers, fis.h traders, boat builders, fisheries mechanics, and a representative of the. village development committee and the Head of the village as Chairman). HowElver, there was a deliberate policy of Government to gradually devolve management authority to the fisher folk and communities with Government providing advice, guidance and s1.1pport. Up to the time of enactment of the Fisheries Act 2007, the mandate of the management committees of the CF'O · was limited to the managernent of fisheries · infrastructural facilities. The Minister of Fisheries may declare Specic1l Management Areas and may also give authority to the CFCs to manage the fisheries resources within the Special Management Area for the· purpose of tornmunity-based fisheries management The Minister of Fisheries may give such powers to the fishing communities and publish if in the GovE!rnment Gazette to come into force. 5.2 Description of the Special Management Area For purposes of this management plan 1 a special management area for the sustainable management of the sole fishery is hereby designated as the entire area of the Atlantic coast of The Gambia , and the coastlines of the estuarine areas of The Gambi~ River, out to 9 nm.The National Sole Fishery Co-management Committee (NASCOM) and its associated landing site committees (LACOMS)through the· Community Fisheries Center's Management Committees are hereby delegated the exclusive rights to the artisanal sole fishery and the responsibility for its sustainc;1ble management within this special management area; 25 ~~~~-~~---------~--------------~- ~ Designation of Special Management Areas Notice, 2013 5.3Establishment of the Sole Co-1\/lanagement Committee The National Sole Fishery Co~management Committee (NASCOM) was recently formed in September 2010 and developed the following vision: The NASCOM envisages the responsible and safe exploitation of soh~ fish for conservation, management, protection and development of the ffsheries resources for now and the future generation.The NASCOM envisages the conservation and sustainable management of the sole fishery to enh,:mce food production; poverty red;uction, and improve livelihoods of fishing communities. Their mission is The National Sole Fishery Co-management Committee is conscious of the urgent need for the development of the fisheries se¢tor as enshrined by Vision 2020. VVe i ntend to • Close the gaps required by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) rel~ lting to the deficiencies for eligibility of ecolabe!ing of The Gambia's sole fish in the international. market. • Ensure that The Gambian sole rea ches international quality standards (quaHty control, co-rnc1nagement, data collection and monitoring) • Also curb illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU fishing),· and to intervene collectively in order to make a positive difference In the rehabilitation and transformation of resource users into responsible fisheries practitioners. • Encournge the use of ecosystem approaches to fisheries management which includes ecological, social and econornic factors. The NationaJ Sole Fishery Co- management Committee shall operate on the application of co-management strategy.The National Comrnittee shall apply numerous types of mechanisms for implementation. NASCOM committee membership shall be open to all fishers, fish traders, fish processors and to any institution whose work relevance relates to sole fisheries management and the environment. 26 Designation of Special Management Areas Notice, 2013 Each landing site shall pay an agreed upon amount (D 200.00 a year) as a membership fee for affiliation with t.he National Sole Fishery Co- mf:lnagement Committee. The Landing Site Co-management committees (7) (LACOMS) are the community based stakeholder fn~mework made up of representatives of the community fisheries centers and othe.rs. Their objectives are to r,:1.ssist the NASCOM and Government in developing the co-management plans. Chapter 6:Management Responsibilities 6.1 Roles and Responsibilities The NASCOM and its associated LACOMs through the Community Fisheries Center Management Committees are hereby granted exclusive use rights to the sole fishery within the special management area. The responsibillW of management in the co-management sector is shared.. The primary partnership is betweeri the Department of Fisheries and the NASCOM. However, in some cases; one organization may have th$ majority of the responsibility to implement aqtivities. The responsibilities that define the role of each · partner for th!s management plan are described below. This may evolve as partners and/or capacities change. This will be reviewed on an annual basis and adjusted as needed. The NASCQM consists of representatives from the fishing communities, fish mongers and processors, LAQOMS, the Gambian Artis.:mal Marine Fisheries DE:ivelopment Association (GAMFIDA), the National Association of Artisanal Fishing Operators (NAAFO), municipalities, the Department · of Fisheries a.nd the industrial sector. Advisors fo the NASCOM includethf;:l Fisheries Advisory Committee and the 8aNafaa Project. ' The NASCOM will take the lead to 1. Establish a sole national co-management committee(NASCOM). The committee Will have · authority to jointly (with Government) • Set management objectives • Establish fishing rightsbased approaches to management • Assist and be involved in enforcement • Update management plan 27 Designation of Special Managei:nent Area$ Notice, 2013 • Assist in commL;Inication with all stakeholders • Assist in researQh 2. In cooperation with the Department of Fisheries • · Estal:llish harvest rules appropriate to manage rrieht objectives · • Participate in internc1 tional fishing agreements 3. Work with the LACOM$ and th.e Department of Fisheries to jointly-· • Establi$h harve$t rulet for each landing site • Assist in compiling landing information. • Conduct locaJ periodic assessments based on sustainability crfteria to be determined (not full stoc:;k ;::issesiment); , • Assist with · . marketing and processing issues/improvements, .. The Department of Fisheries will Be to tEtke the lead to • Conduct data colle,ction · fo meet criteria of managenient plan obj~ctives • Conduct sto9k as~es~m~nt on annual basis . appropriate to level' of data avftilable • Help to develop the overc1l l-rrnmagement plan • Approve the final tnE\ri~g efyient plan • conduct annual audit of plan ·101plementation to assess whether . rnani:j.gElfnetlt objectives are being met' ·· ·•· . ·· · . ·· . • Assist NASCOM to revis.e l}ianagernent plan if reference points and $Ustainab1lity criteria not being met. · .. · . • Review. all rule changes annually and advises NASCOM on techn icc1.l soundness to prevent overfishing . • Determine licenses. arid fees for the artisanal fishery • Establish intetn;3.tionc:1l · agreementsc1.nd recommend to the Minister the composition of the Gambian team to · the negotiations of agreements • As:;;ist private sector in developing value added products and expanding markets · • Promote research and monitoring that aids in· 28 Designation . of Special Management Areas Notice, 2013 management • Comm\,f nicatlon of Government officials on committe.e and managernE?nt plan, ruiemaking and enforcement • Assist ~ASCOM as requested. The Industrial Secto·r will work jointly with NASCOM and the Department of Fisheries to- · • Provide data to c;;o-management committee and Department of Fisheries on the processing of sole fish in 1he Gambia including weight1 number, end user destinat.ion for catch statistics • Assist in research such as age/growth, weight/length, maturity and at.her as needed • Encourage the use of best hygienic practices (ice, etc.) on the boat and beach landing sites NAAFOand GAMFIDA will work jointly with NASCOM and the Department of Fisheries to • Assist in capacity building of co-management committee and partners • Assist in research activities needed for management • Assist ln obtaining the MSC certification, other forms of processing and marketing · • Assist in distribution of materials, communication and education These responsibilities will. be reviewed on an annual basis and modified as necessary by th.e joint group (See evaluation and monitoring section 8.5). If the committee dissolves, the full management responsibility of the sole. resource will default to the Department of Fisheries. Chapter 7: Management Objectives The overall objectives of The c3ambian Government policy for the Fisheries Sector are 1. to generate employment opportunities for Gambian nationals; 2. to effect a rational and long term utilization of the fisheries resources 3. to improve the nutritional status of the population 4. to generate revenue and foreign exchange earnings 29 ii I ., 'I ! Designation of Special Management Areas Notice, 2013 · for the c:;ountry 7 .1 Management Objectives for the Sole Fishery The co .. management committee has ·chosen the following specific objectives for the sole fishery • Economic , Increase yi~ld of <:::atc;:h (size of fish and number of fish) Increase profit ~o fishermen ~nd processers Improve quality of fish landed Increase mark.et demc1ild (MSC) • Biologrcal • Social Decrease cc1tch of unden~i:i.e fish (bycatch and discards) Decrectse catch of a bycatch species that is overfished . . . Allow more fish to spawn and grow Increase saf(:)ty at ~~a Reduce conflict between fishermen Increase co~pli$nce Capacity bli1[dihg, · education and training for fishermen . . · · Behavioral changes to act responsibly • Ecological To conserve the· integrity and resilience of the aquatic ecosystem for continued productivity . and sustained fivelihoods for peopl8dependent onthe ecosystem. Chapter 8: Management Measures 8.1 Current Management Measures The following harvesting rules have been established and used .in the sole fishery 1. Minimum fish size: 25 cm total length. 2. Minimum mesh size (stretched): 80 mm. 3. Prohibition on use of drift nets in thE;! Gambia River. 30 Designation of Special Management Areas Notice, 2013 8.2 New Management Measures In the precautionary approach, it is possible to use forward looking tools to protect the fishery from future threats such as increased arti~anal fishing effort, changes in environmental conditions, or changing industrial effort. 1. No-take zone during spawning times: One nautical mile from the coastline for all fishing from M~y1 throµgh October 3t. This will be for all fish species and gear types. Figure 13.Map showing 1 nautical mile spawning closure area (Y(!liow line). 8.3Consideration of Future Management Measures There is some concern about the situation in the mouth of The Gambia River and how to use a spawning closure without causing undue harm to the fishing communities. Since species and gear are different than the coastal fisheries and species abundance and distribution are highly dependent on the salinity regime, this needs to be further investigated for revisions in the future.In Kartong, this closure would alsb require an agreement with Senegal since waters are shared between the two countries and with the industrial 31 ----- ·------- --~ ----~-- ------·----~~· ---· --------- Designation of SpeciaJ Management Areas Notice, 2013 fleet. A fishery closure in the Casamance area from Kafounting to the Gambia border is currently ih effect in Senegal. Other future actions • There is concern that gear restrictiqns are not sufficient due to lack of selectivity of the gillnet.Changing gillnet mesh or configuration could make the gear more selective taking into consideration the bycatch of catfish, There are several options to consider to move ahead a. Design a gillnet that returns to selective fishing characteristics or use aiternative gear b. Design mesh size to match VtJlnerable species also cau9ht in tho npt · • Design training and capacity building programs for fisl"}ermen 8.4Procedures for Adjusting Management Measures Any subsequent changes to the management measures in this management plan will be detailed in a signed Memorandum of Understanding betweenNASCOM and Departri7$1it of Fisheries and the Ministry of Fisheries, Water Resource~. -and National Assembly Matters.This MOU will also detail any changes to the rolesand responsibilities outlined in the management plan. The fishery management measures should be evalllated on an annual basis and reviewed as ovtlined ih section 8.5 below. 8.5 Monifodng and Evaluation ThGre will be an annual meeting between the Depa rtment of Fisheries and NASCOM and other interested stakeholders to review progress on me~ting the objectives of this management plan. These reviews should: 1. Respond to any ch9nges in sfock assessment and . stock status, If overfish!rig is occurring~ a. The Department of Fisheries will inform NASCOM of assessment results a11Q,.,suggest appropriate reduction in fishing that needs. to occur, 32 Design ation of Special Man~gement Areas Notice, 2013 b. NASCOM will work with LACOMs and instigate immediate action to reduce fishing effort. This may involve closing the fishery or prohibition of gear types, or restrictions on fishing time, area and possibly quotas. 