Key Messages for Diverse Stakeholders

20 Figure 7 Sample football jersey donated to communities for the World Environment Day

1.2 Developing Nested Fisheries Governance in the Western Region

This activity was designed to develop options for alternative approaches to integrated fisheries governance in the Western Region through working with stakeholders to develop bottom-up approaches to compliment policy making and to further develop options for small-scale fisheries management units. Year 3 led to strong momentum based upon the information gathering and synthesis that has already taken place at the community level, engagement with key stakeholders in capacity building and dialogue, and developing the ‘boundary institutions’ that are critical for information flows in multi-tiered governance systems

1.2.1 Key Messages for Diverse Stakeholders

This task involved the development of a series of issue briefs see 1.1.2 that summarized learning from the pilot activities. Continued fishing with prohibited gears especially monofilament nets and other unorthodox methods led to clashes between fishers and a government Task Force enforcing the Fisheries Regulations in some communities. It became apparent that the ecological justifications for the ban of monofilament nets was not clearly understood. As a consequence, Hen Mpoano conducted a study in two fishing communities with the following conclusions: • monofilament nets were affordable and readily available on the market • approved nets were 10 times more expensive • monofilament nets catch comparable amount of fish as approved nets • fishers were not aware of the negative impacts of monofilament nets on the fishery. 21 Planned Outputs Accomplishments Issues brief on gill nets Drafted but mass circulation delayed Issue brief on data systems and effort Drafted Scientific paper draft on effort creep Drafted and under peer review Issue brief on nested governance structures In process of discussion in community and district for a Issue brief on catch and effort Drafted Community materials on governance structures Developed and being used in community for a Donor stories for USAID on stakeholder engagement in dialog process Several stories developed in Year 3, notably on stakeholder engagement on enforcement and the prosecution chain Table 10: Key Messages for Diverse Stakeholders The circulation of the drafted issues briefs has been delayed until the Nested Governance Proposal see section 1.1.1 has been published as the first in the series of publications in the national press Also, the Initiative carried out a global review on the use and implications of monfilament gillnets in open waters. The report ‘Global lessons and information to assist with monofilament gill net management in Ghana’ has been shared with relevant stakeholders. Districts Fisheries Communications Fora A series of fora held across the six Districts Assemblies communicated issues of concern at the beach level to help bridge identified gaps between the fisherfolk and the Assemblies and other institutions Fisheries commission, MoFA, Navy, Police, etc.. As a consequence, three districts assemblies mandated some sub-committees of the assemblies to address fisheries issues. Hen Mpoano met with and sensitized members of the subcommittees on the fisheries law and regulations to aid their deliberations.

1.2.2 Building Informed Management Constituency