Establishing Rights of Small-Scale Fishing Community to Coastal and Inland Fisheries Resources in Cambodia Workshop and Symposium on Asserting Rights, Defining Responsibilities: Perspective from Small-Scale Fishing Communities on Coastal and Fisheries Management in Asia 3-8 May, Siem Reap

Outline of Presentation Fisheries Management Practice in Cambodia Community fisheries Legal framework to support community fisheries Institutional support CFs and networking Community Fisheries Empowerment Community Fisheries Livelihood Development Issues The Way Forward

Physical Structure and Resource Base of Cambodia

Fisheries Management Practice in Cambodia Fisheries Management in Cambodia is divided into: Large scale fisheries (Commercial fishing) Lot Fisheries Dai Fisheries Middle scale fisheries (Commercial fishing) Small scale fisheries/family fishing (Subsistent fishing) Community Fisheries These type of fisheries are different in terms of: Scale of operation Type, length and size of fishing gear area of fishing season of fishing

Fisheries Management Practice in Cambodia (Cont.) Large Scale Fishing  River and lake lots  Dai or bag net

Large-Scale Fishing Operation in Tonle Sap Lake Fisheries Management Practice in Cambodia (Cont.) Large-Scale Fishing Operation in Tonle Sap Lake

Fisheries Management Practice in Cambodia (Cont.) Meddle-Scale Fishing in Tonle Sap Lake

Fisheries Management Practice in Cambodia (Cont.) Small-scale fishing in Mekong River Family fishing Occasional fishing Rice field fishing during early rainy season

Community Fisheries New Government Policy: Release the area from fishing lot (large scale) for local people do small scale fishing Encourage local people to participate in resource management through community fisheries organization The way to transfer some role and responsibilities from the center to local people

Community Fisheries (Cont.) Reason for policy reform: No. of small scale fishing is increase but the fishing area is not sufficient for them Decentralization and Deconcentration of the government policy on various sectors Tendency of the world on changing ways of management from central to participation.

Community Fisheries (Cont.) CFs in Cambodia focuses on small scale: Like other Asian countries, small fisheries contribute the major part in the fisheries sector. For example in Cambodia, fish catch from small scale is about 57 %, whereas fish catch from large and medium scale only about 43 %. Contributions to local food security Sustainable livelihoods and poverty alleviation Weak sub-sector in terms of financial and technical capabilities, therefore require support from the government to maintain social and economic securities in the rural area. Crucial to develop appropriate fisheries management system and conservation mechanisms

Legal framework to support CFs Fisheries Law: Provide strong basis for all Khmer citizens to participate in the community fisheries Identify MAFF as the competent institution who has general jurisdiction over community fisheries management Ensure the CFs area shall be managed in the sustainable manner by CFs themselves with the proper management plan. CFs area shall not be sold, exchanged, transferred or donated.

Legal framework to support CFs (Cont.) Sub-decree on CFM Provide comprehensive scope, framework and procedure for the establishment and management of CFs in Cambodia. For example: The purpose of establishing of CFs (improvement of local livelihood but should be in a sustainable and equitable manner) The area where local people can use though establishing CFs The requirement for CFs to have (CFs map, by-law, agreement and management plan)

Legal framework to support CFs (Cont.) Sub-decree on CFM (Cont.) Clearly define role, responsibilities and rights of: Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) Fisheries Administration (FiA) Community fisheries (members and committee) What are those role, rights and responsibilities? MAFF: general jurisdiction over community fisheries management, specifically issuing CF guideline, model of by-law and internal rule, model of agreement, model of management plan FiA: Provide technical support and seek for partners to support CFs, facilitate, capacity building of CFs, monitoring and evaluation of CFs performance etc.

Legal framework to support CFs (Cont.) Community Fisheries: Prepare CF by-law, CF internal rule, CF agreement, CF management plan. Participate in resource management and conservation in the CF fishing area. Do small scale fishing, aquaculture and other activities to improve livelihood Communicate with other CFs, physical persons and legal entities for benefit of the community fisheries Cooperate with the Fisheries Administration to suppress all fisheries violations in the community fishing area etc.