2. · Evaluate degree of compliance with management meai;ures and rules including spawning areas a. Enforcement repo(i:s should be prepared and presented quarterly to the NASCOM and the Department of Fisheries for review by LACOMs, Fisheries Officers; and the Department of Fire and Rescue Services. If Infractions are occurring, there may be a need to better inform the fishing community of · the management mea~ures in place and/or' education about conservation of the re~ource. This will be discussed at annual meetings of NASCOM. 3. Evaluate enforcement actions ~nd penalties.,. a. Enforcement reports should be prepared and presented quarterlya~ above to ·the NASCOM and the Department of Fisheries for review. If infractions are occurring, there may be a need to adjust fishing penalties. b. Update on status of funds from fines. Amount collected and disbursed. 4. Evaluate committee structur<3 and membership; if changes needed. 5. Degree to which biological, ecological, social and economic management objectives outlined in the plan are being met. Discussion at annual meeting. 6. Reassess , research priorities at annual meeting between Department of Fisheries and NASCOM. 8,6Enforcement and Penalties Enforcement of the artisanal fishery will be the joint authority of the DOFISH and NASCOM from the shore to 9 nautical miles. For enforcement of the closed area 33 ..,...,;:;1g1ratroirot1ipeciarMai1ige111ent Areas Notice, 2013 1. The. Department of Fisheries and NASCOM may . authorize the safety at sea/rescue units (part of the Department of Fire arid Rescue Services) to act on their behalf for the moMoring, corilwl 1:111tl ::;urveillam;e (MCS) of the closed areas, 2. Patrols may be condud~d by these units at each landing site between May and October. Also, LACOMS may appoint ''select fishers" ih their respective communities to conduct MCS of the closed areas. 3. NASCOM and the Department of Fisheries will jointly provide fuel for these activitie~ in an agreed upon rn~nner developed as an MOU. 4. The 1 nm line will be marked using reflective buoys at 500m intervals by NASCOM and the Department of Fisheries and maintained by them. 5. All fines are returned to the community an.d a portion will be returned to NASCOM to Jund enforcement activitf es (fuel) 6. Penalties will be as follows: (The Fisheries Act states that D 10,000 (Ten thousand Dalasi) ls limit. for fines). ,... Possession of fish captured in closed area. First offerice:sfrict .warning, D5,000 for second offense and ··oa, Odo fqr third .offense and may include a 6 month suspension from the fishery. Other violations'. • Possession of undersized fish:D10100Q depending on percentage of unden,ized fish catch,fish confiscated · • Mesh size violation: gear and fish confi:3cated • Drift net violation: gear and fish confiscated Chapter 9:Challenges Ahead in the Fishery . 9.1 Data Collection fine, in the There are many thallenges in the management of the sole fishery, espec;ially under the data poor scenario. The current catch monitoring is not sufficient for the collection .of catch and effort data and a recent evaluation has identified several 34 Designation of Special Management Areas Notice, 2013 ways to improve this .. Capacity building workshops are being carried out with· the Department of Fisheries and a new data bas~ prepared to improve access for stock assessment. An estin,.3te of the degree of crqss bordE)r trade of sole study will assist ih the stock assessment estimates, · 9.2Changlng Effort The fishery js principally an artisanal based fishery. This is partially due to the lack of dock infrastructure in The Gambia. However, once the new dock facility is constructed, it is likely that industrial boats will begh to land their catch here if incentives are high enough. · This will increase the supply of fish directly to the processqrs; how.ever, this may also suppl.:mt the small scale flsh$rmen who tend· to be more inconsistent with the sµpply and quality of fish, .especially during the rellgioqs. holidays, Fish product traceability Will be an· importc;mt c9rnponent of the MSC label. Then~ will' be a · need for strong enforcement of the MSC artis~mal caught fish and traceability on the part of the proceisJng plants that wiH ensure that at · se~ trantf(;}r does ·not occur, and product is kept separate at the processing site. · s·,3 Export and MSC Ecol.abel There ar'e many hindrances to exporting. The demand for sole is moderate and likely to grow as Um productcompetes well against the Europe:an Dover sole in ElJ markets. However, standards hece$sary to import to Europe are ·becoming increasingly restrictive with HACCP, traceability and ecolabeling. The MSC label will be helpful to being a.ble to compete in the European market but must be maintained. 9.4 Beach Cleanliness a11d Hygiene Gillnet disposal and beach cleanliness and sanitation are important considerations (Figure 15). Problems with seafood safety caused a short embargo on The Gambian product dwe to sanitary conditions on the bOc.\t and the lancling sites. Training and education, as well· as. access to ice, and disposal areas will improve this situation greatly.Sanitation .at the landing sites has· been identified as c1n issue for safety and quality of seafood. Recent funding through a USAID Clean Water and Sanitation Services Program will help to remedy this issue. This wHI includeestablishing latrines and 35 I Designation of. Speqial Management Areas Notice, 2013 other · sanitary infrastructure, water quality testing, and training and edt.i.cation in sanitation and hygiene. Potential for recycling· old gill nets should be pursued, either for melt down or alternc.:1tive uses (garden fencing, .etc). Some CFCs have established Environmental · Gomrnitteesto ensure environmental sanitation. The committees need to be strengthened. Figure 14;Gi!lner debris on beach 9.5Climate Change and Environmental Fluctuations Fisheries . resources fluctuate as a result of variable environmental conditions. The effects of climate change and possible consequences on fisheries resources and the people who depend upon them are at the forefront of adaptive fisheries rnanagement. Climate change can affect productivity Qr• the distriJjwtion of resources through many pathways: ch9nging water temperature$ and precipitation leading to changing currents and ·upwelling; changing river characteristics and wetlands; extreme events such as flooding and storms, sea level rise and complex relationships between this ·and other sectors (i.e. water demand from drought conditions). Care must be takeri to build adaptively and resilience for the fishing communities through the fi?heries management plans and research. 36 Designatiori o-f Special Ma11,ageme11t An~::is Notice, 2013 Chapter 10: Research Priorities Research needs have been developed through discussions with NASCOM and the Department · of Fisheries. Considerable guidance has been received from the MSC report. These will be updated oii an annual basis.Some of these research items have been initiated and results jricluded in the appendices that follow this report. 10.1 Biology.and Life History 1. Clarification of species'- there are many types of sole species that may have different life history parameters. A species guide would be useful for landings data accuracy. 2. Clarification of management units- Given migration patterns elaborated by the fishermen, ft is probable that several stocks of sole exist that are shared · between countries. 3. Migration patterns- verify migration of sole, botli to the north and south 4. Length-weight relationship over a year petiod for each species by sex assessin~ condition index .. · 5. Agellength relationship. This has befm partially completed for blac;;k sole. 6. ldentlfication of spawning areas and times of spawning by species 7. Size .at maturity 10.2 Potential Impact of Climate Change 1. Climatic changes (water salinity qhd temperature) 2. Impact on migration and spawning 3. Impacts on predators and prey 4. Impact on fisheries · 10.3 Fisheries 1. Improved data collection on landing a. Require processors to submit graded quantities 37 De?ignation of Special Management Areas Notice~ 2013 (species and sizes) on computer forms b, Species, length, weight,· sex and maturity should be recordec;I for a representative sample of the landings. Reduced on-going biologic:al sampling at the proGessing plant shouid provide the basis for monitoring the stocks in addition to improved beach sampling. c. Separate growt!i models need to be c;Jeveloped for re.d and blacl< sole. This would require ool lectingotol iths. d. A biomass survey should not be central to the management of this stock. A biomass survey would provide esfimates of absolute biomass covering a wide range of species. However, biorrtass surveys suffer from a humber of problems associated with· Selectivity, coverage and small sarriple size. They also indicate the population sizes at a particular point in time of a fluctuc)ting population. It is rriore reliable fo use surveys as indicators of reli:ttive abundance overa tim e series. Clearly, biomass f3urVeys are expensive, cc:tnnot pe lopally funded and therefore it is important that the local harvest strategy does rtot rely on this as a critical indicator. e. ,A tagging program would be wseful for sole, If well designed, it cowld provide good estimates of abundance, fishing mortality and growth. A tagging program is possible with cooperation from the fishers, but also- may be expensive, 2. A key to identification would be a helpful tool to have for landings officials and observers and has been develope<:I. 3. Since many of the fish are· exported or landed in Senegal, a joint data program would provide· a more complete picture of landings, especially if the stock is shared. 4. There is no effort category for "sole fishingll. Therefore each fisherman can be considered a unit of effort in the fishery that can be adjusted using the landings by 38 Designfl.tion of Special Management Areas Notice, 2013 site data. However, it would be very useful to have effort data for sole. 5. fishermen also state that many foreign trawlers use explosives and dredges in ~heir fishing operations. This is undocumented and needs to be investigated. 6. Selectivity of different mesh sizes and twine type. Since th.e net is functioning as an entanglement net, it is unlikely that mesh size will play a role in selectivity of these nets. It may be more important to evaluate hanging ratio or tie-down prohibition as harvest rules. 7. Bycatch species may be gilled so selectivity of the gear may be more important for bycatch size control. 8. More information regarding the fate of discarded nets in water and on the beach 10.4 Bycat<;h 1. Status of other stocks unknown, with highest priority on catfish. 2. Review current information on ETP species 10.5 Other 1. Mislabeling of Gambian caLJght sole fish as from Senegal 2. Traceability Appendices 1. Identification of the sole resol;lrces of The Gambia 2. Length-weight relationship and condition factors 3. Aging determination of the black sole Using otoliths 4. The use of local knowledge 5, Characterization of the sole fis~ery - gill nets 6. Sole bycatchprogress report 7. Sol~ fishery value chain assessment These can be accessed on line at: http://www. ere. u ri. ed u/index. php? actld::423 39 ;. 1i i I, I I I I [· Pesignation of Special Ma11age1rtent Areas. Notio.e, 2013 SCHEDULE II Co-Management Agreement WHEREAS, the Taribi Wetlands National Park (TWNP) has been declared a RAMSAR site in 2007 and designated as a National Pc1rk - due to its significant biodiversity assets of regiohal and. national importance, · · WHEREAS, the Tanbi Wetlands National Park provides significant food security and income for hundreds of women cockle and oyster harvesters, WHEREAS Section 14 of the Fisheries Act, and associated regulations of 2008, provide the authority for the· Minister of Fisheries and Water Resources to designate special management areas for the purpose of corilmunity.:based co mq.n~gElt1;1$nt in th~ intere!:it. qf. conserv~tiQn, managemr;;nt and s~sta1nable utillzatiQn off1Sheries resources, . WHEREAS, the design:ation of the Tailbi Wetlc:mds. NE}tional Park as a speciai mana:getnent ar~a · is fully consistent with The Biodiversity and Wildlife Aot, Forestry Act and National Environment Act, as well as the Tc bi Wetlands National Park Management Plan, · WHEREAS Section 11 of the fisheries Act, and associated regulations of 2008 provide the authority for the Minister of Fisheries and Water Resources to allocate property rights over fisheries resources, WHEREAS, The TRY Association of Cockle and Oyster Harvesters ls an offidal and ·legally registered Associatioh, . . THEREFOR~,IHER~BY Declare the area congruent with the Tanbi Wetlands National Park as a Special Management Area solely for the purp-oses of fisheries management; · Designate The TRY Association as having exclusive use rights to the cockle and oyster fishery in this area; 40 ~ Designation of Special. Management Areas Notice1 2013 Delegate authority for the responsible and sustained management and com;erv<;ltion of the cockle and oyster resources in this area to The TRY Association. Signed this ...... day of ........ , .................... 201 ••• '""". ,i. " •• !'" ......... "!".". ":- .. " .... i, •• •.• • " •• '!'" " ........ i, ..... . MASSAXIGAI Minister of Fisheries and Water Resources 1. Introduction . This is the first co~management plan for the Cockle and Oyster Fishery of The Gambia. The plan is specially prepared for the oyster and cockle harvesting areas within the Tanbi Wetlands: National Park as a Special Management Area for the purposes of harvesting cockle and oyster resources. The legal basis to designate a Spedaf Management Area is provided for in the Fisheries. Act 2007. Section 15 gives power to the Minister of Fisheries and Water Resources to declare Special Management Areas for purpo$es of community-based management and Section 11 allow$ for the allocation of property rights and catch sh~re allocations. The cockle and oyster harvesters that operate within the Tanbi Wetlands National Park have alr~ady been organized into a community ba.sed organization called TRY Associatjon. Through approval of this co management plan, the TRY Association is allocated the exclusive rights to harvest cockles and oysters from this area and is responsible for the co-management of the cockle and oyster fishery in partnership with other stakeholders including governmental and non-govenimental organizations and local authorities. · The purpose of this co~managernent plan is to ensure the sustainable management and development of the c.ock.le and oyster fishery ahd enhanced benefits to those involved in ·the market value chain. An additional aim for this co management plan for the nine cockle and oyster harvesting communities within the Tanbi Wetlands National Park is to serve as a pilot and if successful, this co-management model can be scaled-up to other cockle and oyster harvesting areas in the country. 41 Designation of Special Management Areas Notice, 2013 The co-management plan was developed through a process that · . included community meetings, participatory rapid appraisals (PRAs) iri cockle and oyster harvesting communities, workshops on co~management, institutional strengthening and capacity- building activities, study tour experiences and regional exchanges, collaborative research, and the. participation of Government Institutions, Local Government Agencies and Municipalities throughout the process, Th\3 co,.management plan is divided into six (6) major Sections as follows: SectiotJ 1 is the Introduction that briefly outfines the legal basis ror co-man;:1.gement of the fishery, the purpose and goal of the co~management plan, and the process of developing the pl,m and. the stakeholders involved. Section 2 gives Background- Information on the Tanbi Wetlands National Park and TRY Association. Section 3 provides a description of the fishery fl,nd a map of the Tanbi National Part, showing the nine communities where cockles and oysters are harvested,. and the area of focus of the co m,u1agement plan. This $ec,tion aiso provide$ a description of. the biology of the cockle and oyster species harvested; the harvesting• methods, pbst.,harves1 processing and marketing m ethods; and an ahnual a¢tivity calendar of the fishery. It also provides an overvjew of the status and issues in the fishery including water quality and hygiene. Sectrcm 4 outlines the m,:magement objectives of the fishery divided . into biological,· ecological, economic and social objectives. Section 5 addresses the manageme11t measures to achieve the objeqtives of the plan. These measures include community exclusive zones, size limits of harvested speeles, permanent and closed seasons in open access zones, penalties and fines for violation of rule~\ aquacult!.He . development, strengthening of TRY Association as well as research and monitoring needs, Section 6 in.eludes the institutional arrangements · and legal framework for co management. The co-management plan is designed. to be adaptive and is expected to change over tirrie, taking into account changes·in harvesting methods and . technologies, environmental changes and fluctuations including those that may be cc:1used from climate change, ·and allows for the efficient and timely introduction of new management measures and strategies warranted by changing circumstances and sl.tuations in the fishery. The development of the co-management plan has been supported by the USAID funded Gambia-Senegal 42 ~-· Designation of Special -Ma11agerhe11t Ai·eas Notice, 2013 Sustainabl.e Fisheries Project (Ba Naf?JEI). The 8f;l Nc!faa project is implemented by the Coastal Resources C~nter of tho l)nivcrsity of Rhode lsl~nd and the World Wide Fund for Nature - We~t Afrita Marin~ Ecoregion (WWF-WAMER) in partnership with t.he. Department of Fisheries and the Ministry of Fisheries, Water Resources and National Assembly Matters. · 2. Background 2.1 Description of the Tan bi Wetlands National Park The central coordinates of the Tanbi Wetlands National Park (TWNP) are 13°26' North ancl 16°38' West TWNP has an c1rea of 6,304 hectares. TWNP is a mangrove swamp that fronts the Atlantic Ocean. to the north and the Gambia River to the east. It is locatec:I at the rnouth of the River Gambia, occupying the southern portion of the estuary (see Figure 1 below). It has developed through the combination of deposition of fluvial and marine sediments; It is an estuarine and intertidal forested wetland primarily of low mangrove forest, with a complex of vegetation types on its northern boundary and along the mangroves frlngi~g the mainland. The TVVNP functions include coastal stabilization, fish breeding and oyster and cockle production,· recreation and carbon sequestration. . . Figure 15.Satellite image of The Tanbj wetland area The area is characterized by a networt of channels that dissect the mangrove forest and the coastal strip on the northern fringe. The entire complex is essentially estuarine in 43 · Designation of Special Management Areas Notice, 2013 nature, though it is subjected to full salinities on the northern fringe during flood tides, and there are numerous freshwater flushes around the periphery during the rainy season. Hyper sallne conditions can develop in s9me of the coastal lagoons and in the upper reaches of the Bo!ongs (tributaries or channels in the mangrove system). The fringe of the wetlands is seasonally flooded through rainfall and runoff which affects the salinity regime within the mangrove and lagoon complex. Freshwater is found at approximately 2m depth in this fringe and during the dry season. A chain of lagoons runs between Cape Creek and Oyster Creek Bridge and a single lagoon occurs on the east of Toll point lagoons, which are subject to limited Udal inundation throl!gh narrow channels. This ls a. dynamic and ever changing stretch of coast~line with extensive erosion and deposition occurring. This being so, there is a risk that the lagoons may be breached in several new places in the near future. Mangrove forest dominates the TWNP south of the 8anjul Highw~y and covers approximately 4,800ha. The numerous Bofongs, which dissect· the m(;lngroves, form a mosaic of islands up to 800 hc;t .. in size. The mangrove community along the channels reflects slight variation in soil levels, with sections of the fringe forest interspersed with over wash forest. The extent to which these communities extend from the Bo longs js variable and often difficult to determine due to the thicket of branches and prop roots of these low fore$ts. The mean height of the Rhizophoraspp. forestfrom soil level is 6-7m. At the head of many E3qlongs however, individual trees of up to 1 Om OCClJf, Which may. be a result of localized . freshwater flushes reducing the 9smotic pressure of partic ulf\r trees. There are extensive areas of tannes (seasonal saline flats} · on the periphery of the TWNP that are subjected to seasonal flooding · ahd subsequent drying following the rains. · The associated vegetation varies with the degree of salinity. lt ranges frnm Hie bare tannes to halophytic dominated vegetation including seasonal purslane, beach ·morning-glory and Phifoxerusvermicularis, merging into grassland dominated by · Sporobblusspicatus, Phragmitesaustralis and Paspalumvaginatum. As the dry season progresses the vegetation of the seasonal saline flats dies back (DPWM 1999). 44 Designation of Special Manager11.ent Areas Notice, 2013 nature, though it is subjected to full salinitfes on the northern fringe during flood tides, and there are numerous freshwater flushes aroL1nd the periphery during the rainy so.:ison. Hyper saline conditions can develop in some of the coastal lagoons and in the upper reaches of the Bolongs (tributaries or channels in the mangrove system). The fringe of the wetlands is seasonally flooded ltirougtt rninlc:1li ;;mu runoff wltich affects the salinity regime within the mangrove and lagoon cornplex. Freshwater is found at approximately 2m depth in this fringe and during the dry season. A chain of lagoons runs between Cape Cteek and Oyster Creek Bridge and a single lagoon occurs on the east of Toll point lagoons, which are subject to limited tidal inundation through narrow channels. This is a dynamic and ever changing stretch of coast~li17e with extensive erosion and deposition occurring. This belng so, there is a risk that the lagoons may be preached in several new places in the near future. Mangrove forest dominates the TWNP south of the Banjlll · Highway ahd covers approximately 4,800ha. The numerous . 80/ong s, which dissect the mangroves, form a mosaic of islands up to 800 ha. 1n size. The mangrove communfty along the channels reflects slight variation in soil levels, with sections of the fringe· forest interspersed With over wash forest. The extent to which these communities .extend from the Bolongs is variable ahd often difficult to determine due to the thicket of branches and prop roots of these low forests. The mE)an height of the Rhizophoraspp, forest from $oil l(;wel is 6-7m. At the head of many Bolongs however, individual trees of up to 1 Om ocour, which may be a result of localized. freshwater flushes reducing the·osmotic pressure of particular trees. · There are extensive areas of tannes (seasonal saline flats) on the periphery of the TWNP that 9re subjected to seasonal flooding and subsequent dryi'ng following the rains. The associated vegetation varies with the degree bf salinity. It ranges from the bare tannes to halophytrc dominated veg(;}tation including seasonal purslane, beach mornlng-glory and Philoxerusvermicularis, merging . into grassland dominated by Sporobolusspicatqs, Phragmitesaustralis and Paspr3/Umvaginafum. As the dry season progresses the VE:Jgetation of the seasonal saline flats dies back (DPWM 1999)-. . 45 Designation of Special Management .Areas. Notice 1 20 l 3 Humans settled around this area for five centuries. The area is bordered by twelve villages. The Greater Banjul human settlement sµrrounds TWNP to the· .south and east. Mandinary, Lamin and Abuko towns are bordering TWNP to the south; to the west, Fajikunda, Talinding, Ebotown and Jeshwang towns limit TWNP. Banjul is at the north-eastern border while Bakau town is to the north-west of 1WNP. The area includes some part of the Banjul City area., some parts of Kanifing Municipality and some areas of the Brikama Area Council. The population has skyrocketed since the mid-196Os. The high national growth rate (4.2%) and migration from µpland and neighboring countries are the major reasohs of this high increment of the population. The total population of the twelve villages and/or cifa~s surrounding TWNP is 177;285 (2003 census). In 1993; the total population of the twelve settlements was 128,994. That is an annual growth rate of 2.7%. Trends were not the same in all areas; indeed while the population of Banjul arid New Jeshwang is decreasing; it doubles everywhere els.e between 1993 ctnd 2003, The fringe · from Jeshwang to Fajikunda is the nio.