The coastal areas of Sudan contain some of the best examples of coral reefs. Alongside ecosystem services, these areas provide sustainable livelihoods for local communities. Balancing these uses needs careful management which can be provided with an Ecosystems Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM) a topic that IMA has been engaged with for many years. We are now working with UNIDO and the Institute of Marine Research (IMR) on ‘Building institutional capacities for the sustainable management of the marine fishery in the Red Sea State, phase II’. This aims to consolidate and further strengthen institutional capacities for the operation and maintenance of a Fishery Statistics System (FSS) and the development and implementation of Ecosystems Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM) plans for 2 key species.
In April 2019 the first input took place, an EAFM LEAD high level consultation in Port Sudan, Red Sea State, for leaders, executives and decision-makers (LEADers) to understand EAFM implementation at various levels of government and across sectors. Participants included a mosaic of government, NGO’s, research bodies, and local co-operatives. Using a mix of presentations, video, animations, discussions and interactive brain storming, we covered why we need EAFM, what is currently taking place, linking EAFM plans to policy management actions national, provincial and district long term plans. The EAFM management cycle and planning process, and the importance of effective governance frameworks supported by a fisheries management infrastructure were introduced. To conclude, next steps were decided, and participants were encouraged to support their colleagues, influence their leaders, and leaders of other sectors to develop capacity in EAFM and to agree on next steps, including action plans. We look forward to the development of this project!
For those of you who are interested in EAFM, you can read more on the EAFM learn website. There is a link to a free online course, a toolkit, and training materials.
