National Needs Assessments

NATIONAL REPORTS

This directory presents the reports of national missions undertaken to the countries participating in the preparation of the GEF SAP II Project for Oceanic Fisheries Management. The countries are:

The purposes of the national missions were:

• To make assessments of the implications of the WCPF Convention for each Pacific Island Country
• To identify possible activities to support implementation by each Pacific Island Country of the WCPF Convention
• To make an analysis of the incremental costs to each Pacific Island Country of activities related to the Convention
• To undertake an analysis of stakeholders in each Pacific Island Country with interests in the regional oceanic fisheries resources
• To identify relevant consultative mechanisms in each Pacific Island Country for the GEF SAP II Project; and
• To collect information relating to available indicators of performance in areas related to the WCPF Convention and to the financial sustainability of each Pacific Island Country’s participation in the Commission and implementation of the WCPF Convention

The reports were prepared by teams of consultants visiting countries in June to July 2004. The missions were assisted by in-country Technical Assistants. The missions were organized and coordinated by FFA, with support from SPC, SPREP and UNDP. The missions were a major undertaking. They included a range of consultative meetings and workshops involving around 500 people in 14 countries . The participants were drawn from a wide range of stakeholders including:

• academic and other training institutions
• government agencies in the areas of commerce, economic development, environment, fisheries, foreign affairs, law, and trade, and donor agencies, both bilateral and multilateral;
• media representatives
• non-governmental organizations, especially those with an interest in environmental and social issues
• politicians; and
• private sector participants from businesses involved in oceanic fisheries, finance, processing and other sectors, including small, medium and large scale operators as well as members of the public.

There was widespread media coverage of the work of the missions throughout the region in print, radio, television and the Internet. This coverage was enhanced because of media interest in entry into force of the WCPF Convention, which came into force on 19 June. The missions were generally highly successful in achieving the purposes set out above. Most of the information needed was gathered. Participation in the consultative process of the missions was broad and positive, providing insights in to a range of issues related to the GEF SAP II Project and the WCPF Convention, and to wider issues related to oceanic fisheries. The missions documented substantial efforts being made by Pacific Island Countries to strengthen the management of their oceanic fisheries following the conclusion of the WCPF Convention. These efforts provide a basis for collaboration with the GEF, the regional organisations and other donors to support this strengthening process. But the missions also documented the constraints in institutions and human resources in oceanic fisheries management, and the need to reform and strengthen relevant laws, institutions, policies and programmes in many countries. A particular need identified was to improve understanding of the implications of the WCPF Convention throughout the region. A feature of the missions was the level and quality of participation by the private sector in the work of the missions, highlighting the need for improved consultative processes between governments and non-government stakeholders, especially private sector interests, at both national and regional levels.