$t popµJated area. The high growth of the poplllation changed the landscape pattern. The lowland ecosystem of Boras$USaethiopium and natural waterways a,re the rnost impacted landscape features by the large human s~ttlement around· TWNP. The settlement is claiming land within th;e hydrological basin; wc:1terways are blocked-up increasing sedimentation of the mangrove · ecosystem. The communities living arownd TWNP are diverse; one could notice two types of population: one not dependent on TWNP resourc es and the other directly.or indirectly is relying on the wetland resources. For the later, rice cultivation, vegetable . growing, oyster and cockle collection by women, shrimp fishing and mangrove cutting by the men for fuelwood ant! construction purposes ar'3 the main activities in the buffer zone and with.in the wetlands. Tourism is developed around Lamin arid Denton Bridge where the surrounding communities gain $Orne employment but they receive few other benefits from it. ' Climatic events such as the 1962 drought and the droughts of the 198O's and floods of the 195O's are the major natural events that also put stress on the TWNP and the periphery communities. The Tanbi Wetlands National Park was designated as a 46" Designation of Special Management Areas Notice, 201 3 RAMSAR site on World Wetlands Day in 2007. The Government of The Gambia decided that the 6\304 hectare mangrove system was important due to its high biodiversity and diverse and rc:1re ecosystems with valuable marine resources. It is importcmt to keep the ecpsystem healthy, promote ~ustain1;1ble livelihoods and not Lise destructi.ve means of harvesting the resources. There are nine cock!$ and oyster harvesting communities in Tanbi Wetlands National Park. The collection, processing and marketing of cockles and oysters within the Tanbi Wetlands Nfltional Park constitute economic activities t;y predominantly women pperating in individual family wnits within their respective communities. Prior to 2007, there has been no form Qf organization and no formal rules legitimized via GqVernhient except the annual closure during the rainy season, and there were no formalized committees for managing conflicts or determining rules. A study by Chflm and Touray (2008) highlighted the destruction of mangroves and the harvesting or juv1;1niles as· major concerns to be addressed in the oystE:lr a.nd cockle fishery; The study made several recommendations including: adoption of best practices, awareness creation and sensitizatjon of · harvesters, introduction · of <;lquaculture, broadcasting of cockles from high density areas to low density areas, and alternative livelihood during th e closed season. The first phase of the ICAM (Integrated Coastal · Area Manag~ment) project, which started in April 2005, introduced oyster ·culture (±he hanging method) to the nine· communities within the ranbi Wetlands National Park. In 2005, the ICAM project took cockle and oyster harvesters on a study tour to · Setieg.;=i.l where they came exposed to oyster cultu.re and improved processing technologies for oockles and oysters. The project also made efforHo alloc;ate certain Bo/ongs to the cornmtmitles that traditionally harvest these areas, and also closed certain arec1s. Not all the commun ities were happy or satisfied with the allocations and .there are still on-going conflicts between communfties that the Department of Parks and Wildlife Management has been trying to resolve. In July. 2007, the TRY Associc;J,tion of cockle ahd oyster harvesters in Tanbi Wetlands National Park was established 47 Designation of -Special Management Areas Notice, 2013 as a community-based non-profit organization. The Association brought together the cockle and oyster harvesters within the Tanbi Wetlands Ncltional Park and periphery communities with the aim to raise their standard of living and become self-sufficient through collective actions and · practice of improved arid environmentally friendly harve~ting techniques, market development and access to credit through microfinance activities. The membership of the As~;ociation hi:ls grown from 40 members in one community to 500 members in 15 communities. The Association elected its first Executive Committee in 2010, and a Board of Directors was established to advise and guide the Associc1fion. TRY Association is planning on eventually E::xpandlng .its membership further to other areas of the country, .and the on-going co~hianagement planning process can be replicated to new areas as TRY membership also grows toward~ b,~coming a National Association. The USAID funded Gambia"'.Senegal Su~tainable Fisheries Project (Ba Nafaa) commenced hi October 2009 with an objective to· developing a co'"management framework from· manage.ment of the oyster and cockle fishery in the Tanbi. Wetlar:ids Natiom1l Park. A key strategy WElq to build on th~ work that Wc:1s being done by the TRY Association. In · cooperation with the WutaNafaa project (a· sister project in Senegal), a study tour to Senegal (the Sin~'"Salourn region) was organized for 26 cocl~le and oyster harvesters and Fisheries Department field staff. The tour exposed the participants to ifllproved production c'!Dd proc~s$ing methods for cockles and oysters which can be adapted in their respective communities. Improved oyster products by the TRY Cockle and Oyster Harvesters Association have been c!$veloped thf;l.t allows for some sale of products through the closed harvest season. A vc1lµe chain assessment was also condl!cted to identify ways to improve incomes in the post-· harvest chain. . The Association was provided a grant by the Ba Nafaa project in 201 o to establish microcredit schemes for the women, develop a business plan, and develop a fundraising strategy to raise funds to establish a permanent Headquarter for the Association which can seNe as a meeting and training center. The Association has rented a temporary Centre with the support. of the Ba Nafea project. Thirty-five young girls (daughters of the Women harvesters) are being trained at the TRY Center in .sewing, knitting, socip mt;1king and home economics; giving them the op·portunity to learn how·to earn a living to support themselves and their families · rather than 48 Designation of Spec:ial Management Areas Notice, 20 I 3 joining their mothers in the field adding additional pressure on the resources With possible t,egative impa~ts bn the ecosystem. The membets are now prc;1cticing respons.ible harvesting methods targeting mostly mature oysters and cockles and have agre~q to extend the period of closure by an additional three months to nine months to allow the oysters to grow bigger. From a marketing perspective, some prqgress · has been made as some members of the Association now have the ability and know-how to · pickle oysters for sale during closed seasons to extend income earning for a longer period throµghout the year. The Kanifing Municipal Council has also c;11lpcated a special area or market point for oyster and cockle.s in the central Serekund.a market. The Associ(:ltion is open:lting a successful rnicrofim:mce scheme involving 250 members. The working conditions are improving: all members have been issued With life jacl\ets, ,500 working boots were ordered from Taiwan and issued to members, and members are wearing uniforms during marketing. The Association is also receiving ~upport n.ationally from Government agencies· such as Women's Bureau, Department of Community Development, Department of Parks and Wildlife Management and Fisheries Department, and from private citi4ens, and internationally frorn the Banesto t=oundation of Spain and the Friends of G21111bia and Senegal in the United States of America. Recently the Association received a ,US$ 20,000 grant from the GEF (Global Environment Facility) through the National Environment Agency for mangrove reforestation arid aquaculture. The Association raised more than one hundred thousand Dalasis during a local fundraising event in March 2011. . The Ba . Nafaa Prqject assistance to TRY Association is supporting the establishment of organizational systerns and procedures. The Association will be audited by a local auditor and a con$Ultant will work with the Association to develop a St.;:1ndard · Qpetatihg Procedures Manual. Ba Nqfaa's support will also provide training for programs that benefit members and build their capacity, literacy and numeracy training and microfinance frain1ng. ·· TRY Association will begin grad4ating its strongf;¼st microfin;;mce clients out to an established Gambian rnicrofinance i,nstitution. This will enable the Association to gradually phase out its microfinance activities over time. The Ba Nafaa Project will also support physical and equipment investments that will enable TRY Association to 49 ! I ~ . Desjgnatic;m of Special Managetnent Areas Notice, 2013 increase its revenues and reduce its operating costs over the longer term. This includes fees for ah architect to design the TRY Center permanent building. TRY Association has already received a response to its reque$t to the Government for land allocation; asking for further ihformation and documentation. It will also cover the ·purchase of chairs and the im,tallation of a demonstration stove from Tanz:ahla for smoking Oysters. Under the umbrella of TRY Association, co,.manag ement planning processes have been initiated in the oyster and ock.le harvesting communities within the Tanbi Wetlands National Park. Management committees have been established in each c:ommuriity and 'actively participated in the· planning processes to develop this management plan. TRY Assocfation is abput to be sighatory to a groundbreakihg Cockle and Oyster \co-Management Plan, entitling its members to exclusive use dghts to these natural resources of economic value. 3. Description of the Fishery The shellfish fishery of The Gambia is cha racterized by oyster harvesting. and cockle gathering with landing and processing sites dotted · along the river estuary, along tributaries ("Bolongs';) of the river and lagoons and in wetland. areas. Th? fishery is an important source of livelihood for many people resident in these areas 1 the majority of whom are women. The development of the fishery bE:3cc;1me a stated priority for Government since the 1980's, but little has been done to manage the fitheryor to provide technical s·upport to develop it until recently. Information on the fishery is limited. The total number of people involved in the oyster and cockle fishery countrywide is not known. · Data on oyster and other shellfish production is wnavailable because it has not been part of the countrywide frame survey design and data collection effort of the Fisheries Department. 3.1. Status of the Shellfish f~esoitrces and l~~.mes in the Fish<*ry Participatory Rapid Appraisal9 (PRAs) conducted in the cockle and oyster hqrvesting communities have revealed significant concerns about over harvesting as women have to travel longer and farther, take more time to gather cockles and oysters, and they are collecting juveniles (see Figure 2). 50 Designation of Special Management Areas Notice, 2013 Conflicts between communities are also emerging as communities start to implement informal and unilateral rules for harvesting (e.g. closed season, exclwsive community use zones). Oma.tlon In Hours Spent Collectlng per Day AVerage Number of Collectors per VIiiage .·~. · .. -- .. -~·-,, ~----- -~~-......,..,..-~~~-'---, / .,· ,-· r-~-~-~-"-1 ,/ }) ----~--/. ,j ,,.-,...--~---'--~ .,. 