Project Summary
Countries: Malawi, Uganda
Delivery Partner: University of Birmingham
Project Partners: Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Western Cape, National Fisheries Resources Research Institute
Principal Investigator: Professor Fiona Nunan, Professor of Environment and Development, International Development Department, University of Birmingham
Contact: f.s.nunan@bham.ac.uk
The project aims to strengthen capacity for adaptive fisheries governance in Malawi and Uganda. Adaptive fisheries governance is an integrated approach, aiming to protect biodiversity, build climate resilience and improve livelihoods.
Challenge
Fisheries are under threat across the world, with stocks and biodiversity threatened by overfishing, illegal fishing practices and poor management. Loss of aquatic biodiversity and changes in rainfall and temperature are increasing pressures on small-scale fisheries livelihoods and food security.
Governance systems and policies in many countries are not yet effectively responding to these challenges. Governance has often been found to be lacking sufficient coordination between parts of government, and between communities and government, are under-resourced and do not include measures to protect biodiversity or build capacity to adapt to climate change.
Fisheries policies and governance systems need to take more account of biodiversity loss and protection, and better recognise the multiple and increasing challenges resulting from climate change.
Insight
To address these issues, the project is working with key actors to assess adaptive fisheries governance capacity at national, district and local levels, pilot interventions with communities that address the challenge, support networking within and between communities and government, and develop plans for building adaptive fisheries governance capacity.
From the assessment of adaptive fisheries governance capacity, the project has learnt that capacity can be built by:
1. Strengthening existing governance systems, particularly co-management, where communities work with government to manage fisheries. Strengthening can include increasing interaction, mentoring, financing, representation and participation, particularly of women and youth.2. Improving the generation and sharing of information. This includes more consistent support to communities in monitoring fish catches and sharing research findings with government, communities and NGOs.
3. Strengthen coordination between the fisheries and environment sectors to better protect biodiversity, including protection of fish breeding and nursery sites, which may be designated as sanctuaries or protected areas.
4. Resource materials and training can support government officers, communities and NGOs to better protect biodiversity and adapt to climate change, with regular sensitization of communities and political representatives. Adaptation strategies should be gender sensitive, reflecting gender norms and roles found in many fisheries.
Collaboration
Adaptive fisheries governance is really the only way forward for the fisheries sector. The biodiversity and climate crises evident across the world need integrated responses. This means greater collaboration between stakeholders and government sectors at all levels and for the fisheries sector to take more responsibility for biodiversity and strengthen its response to climate change. At the same time, fisheries livelihoods and the contribution of fisheries to food security must be supported.
Discover More
Professor Fiona Nunan
Fiona’s interests and experience focus on natural resource governance and management in developing country settings, particularly within inland fisheries and coastal locations in East and Southern Africa, and on exploring the links between poverty and the environment. She uses institutional analysis but also has interests in how power and gender relations, and the wider political economy, affect the practice and outcomes of natural resource governance.