Legal framework to support CFs (Cont.) Proclamation (Prakas) on CF Guideline: Provide detail steps on establishment and management of CFs through out Cambodia. Provide 4 models for CFs: Model of by law Model of internal rule Model of CF area agreement Model of CFs area management plan Base on these models, CFs are able to prepare their own by-law, internal rule, agreement and management plan.

Institutional support CFs and networking At the national level: Community Development Office was established as the new office of the fisheries administration to deal with the overall administration and facilitation of CF organization and management though out the country At the provincial level: CFDUs have been established as unit of the provincial fisheries office to support CF in their province At the local level: CF committees are elected by the members of CF to serve as a leading mechanism in the CF

Institutional support CFs and networking (cont.) Commune Council (CC) is a strong mechanism for local development, therefore it is good opportunity for the CFs to get support and work closely with CC in implementation of CFs by-law, management plan, especially in dealing with illegal fishing activities in CFs area. Many local NGOs work directly to support CFs at the local level. It is good for CFs to get NGOs support, especially for the implementation of the management plan.

Community Fisheries Empowerment Many activities and projects for CFs capacity building have been carried out since the beginning of the fisheries reform. For example: Community Fisheries Capacity Building Project started from 2004 to 2005, supported by IDRC Capacity Building for Sustainable Developments in Tonle Sap Region had been implemented for 3 years stated in 2003 and finished in 2006 (UNDP). Capacity Building of Community Fisheries in Coastal Provinces is one year project 2005-2006 (FAO) Tonle Sap of Environment Management Project (TSEMP)

Community Fisheries Empowerment (Cont.) TSEMP: This is the government project (ADB loan). The Cambodian Government had decided to implement this project in order to strengthen the capacity for CFs, which is part of the community fisheries empowerment. 5 year operation (2003-2008) Operation in 5 provinces around the Great Lake 3 Components Implemented by many agency Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries, Ministry of Environment and National Mekong Committee

Community fisheries Empowerment (Cont.)

Community fisheries Empowerment (Cont.) Under TSEMP program: Many training program was organized for the community fisheries development unit of the provincial fisheries office and for community fisheries committees 168 CFs in the Tonle Sap biosphere reserve have been strengthened. Most CFs have by-law and internal rule Some have fish conservation area Some started to prepare management plan. Some Community Fisheries have been piloted for the livelihood activities.

CFs livelihood Development Support for alternative livelihood in CFs have been implemented through pilot projects: Mushroom growing (SEAFDEC project in coastal province) Earthworm raising (in Kampong Thom and Kampong Chhnang province) Aquaculture ( in coastal and freshwater provinces)

CFs livelihood Development (cont.) Micro credit program have also been done in many CFs in order to support CFs alternative livelihood. TSEMP allocated about 0.5 million to contract NGOs to undertake livelihood project for CFs in the Tonle Sap biosphere reserve Tonle Sap sustainable livelihood project (ADB grand): Budget for about 20 million 3 years (2007-2009) 5 provinces around the Great Lake

Issues CFs in Cambodia is still in the initial stage. Therefore CFs still lack capacity, skill and finance. The concept of the community fisheries is not widely aware to all people, therefore the participation on CFM is still limited in some places. The collaboration from local authority and relevant institution is still limited. Much support had been provided mostly for the Capacity building, but only little support has been provided for CFs development, such as CFs conservation area, improvement of livelihood.

The way forward Shift of focus from establishment to the strengthening of Community Fisheries Promote regional and national networking to support the CFs. Enable CFs how to work closely with the commune council, especially in dealing with illegal fishing activities and implementation of management plan. Promote environmental sound projects/activities to support livelihood of CFs that improve socio economic welfare of CF members and will encourage more participation in CFs management.