2)/ r---. ~-·-~· . n ~/, .. , ro ) -~~ ,k'.., -. ·-- ~m.1 \.lJO!i ~Ollu Qu$l)tlty collect~d lo Baskats Figure 16.Petceptions of changes in catch & effort as reveled from PRAs The women from the communities surrounding the Tanbi Wetlands National Park (see Figure 3) harvest the West African mangrove oyster (Ctasssostreagasar/tufipa) and the blood ark cockle (Senilfaseni/is) as the two primary species of . economic importance (Figure 4). · 51 ·--~--- --~--~--. Designation of Special Management Areas Nqt~ce, 2013 Figure 17.0yster ~nd cockle '1 9rvesting communities of the Tanbi ,National Park Figure 18,The mangrove oyster Crassostreagasar (left) and the blood cockle (right) 3.2 The biQ!ogy of i:he We$t African rrn,mgrnve oyster f Crassostreagasar/tufiJ:1a) The biology of the oyster is amc;lzing (see Figure 5). When oysters reach sexual maturity, they start as males, but as they get older, they become females. Jhe ma.le oyster cannot be determined from the female by just looking at the 52 Designation of Special Management Areas Notice, 2013 11ve oyster. However, local kn:owledge gatn.ered tram oyster women indicated a black spot on the inside of the lower valve of the female oyster which is not founc:I on the male {Kanyi 2010).,Bisexual gonads.ln the very closely related mangrove oyster Crassostfea.rhizQphorae are formed when the giJimal reach$s · the size of 7mm, 45 days after se ttiement (Nascimento et al. 1980): The Grassostreatulipa mangrove oyster is similar in its development and is so prolific a species that it attains maturity within .approximately 1.20 days after settling wnen it has a height or I ess than 20mm. Th~ oysters · · ' · are usucflly male when they are less than 20mm and change sex after 30mm to'female (Yankson, 1996). These oysters have a reproductive cycle similar to many other marine creatures and invertebrales. Spf!Wning occurs when females release eggs and the males release sperm into the water column where fertilization takes place. The fertilized eggs becomes larvae which are in a planktonic stage, which means they float longitudinally in the Water before settling on hard surfaces such as mangrove prop roots or rock.s and sticks or on sea grass. Oncf;l they settle on hard substrate, they are called spat-very small sized, baby oysters, SOl,JRCE: Adapted from Maryland SeaGrant <http://WWW. mdsg, umd.edu · Figure 19.Life cycle of the oyster Monthly data from spat collectors in the Tanbi Estuary system in The Gambia since June 201 0 indicate the timing of the settlement of oyster spat (see Figure 6 qelow). · While 53 I! I I, Designation of Special Management Areas Notice, 2013 settlement occurs every .month; there is a distinct rnaxim1.1m of spatfall in October and November following the rainy season a$ salinity in the estuary rises with the onset of the dry season in the country. Interestingly, the post-rainy"seasoh maximum for oyster recruitment is found elsewhere in many other popula,tions of tropical mangrove oysters. This m~!ans that the mangrove oysters grow better in high salinity but reproduce better in low salinity. Also, the data seem to suggest that it is possible to .develop oyster beds in £1ood growing areas (Lamin and Kubuneh) and transplant the spats to low density areas for grow-out. ·~~~-·-~---~-~~------··-·------··---··--. 1 . ! Oyster Spat Densities 7 ! i ~ l--~--~·~,'-.---l,!--------••·--••••-v-,,-~~ s ' .... , -••"' ,•,,, ,. , - . ,,: M• ..... ------··-·~·· • ---- •• ----•-••- • '.,., V•••------·•--- ·-·--· o•O " . & 4. .. . . ~ u .,, § z r;/Old Jc;,JurJn(l Figure 20.Density of oyst~r spat by month in the Tanbi Wetland National Park 3.3 The biology of the Blood Ark Cockle (Seniliasenilhs) Seniliaseni/isis also referenced asAnadara$enilis. The species occur naturally in -water with salinity over 10 ppt and in which the.re is littlE:: difference between . diurnal and seasonal fluctuations, S, senelis are fpund in both co;:1rse sand and black muc;l environments but absent fn channels with strong curreh.ts. They reproduce wheri the gonads are ripe at nearly one year old. According to (Yankson, 1981; Rice, 2011), the size of maturity is at approximately 20mm shell length. · · The sex of the species is protE;mdric. The eggs are releEised by the female and the male releases the sperm which fuse together and lead to fertilization. The larvae float ih water for a few days and sink to settle on the bottom where it embeds . · in the substrate for growth. From observations of cockle sea 54 Designation of Special Management Areas Notice, 2013 beds in the Kartong estuary in The Gambia, it was clear that the Seniliasenilis can set in very high abundance in localized seed beds to the point that although the cockles 9re ·known to grow up to 6cm in shell length, the seed cockles are prone to die before they reach 0.5cm. The phenomenon of seed dying out due to competition for food resources is known to occur in . . Thailand in the popUIE!tion of the n~IE1ted {,pecies Anadaragrahosa (Tookwinas, 1983). ihe colli;;ction of seed from local seed beds of high density and seeding the cockles on to specially prepared aquaculture ploys in sarid flats in the low intertidal· and shallow subtidE!I zone i$ possible (Broom, 1982; 1985). Harvesting of cockles and oysters ls predominantly done by women in the Taiibi Wetlands National Park and the periphery oyster communities belonging to the Jola, Balanto and Manjago ethic groups, although other ethnic groups are also involved (Cham and Touray 2008). The majority of the harvestE;}rs are Gambians but some are migrants from Southern Senegc1J (Cassa,mance). The .harvesting and collection of oysters and cockles respectively is organized during the six hours of diurnal loW tide; therefore the time of departure to the collection/harvesting sites is v<::1ri~ble and coincides with the last h,alf of the mid-tidal periocl. The women walk to and from work every day, walking distance from home to lc:mding site vary from community to community depending on distance from home to the landing site. 3.4.'1 C'>yilf.ter Harvesting Different methods of harvesting are employed by the women. Presently, there are two distinct tools ·used for oyster harvesting. These are the cutlass and a small axe. The axe is · used to extract the oyster from the prop roots of the mangrove. The axe is more selective than the cutlass. The axe selects the oyster one by one, removing the mature oysters and leaving the small ones to grow. The cutlass qn the other hancl PE1els the oyster from the rocits of the m::mgrove scraping the bark of the roots and usually leaving a scar on the roots. The women use un-motorized canoes and paddle from their bases to the ha·rvesting sites. The canoes are simple dug outs that are mostly 3-4 metres in length and can carry only one or two people. The harvesting tools, water and food are placed onboard the canoe on departure to the harvesting 55 · Designi1,ti<:m of Special Management Are.as Notice, 2013 sites. I hey set out to the harvesting sites at low tide when the oysters are exposed· for harvesting and return to the landing sites when the tide is high. During high tide, the oysters are submerged and cannot be harvested. . The vast m;;ijority of the women do not have their own cano$S and there are a few canoes in eac;;h com.munity; not enough for all to use· at one time. As was the case before the introduction of the ci:moe, some of the women are stHI WEllking on foot to the oyster harvesting site.s at low tide. The women walk considerable distances on foot in the mangroves to harvest oysters. They remove the oysters from the mangrove prop roofs while standing in water at low tide. They carry either a bag or basket for loading the oysters after harvesting and return to their landing sites before high tide sets in, with their head loads of oyster in bags or baskets. 3.4.2 Cockie Marvesting The cockles are also harvested by the same women either. using canoes to the harvf3~fing s1tes or walkin g on foot at low tide. Unlike oyster harve~tirig by canoe; the women anchor the ,boat and disembark. When they reach the saod bank where o6ckles are embedde9, they stoop to start collecting cockles by scrf}piilg t.he sclnd with thE:lir fingers to get to the cockles. Sometimes the womEln put their forefingers in holes where cockles ihhabit and pluck out sfrigle cockles one at a time. These hole!'> are only noticeable when the tide ebbs completely from the banks. Sometimes spoons ~re LJsed to pluck out cockles but superstitious b~Uefs of cockles disappe9ring from high yield plc\ces due to use of spoons, stop th$ women from using spopns. Similar to the oyster harvesters, as soon as hjgh tide starts to set in, the cockle gatherers return to the landing sites. 3.5 Processing Processing of oysters and cockles is performed by the same women who harvest them from the wi.ld. 3,5.1 Oyster P.1·ocH0;ssing Until recently the processing of oysters involved cooking in water or roG1stirig and smoking. However, steaming or boiling is more common nowadays because it is more effective and · consumEls fewer resources (firewood, water and time). The process . b$gins with removal of foreign mattE;ff from the 56 Designation of Spe~ial Management Areas Notice, 2013 harvested oyster. The live oysters are then steamed in pans/drums for 30 minutes to one hour during which the sheUs open up or the muscles soften up to easeopening of the shells and extraction of the meat. If oysters are to be smoked; (which is now a rare practice), they are placed directly onto the burning fire or on metal grill over the fire. In either case, the oysters are then split open with knives to extract the meat which is collected in woven baskets and marketed often after they are washed cle$n or even reheated in some sites.In some other places in the country, the meat is pres$rved by salting and sun drying to very low moisture content before they are rnatketed. . Meanwhile the oyster shells are gathered in heaps E)lid sold out for cash to users in the production of white lime, for brick making, the preparation of chicken feed and fertiliz,er. 3.5,2 Cocl<le Pro<!esslng Cockles are normally processed by boiling/steaming In pots, , pans or drums for a6out30 minutes to one holir during which th e shells open up 9nd the cockle meat loosens up or foll out . of the shell. After steaming, the cockle meat is usually sieved with perforated trays or they are shaken and separated by . gravity when the meat falls to the bottom aild shells gently scooped out from the top. Following sepE\ration, individual cockle meat pieces are picked out from the separated shells anq returned to the sieved out meat, and small $hell pE:1rticles that remain are also r(;lmoved/ picked by hand. The meat is then placed in baskets and Wc\shed many times in sea water. Water is allowed to drip and the product re-cooked before marketing. In some instances the product is salted and sun dried to very · low moisture .content before storage and subsequent marketing, similar to oysters. 3.6 Mark~ting The selling of cockles and oyster is also done by the same women who harvest and process them. However, it is not wncommon to 'find younger women (daughters or family ·. members of harvesters) selling processed cockles and oysters along the highway to and from the city of Banjul. Processec;J oysters and cockles are marketed in diverse places including the processing site during processing, The 57 Desjgnation of Special Management Areas Notice, 2013 main marketing points are in wban market places and along roadsides while some producers carry the products on their head and sP.11 from onA homB · to ~:inothf;:'¼r in the heighborhoods. Dried oysters and cockles are sold at the weekly rr1arket days in rural communities locc1lly referred to as "loumos"; which move from village to village on a daily basis. Selling is by a measure. of an empty milk tin that contains about 150 grams of oyster or cockle meat. The price of this measure is generally the same in all places. The current price of oysters (in 2011) is GMD15 (approximately 50 US c.ents). However the large, handpicl<ed grade of processed oy::,ters is currently· sold at GMD20.00 for the measure, whiie the smallest grade is sold at GMD10.00. Cockles are also marketed in market places either fresh or dried, or carried around on head and sold from home to home. and from one village or ~own to another. The price of fresh cockles is GMD5.00 and dried cockles are also sold at GMD1b,00. Buyers ahd consumers include ind,ivic;:ILlaJ consumers who buy the pr~dll<;,t fqr hqme cor)E;umption, street food vendors, rest9Ur~nt operators :;md expqrters. Information optained during the conduct of the value chain assessment show high profitability h1 oyster food .vending but vendors ·complclihed about the· high cost of oysters. · Currently, limited quantities of oysters enter the international trade. The oyster is exported by individuals who normally carry with them few kilograms as ~ifts to relatives or are informally sOld to close-circuit customers in niche markets. The main export destinations of these small quantities are mainly the USA and UK, where buyers or redpients are . mainly Gambians and others from the cliaspora, who have · occasional preference for trc1ditional foods. The product may alsb be :takeh for special ceremonial oGcasions of Gambians living abroa.d. Hence exports are classified as traditional ethnic foods of value (Njie and Drammeh, 2011 ). Stringent sanitary reqt,1irements are constraihts to be overcome if raw or fresh product is to be .exported in the futLJre, $;::mitary requirements and control systems must be adeguately met if oysters are to be legally exported, partlculc\rly to the European and American markets,inclLiding those relating fo risk assessment and implementation of sanitation plans, to control food safety risks. There are no medical records specifically linking any food-borne illness to 58. Designatiol'1 of Special Management Are~s Notice, 2013 ;onsurnption of oysters in The Gambia. t7 Annual Calendar of Activities of Cockle and· Oyster larvesters rhe oyster collection used to be carried-out from December :o June until recently (2011) wheh, by consensus, the oyster 1arvesters agreed to reduce the harvesting season from Vlarch through June. When the women are not eng21ged in )yster harvesting or co.ekle gatheririg, they engage in other :1ctjvities to earn a living such as petty· trading, firewood :;ollection, working as house maids, rice farming, small-'scale fish trading (selling fresh and smoked fish), as shown jn the :;.alendar below (Table.1 ). Table 5. Annual calendar of activities of the oyster and cockle harv~sters. ciyster harvesting Cockie harves,ting Petty trading Firewoi:ict collectiori House maid Rice farming Fis!:) tra~Ung X X X X X X X X 3,8 \N~ter Quality X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X x X X X X X X )( X X X Water quality studies. were. undertaken by the Ba Nafaa Project in order to determine whether there are public health risks from contamination of the harvesting areas (e.g. contamination from E. coli bacteria. in the water where oysters and cockles 9fe grown). Initial data was collected (see Fi9ure 7 below) for one year to assess any sea~mnal vari1:1tions in potential health risks. Water sclfnples were collected from the 16 oyster harve~ting communities within Tan bi Wetlands Natiqnal. Park and Western Region on a fortnightly basis . and analyzed at the Wat¢r Quality Monitoring and Control Laboratory of the Pepartment of Water Resources in Abuko. Total and fecal coliforms were determined by use of the membrane filtration method, using standard TC and FC media. Coliform counts were done 59 Designatioi1 of Special Management Arei:ts Notice, 2013 using 25 ml of filtrate and reported as colony counts per 1 OOrnL of sarnple as is routinely reporfod in shellfish sanitary water quality literature (e.g. Graybow et al. 1981). f ~laA~!)~f'"~~t,"~tq;.~~~~~ .... ~\l~'\.~~~-"e;\JI~~~~"' ... ~""'~ 70 lb& I I I """' *A ' 4 t;:;' sGO 0 o o· tZ6 · (;) mAo· · '-4 lilFei:ol Date Cofi1orms lllTo!al CQlitorms. '----· .-----~-··---------,-..----~---' Figµre 21. Average Cc,Jif9rm 1-evels in the 15 Sampling Sites, Tanbi Wetland The results of the study, so fc:ir, show that both to.ta! coliform and fecal coliform counts we:re relatively low in all sample sites. However, a seasonal elevat10n of coliforms during the rainy season is suggested by the data l:li1d slightly elevated coliform couhts were found ;at two lo.c~tiohs in the estuary system 0t Old Jeshwang at a location at which pigs are being raised in pens within the tidal zone, and at Lamirt Lodge, the site of a hotel, boat marina, and fishing boc1.t landing. The results are among the lowest counts ill many tropical oyster growinl;] grounds and suggest that a shellfish . sanitation program cowld a.llow for safe harvest of live oysters for a raw oyster market to tourist hotels or eve,htual export may be feasible. The data from the Tahbl sites appears to be reasonably Glean in comparison to Us NSSP (U.S. National Shellfish Sahftation Prqgram) Cqlif9rm water sanitation standards (70 MPN/100ml Total Coliform and 14 MPN/1 OQmL Fecal Coliform). However, it is important to closeiy monitor the Old J$shwang and Lamin Lodge sites to see if coliform <:tnd fecal coliform counts are on the increase and to consider closure of these sites if increases beyond acceptable levels are confirmed. First-level regulations of shellfish growing water might 60 Desig11ation of Special Management Areas Not{ce, 20 l3 include the simple closure of areas with obvious potential for fecal contamination. These regulatory closures might include prohibition of sheilfish harvesting in areas in which animal husbandry is being carri.ed out close to the shore SLJCh as within about 200 meters of the Old Jeshwang site or at boat harbors or marinas such as those at Denton Bridge or Lamin Lodge.· Shell fishing Glosures solely based upon risk assessment from shoreline surveys is consistent with the 2007 protocols of the NSSP. This is a simple first step that Gambian officials can undertake to assure public health. · Since the initial results indicate potentially favorable conditions for marketing raw shellfish, GovernmE)nt staff from the quality control laboratories of the Department of · Water Resources, Department of Fisheries and the National Environment Agency underwent training in water quality assessment and enforcement at the central water quality control laboratory in Providence, Rhode Island in June 2011. Water quality dc:tta needs tq be collected. and analyzed for at least three consecutive years, until July 2013, in orcier to have greater certainty concerning seasonal variations and long term trends. Towards a Shellfish Sanitation Plan A draft National Shellfish Sanitation Plan for The Gambia was jointly presented at an interagency meeting at the Ministry of Fisheries, Water Resowrces and National Assembly Matters in 2011 . by individuals who underwent training in the US. The meeting included three representatives of the Agriculture Committee of the House of Representatives of The Gambia. The aim was to start laying the foundation for a shellfish sanitation program including traceability standards that wol)ld be appropriatE} in The Gambia. Such a program Would need to · involve multiple agencies, so the institutiQnalization of interagency cooperation . and commitment of human resources arid funding would be essential to make such a program work. Although initial water quality results are encouragihg, the marketing of raw oysters to be eaten raw by the cdn!;>Urher is not a realistic goal for 2011/2012. ·initial priorities are to establish a Gambian shellfish sanitation program that could provide local markets with a safe raw or fresh product, especially for hotels and restaurants catering to European tourists. Qbtainii-ig export certification for ah export product is a longer-term priority. In the near term, the Ba Nafaa Project will support improvements in water and sanitation at 61 Designation of Special Management Areas Noti<;:e, 2013 one or two oyster landing sites in 2012/13. Shoreline Sanitation Swvey In addition to in situ water quality tC;lsting, shoreline sanitation survey techniques enable decision makers to identify c1reas of critical threat to shellfish sanitation. In June 2011 a Sh.oreline Sanitatipn survey of the Blind Road in 8gnj1,.1I was conducted as a pilot activity and training but a full slior(;}line sanitation survey of the Tanbi Wetlands National Park is needed as another element to establishing a shellfish sanitation program. In conjunction with water quality delta, the results · of this survey will provide the Cockle and Oyster Management Committee with critical information for ensurihg the quality and safety of harvest$d shellfish. · 4. Management Objectives Sever91 stakeholder meetings and workshops hc:we been cxgc:mized with the fin::lnciql and technical support of the Ba Nafaa project, involving representa tive!3 from each of the communitif3s harvesting cockles and oysters in Tanbi Wetlands National Park as well as other communities in the Western Region that 9re affiliatE:Jd to TRY Association as members. These meetings and workshops have also included l,ocal leaders (AIKalos ), legislative representatives; municipalities, and key Govenirlieht agencies including Department of Fisheries, bepf\rtrnent of Parks and Wildlife Management, Department of Forestry, ahd Nation·al Environment Agency. The meetings and worl<shop$ have built an understanding ofthe management issues and need for a new management approach. The meetings have also helped to outlinE:J an institutional frameworl< for management that include~ community.:based cornmittees for each harvesting vl]la.g? as well as a Tanbi ecosystem-wide management committee. Training workshops to discuss co management conc(;:lpts were also implemented to prepare the women with basic knowledge to . start the · co management planning process. Importantly, -all the stakeholders are supportive of the contents of this co management plan including the main objectives for management and measures fo achieve these objectives. Key obj ectives developed by the stakeholders are provided below. The management objectives are based on biological, ecological, social and economic issue.s 62 · Designation of Special Management Areas Notice, 20U Biological Objective: • Sustc;linable harvesting of the cockle and oyster resourcei:; that prevents small sized juveniles from being harvested and allows larger more valuc;tble oysters a,nd cockles to be harvested. Ecological Objective: • Maintain the health and functioning of the mangrove ecology, thereby protecting important habitats of oysters and other shellfish, finfish, and ma(ine mammals including the West African manatee, as well as. mittgating Climate Change through carbon sequestration. Social Objective: • Strengthen C·ommuriity ParticJpation in ph~nning, implementation ~nd decision mc1king in the rational arid susbalnab)e U$e and management of the 6yster and cockle resources. Economic Objective: • Acces$ to improved markets, financing, poverty requction and food security among oyster harvesters. 5, .Management Measures to Achieve Objectives The Management measures have been adopted following an elaborate process irwolvfng PRAs at each corhrnt.Jnity, a PRA validation workshop attended by participa.nts representing all the cockle and oyster harvesting communities in Tanbi Wetlands National Park and surrounding communities in the .estuary such as Kubuneh, BEifuloto, Kembujeh; Mandinaba; Kuloro and Kartong. The participants deliberated on management measures that will govern th.e fishery to ensure sustainability of the resources and conserve the ecosystem as well. This was followed by a consolidation workshop to which village heads (Alkalos), Municipalities, elected Councilors and concerned Government agencies/institutions participated. The following management and conservation measures are accepted by all communities: 63 Designation of Special Management Areas Notice, 2013 5.1 Harvesting of Oysters and Cockles e No harvesting of small sized cockles (approximately 25mm in length) and oysters (approximately 6cm in length) e A closed season for harvesting Oysters for 8 months (July to February) and open season for 4 months (March to June) for all areas including exclusive community use zones "' There Is no closed season for cockles. 0 Axe must be used to remove oyster from prop roots of mangrove to avoid harvesting small-size oysters and at same time preserve the mangrove e Professional I.D. cards for all collectors/harvesters e No oyster harvester shall operate for more than two days . at harvesting sites, but should adopt a shift system. 5.2 Community Exclusive Use Zones and Open Access Areas The management measures include designation of certain Bolongs in Tanbi W~tlands National Park as exclusive zones for individual oyster communities (see figures 8 & 9). · The following Bolongs are designated as excusive community use zones 1. KugijachBolong for Wencho 2. ·oubakauBolong for Karmalloh 3. KirinkiringBolong in Jeshwang 4. SismaiBolong in lbotown 5. KalanBolong in Fajikunda 6. OgenbenuBolong in Abuko 7. SimatBolong in Lamin 8. KajuwesBolong in Kembujeh for Kembujeh, Kubuneh, Galoya and Bafuloto Cluster. 9. AllaheinBolong in Kartong 1 0.Yomba Bolong for Mandinary, Kerewan and Daranka · Cluster Within· ~he exclusive use zones, communities can restrict access by individuals from outside the community and establish additional rules for management of the oyster and cockle resources in these areas as they deem necessary (e.g. closures longer than 8 months for all or part of these 64 ···-·-·----·-·- - . . · Designation of Special Management Areas Notice, 2013 bolongs, daily harvest quotas, etc.) Areas outside the community exclusive zones are open to harvesting by all members· of TRY Association. The Association may restrict access to non-members or allow access under certain conditions such as after paying a user fee. TRY Association, through its Tanbi Cockle and Oyster management committee, can establish rules and penalties within these open areas that apply to all harvesters and as detailed in the section on Institutional Arrangements. Ba,.Nafaa Sustainable fisheries Prnject Figure 22. Community exclusive use zones and closed bolongs in the Tanbi WetlaQds . 65 Designation of Special Management Areas- Notice, 2013 na-Nafaa s11stai1iallle l'fsfi,bi-ies Project Figure 23. Community exclusive use zone and closed .. bolong in the Kartong Estuary 5.3 Marketing of cockles ;3.ndl oysters The com~uii'i{iei:-~;h~1\o the following rules on marketing of cockles and 'cNsters?t\,: '. · .. :. '.- ··/z\--·· • School children slibuld not be engaged in the marketing of cockles and oysters and banned from selling at markets and roadsides as well as hawking in town. • The handling, processing and marketing of cockles and oysters shall be performed under hygienic and sanitary conditions. tt4 Penalties and Fines The communities agree on the following penalties/fines for violation of rules established in this plan • A fine amounting to GMO 1,000 (One Thousand Dalasis) for harvesting small sized cockles/oysters. Ii) A fine of GMO 2,000 (Two Thousand Dalasis) if found harvesting in other community's Bolongs e Oyster harvesters found harvesting on a· daily basis shall pay a fine of GMD200 . ., A fine of GMO 2,000 (Two Thousand Dalasis) for harvesting oysters during the closed season. • A fine of GMO 2,000 (Two Thousand Dalasis) for persons found cutting down mangroves. 66 Designation of Special Management Areas Notice, 2013 e Failure to pay fines shall result to seizure and sale of canoe. It is the responsibility of TRY Association to enforce rules and collect fines from Association members and non-members violating the rules. A receipt must be provided to anyone who pays a fine and TRY Associ3tion 'sho1.1ld keep :;1n R(x:ounting record of amount of fines collected and expenses from fine revenues. TRY Association can decide on how fine revenues will be used wilh the rnain intent to contribute to the objectives o~ this co-management plan. Non-members that do not agree to pay a fine or have their canoe seized will be reported to the community's Alkalo and the Department of Fisheries, and their assistance sought in helping to sanction violators as per this plan. Alternative livelihood activities will be promoted by TRY Association for young generations to ease harvesting. pressure on the mangroves and !:ihellfish resources. 5.6 Mangrove cons~rvatkm For the conservation · of the mangroves, the communities agree to undertake joint monitoring, control arid surveillance activities within the Tanbi Wetland National Park with the Department of Parks and Wildlife Management and engage in mangrove reforestation activities in communities where mangroves are being depleted . . The Government of The Gambia has long since realized the importance of aquaculture and its potential to increase national fish production while at the same time reducing the country's total dependence on capture fisheries for fish food supply. The development of subsistence, small-scale and commercial aquaculture is a stated Government policy although emphasis and focus has remained the development of capture fisheries. In the late 1980's, the Department of Fisheries conducted research studies on the culture of the mangrove oyster of West Africa (Crassostreatulipa) under a project funded by the 67 l l '¾ ,il J i!II " !, !1 ······- ·- .... · Designation of Special Management Areas Notice, 2013 Canadian International Development and Research Cooperation (IDRC). Results of the studies identified great commercial potential for the products but the market was not adequately developed. The rack system of culture employed by the research project p·roved a more effident method for the exploitation of oysters and a more sustainable alternative than other existing harvest methods which used mangrove poles and was destructive to the mangrove ecology. Recommendations from this research were to encourage less destructive aquaculture methods, increase oyster production via aquaculture as well as improve access to credit facilities for the producers. Mr. Daniel Theisen of the University of Maryland provided professional volunteer services via the Ba Nafaa project to conduct training and renewed trials on oyster culture in 2009. The nine communities within Tanbi Wetlands National Park were clustered into 6 groups for training on the construction of lattice racks using bamboo poles ranging from 5-9 cm in diameter, arranged in the form of an inverted "V" and tied together with galvanized wire and rope, stringing and hanging· of oyster shells onto. the bamboo poles .. Following the end of the training, a demonstration aquaculture rack was constructed in each community. These racks also served the purpose of action research on spatfall to determine the best time to hang spat collectors for the purpose of oyster farming. These activities also indicated that oyster culture can be developed for several reasons: to protect' the wild mature oysters as a source of spat, to protect the mangroves from damage during harvest, and the culture of oysters has the potential to improve the food security and the social welfare of the oyster harvesters. Communities agreed to work with the Department · of Fisheries on the continued development of environmentally friendly oyster aquaculture in the Tanbi Wetlands National Park. TRY Association via this co-management plan will have exclusive rights to oyster farming in the Tanbi Wetlands National Park and can establish rules if necessary concerning designation of individual or group farming plots. Community · committees will establish rules concerning aquaculture plots . wi~hin the community exclusive use zones. Cockles are also harvested in the Tanbi Wetlands National Park and as well as in other estuarine areas in The Gambia, such as the small· estuary in Kartong. As previously mentioned, cockle ranching to enhance yields is common in Malaysia whereby beds of dense cockle spelt are harvested, 68 Designation of Special Management Areas Notice, 2013 transplanted and broadcast to grow-out areas. These grow out areas can be allocated or leased to individual or community groups as grow out plots. The Ba Nafaa Project is conducting action research with TRY members in Kartong to determine if this ranching method is viable in The Gambia. If successful, then a cockle ranching plan will be developed · for Kartong and could also be applied in the Tanbi area as well. The Department of Fisheries and The TRY Association will encourage research into improved practices of management and aquaculture of oysters and cockles. These · include oyster aquaculture research, market surveys, water quality studies and oyster spawning· studies, and. the research on transplant of oysters and cockles from high spat density areas to low density areas (such as the trial being conducted in Kartong), among others. Cooperation with donor projects, universities and NGOs to assist in conducting relevant. research and monitoring is encouraged. Research related to Climate Change will also be encouraged. Relevant areas of research include both: • Measures for a~aptation to the potential impacts of Climate Change on the Oyster and Cockle fisheries. • The potential for oyster and cockle management practices in The Gambia to contribute to Climate .Change mitigation. Potential themes related to Adaptation Measures Ocean Acidity: Excessive mortalities of larval oysters in hatchery tanks due to acid conditions brought on by excessive carbon dioxide dissolved in the seawater supply have recently been documented in the United States (Grossman, 2011 ). This is parallel to some recent laboratory studies that have shown that tiny juvenile shellfish such as oysters and clams may experience shell erosion or even mortality if exposed to acidic sediments (Talmage, 2009; Watson, 2009). Availability of carbonate for shell formation is strongly influenced by pH, with lesser carbonate available as carbon dioxide dissolves in seawater and pH levels decrease. Climate models predicting carbonate availability in ocean waters in the year 2070 if current trends in world carbon dioxide production continue at the present rate suggest that carbonate availability for shell formation would be reduced to 69 l,J i!\1 fl I ,, ti r \i )-f I' i \, i. \ l';i l '11 i! I· Designation of Special. Management Areas Notice, 2013 marginal levels in tropical and subtropical waters, including Gambia and Senegal (Watson, 2009; Mucci, 1983). In this context, the oyster and cockle fisheries of Senegal and Gambia may be enhanced by management of shellfish beds and aquaculture development that takes increasing ocean acidity into account. Various aquaculture s.trategies such as returning shucked. shells to the water can act to buffer sediments and bottom water against the effects of carbon dioxide acidification, thereby enhancing bivalve larval sets and juvenile survival (Green, 2004; MacKenzie, 1983). Even before the relationship between sediment pH and the effect on shells of developing shellfish was known, the use of oyster shells as an effective setting cultch for tropical mangrove oysters, aiding in spat survival was demonstrated (Devakie, 1993). In some cases, public policy aimed at maximizing oyster production has included laws requiring return of shucked oyster to harvest grounds to promote sustainability of oyster fisheries (Rice, 2008). A number of studies suggest that aquaculture of seaweeds and filter-feeding bivalve mollusks in the world's oceans may be a means for c::omb:3ting or.e:3n 8Gidific:8tion by serving to t8k8 up ;:mrl · sequester nutrients and carbon, and allow for their. removal upon harvest (Smith, 2011; Rice, 1999). . . Sea level rise: Current information on predicted sea level rise due to climate change indicates at least 2 key issues 1. That inundation of coastal fishing communities, including vulnerability of infrastructure at shellfish landing sites needs to be understood and considered in decision making. The Bund Road levee system in Banjul on the border of the Tanbi Wetland is also particularly vulnerable. 2. That mangrove ecosystems may migrate inland as sea level rise occurs. For systems such as the Tanbi Wetlands, where inland zones are fully developed and mangroves cannot migrate, sea level rise may mean a reduced wetlands area. In this case, intensified aquaculture efforts may be an important adaptive measure to make up for lost natural oyster habitat. For other mangrove systems, management planning might include specification of buffer zones restricted to development along the inland edges of the wetland. Potential themes related to mitigation measures 70 Designation of Special Management Areas Notice, 2013 Recent research indicates that the tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per hectare contained in Oceanic and Estuarine Mangrove ecosystems are two to three times that of tropical forests and that the majority of this is held in soil organic carbon rather than in the living biomass. Documenting the extent to which sustainable, ecosystem-based co~ management of oyster and cockle fisheries contributes to the maintenance and even the expansion of these ecosystems will be increasingly important. Climate Change Mitigation seNices provided by these ecosystems and those who manage them have international economic value and markets to compensate for this value are expanding (Murray et al., 2011). 6. Institutional Arrangements & Legal . Framework for Management The area of coverage for this co-management plan includes all of the marine and intertidal waters within The Tanbi Wetlands National Park. The Park was designated as a Ramsar site on World Wetlands Day in 2007. The Government of The Gambia decided that the 6,304 hectare mangrove system was important because of high biodiversity, and diverse and rare ecosystems with valuable marine resources, and the desire to keep this important ecosystem healthy, promote sustainable livelihoods and not use destructive means of harvesting. Under Section 14 of the Fisheries Act 2007, the Tanbi Wetlands National Park, which is a marine protected area, can also be · designated as a special management area for the purpose of community based co-management in the interest· of conservation, management and sustainable utilization of fisheries resources. The Wildlife Act, the Forest Act and the National Environment Management Act are all relevant to the · management of the Tanbi Wetlands National Park, and are therefore to be harmonized with the Fisheries Act. The Tanbi Wetlands National Park is under the responsibility of the Department of Parks and Wildlife Management; the Department . of Forestry has responsibility over the mangroves; the Department of Fisheries has responsibility over the fisheries resources including oysters and cockles; and the National Environment Agency is the umbrella agency for all environmental management matters which includes the management of national parks and all other areas of the · country. The activities of the stakeholders within the coastal zone (which includes the Tanbi Wetland National Park) will be coordinated through the Coastal and Marine Working . I I 71 Designation of Special Management Areas Notice, 2013 Group. The Working Group includes, among other stakeholders, the Department of Parks and Wildlife Management, Department of Fisheries, Department of Forestry and the National Environment Agency as Chair. 6.1 Designation of tl·w Tol4nbi Wetlamd.s N~tion.a~ Park ~$ i~ Special M.anagement Area As per Section 14 of the 2007 Fishery Act and Regulations of 2008, the area congruent with the boundar/es of the Tanbi Wetlands National Park is hereby deGlc1red a special management area solely for the purpose of community-based management of the cockle and oyster fisheries. TRY Association is hereby authorized as having exclusive use rights to the oyster and cockle resources within the Park. Associated with the allocation of these use rights comes the responsibility for TRY Association to manage these resources in a responsible manner that prevents their overexploitation and use good harvest practices that help conserve associated habitats, flora and fauna. . ~·,·~~· ! Figure 24. Boundaries of the Tan bi Wetland National Park which also serve as the boundaries for the special . management area solely for the purpose of communityN based management of the cockle and oyster fisheries. 72 Designation of Special Management Areas Notice, 2013 . rt:l. Tanbl Godde and Oy::lttn· g.::ishery 1¥'fan~~Jc1y111i;:1nt Gc1mmitti,'H: TRY Association is hereby authorized to establish a Management Committee for the purposes of managing the cockle and oyster resources in the Tanbi Wetlands National Park. The TRY Association shall decide on the make-up, duration of membership, and how committee members shall be appointed. This committee shall have the authority to set and change management measures applicable throughout the Tanbi special management area, to designate exclusive community: use zones, and is authorized to enforce rules, assess fines and seize gear and equipment of violators. Specific authorities include the following QI Set length of seasonal closures of oysters and cockles and timing of openings for each Iii Establish minimum size limits @ Designate community exclusive use zones • Restrict the number of harvesters collecting in "open" areas - outside of community exclusive use zones e Charge user fees or license harvesters in "open" areas outside community exclusive use zones e Restrict harvesting only to Tanbi Wetlands National Park community residents or open to non-community members under certain conditions (e.g. charge an access fee) ct Establish permanent closures or closed areas for periods longer than the annual Tanbi-wide closure in "open" areas - outside community exclusive use zones s Require traceability of product from harvest areas to end consumers for any product sales intended for raw consumption » Establish closed areas anywhere in Tanbi special management area for reasons of seafood safety due to water quality contamination or risks ~ Establish penalties including fines not to exceed Dalais500O for violations of rules, and for repeat 73 ~~~~- ., .. - .... · Designation of Special Management Areas Notice, 2013 offenders, can confisq;:ite harve$t gear or ban individuals from further harvesting for a perfod up to one year ,. Rules need to be approved by the majority of the TRY management committee in a meetlng where a quorum (majority) of committee members are present and noted in written minutes. Rules must be communicated to al! TRY members via TRY cbmmunity committees verbally or in writing within 14 days and transmitted for information purposes only (not approval) to the Department of Fisheries, Department of Park$ and Wildlife Manag ement and Department of Forestry for assistance in enforcement and as a basis of annual ciud.its and to ensure consistency wit.h existing nati'onal laws and regulations. • Communities shall be trained on cockle and oyster . safety and quality assurance. Under the Tanbi Cockle and Oy~t~r MFlnc;1gernent Committee, community--based committees wilJ be . established for the purposes of managing the cockle and oyster resources in the Tanbi special managenwnt ,;lJeq .. The Tanbi Cockle and Oyster Management Committee s.hall decide on the make-up, duration of membership, and how cornmunity--based committee memb~rs shall be appointe,d. These community based committees shc;1II have the authority to set arid change management measures applicable · only within designated exclusive community use zones established i.n this co management plan or in other areas designated by the Tanbi Cockle and Oyster Management Comrritttee. Community based management committees cah e$tablish the following · type of measlm,s within their zones • Set daily quotas on harvests of individuals from community zones during open seasons • Establish daily closures ori harvests from community zones during open seasons (e.g. no harvesting on Monday, Wednesdays. and Fridays. or ·on Tuesday and Thursday, .etc. or alternate who can harvest on which days) • Restrict number of harvesters collecting in exclusive use areas • Charge user fees or license harvesters 74 . Designation of Special Manageme,nt Areas Notice, 2013 " Restrict harvesting only to local community (exclude non community members) or open to non-community members under certain conditions (e.g. charge an access fee ) • Establish permanent closures or close· areas for periods longer than the annual Tanbi-wide closure. • Establish penalties lncluding fines not to exceed GMO 5000 for vlblations of rules, and for repeat offenders, can conftscate harvest gear or ban·ned from further harvesting for a period up to one year . Community-based committees cannot • Set a size limit sma ller than Tanbi wide size limit (if established), but can be larger. • Set a seasonal/annual closure less than the T ahbi wide closure, but can be longer. Rules established for community exclusive u~e zones need to be approved by the majority of the TRY community-based management committee· rnernbers. These must be endorsed . by the Alkalo either verbally in a TRY community meeting or via a letter. Rules take effect once they ar(';} announced in a TRY community w1de mE}etihg and verbally explained. Rules should be transmitted verbaUy or in wriffng to TRYTanbi-wic:le management committee for information purposes and· review to ensure they do not contradict Tahbi-wide rule~. (°t4 Ttmbi Advisory Committee • Membership: One member who is a local representative to a Municipal council who serves a chair, Department of Fisheries, Department of Parks and Wildlife Management, Department of Forestry, National Environment Agency, Nationaj Nutrition Ag ency and the National Consumer Group. • Advises the Tanbi-wide management committee on management plan perforrn;:mce · and provides technical services on status of stocks and other· ecosystem issues relevant to management of the cockles and oysters. • Makes recommendations to the Director of Fisheries and Minister of Fisheries, Wc\ter Resources and National Assembly Mptters on status of plan implementation and performance and if interventions to correct deficiencies are required. 75 Desig~1ati9n. of Specjal Mariagement Areas 1:-fotice, 2013 • Endorses approval of the overall co-management plan to the Minister of Fisheries; Water Resources and National Assembly Matters. • Approval by the Director of Fisheries of substantive changes in plan goal or objectives, in consultation with Director of the Department of Parks and Wildlife Management. • Conduct annual audits of plan . implementation in collaboration with the Department of Parks and Wildlife Management to assess wliE!ther management objecHves are being met or progress towards objectives is satisfactory; · • Require the TRY management c:pmmittee to revise management plan rules ff not making progress towards sustainability objectives and goal. • Review all rule changes annually in collaboration with the- DepartmP.nt ot Parks and Wildllfe -Management, Department of Forestry and - Natio.nc1l Environment Ag~hcy and advise Tf:{Y man9QE!iTJ~nt committee on technical soundness to prev~rit overexploitcltion of cockles and oysters and to meet other management objectives. . - · . ·. · . · . ·· .. • Establish a shellfish sanitation• program, for oysters and cockles that may include- . . .· Establishing closed areas for reai:ions of seafood safety dlle to water quality contamination or risks Requiring and setting · as needed, traceability requirements and procedure~ for harvest, sale and distribution of product intended for raw consumption Establishing fines for any harvester or seller in the vc1lu¢ chain of the product intended for raw consumption that does not have traceability labels Establishing sanitary standards and criteria for harvest and distribution of product intended for raw consumption Establishing fines for any harvesters taking product intended for raw cohsumption in" violc:ition of traceability rules, or sanitary requirements or . harvest pYohibitions Establishing water quality monitoring protocols to ensure harvest of safe shellfish Conducting water qwality monitoring (directly or via interagency agreements w/ other agencies 76 De$ignation of Special Management Arel:ls Notice 1 2013 laboratories) and implement other shellfish sanitation plan actions as may be required • Promoting sustainable aql!aculture and ranching of oysters and shellfish among TRY members. • Assist TRY in developing value added products and expanding marketing opportunities locally, regionally and internationally. • Approves overall co~management plan. • Assi~t 'TRY in enforcement of management rules. • Promot? research and monitoring that aide in management, including adaptation measures for clitn.ate change impacts. • Assist with implementation of management measures as requested by the Tanbi Cockle and Oyster Management Committee. 6.6 Role of the Department of Parks and WiidUfe Management; Department of Forestry and Nation:JI Environment Agency • Recommend the approval of the overall co management plan to the Minister of Forestry and Environment. • As$ist TRY A$sociation in enforcernent of management rules. • Promote research and monitoring that aide in managernent. • Assist with implementation of management measures c¼S requested by the Tanbi Cockle a.nd Oyster Management Committee. • Substantive changes in plan goal or objectives require approval by the Director of Fisheries in consultation with. Director of the Department of Parks and Wildlife Management, Department of Forestry and National Environment Agency. • Cooperate with the Department of Fisheries on annual audits of plan implementation and changes in rules to ensure consistency with national forestry, biodiversity and wildlife laws, regulations and policies and with the TWNP management plcm. • In collaboration with the Department of Fisheries conduct annual audits of plan implementation fo . assess whether management objectives are being met. • Monitor essential habitat quality (status of mangrove ecosystem). 77 ···--·--· Designation of Special Management Areas Notice, 2013 o Conduct research on Vulnerability Assessment and · impacts of Climate Change. " Coordinate the activities of the stakeholders w.ithin the coastal zone through the Coastal and Marine Working Group. 7. Monitoring and Evaluation of Plan Petiormance The Tanbi Cockle and Oyster Fishery Management Committee of TRY will periodically review progress on meeting the objectives of this co-management plan, at least annually. The review should be conducted with advisory committee members, or discussed in a meeting with the advisory committee after the committee's deliberations arid review. Such periodic reviews should specially look at • Issues concerning degree of compliance with management measures and rules, · including closed seasons, closed bolongs and minimum sizes and marketing restrictions • Difficulties, if any, in implementing enforcement actions and penalties • Status of funds obtained from fines - amount collected and if any disbursed or expensed 11 . Issues, if any, concerning operations of the Tanbi-wide committee and the community-based committees • Degree to which biological, ecological, social and economic management objectives outlined in the plan are being met including Review of the length of the closed season for oysters and cockles in relation to allowing them to grow to mature and more marketable sizes. Status of oyster and cockle stocks and harvesting pressure: Are sizes getting smaller? Is it taking longer to collect the same amount? Are more people harvesting? What additional management· measures may be needed to better control total harvest and catch rates? Group marketing issues if any Impacts of alternative livelihood activities, mangrove conservation, and aquaculture activities? e Priority actions the management committee must take 78 Designation of Special Management Areas Notice, 2013 in the near term for managing the oyster and cockle fishery Issued this 27th day of November, 2013 HON. MASS AXI GYE MINISTER OF FISHERIES AND WATER RESOURCES 79 I l I I l1 I