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4.9 Show the political will to promote extension
Lending more support to extension services, by empowering them to schedule their actions, and by providing them with the material and human resources require illustrates the political will to promote
extension.
The real challenge here is to set up a crosscutting mechanism that can synergize and coordinate all the initiatives at the national level. This was the case with CPEP, which was dissolved and then reopened
in theory without a concrete structure. It may be useful, therefore, to reactivate CPEP, structure it, appoint a coordinator to head it, and make available the resources it needs to function.
4.10 Ensure the functionality of CNCPM and the CLPAs
Considering the problems of Fisheries Development and Management, the establishment of governance structures such as CNCPM and the CLPAs is a major step forward. But, notwithstanding
the importance of these structires for fisheries management and collaborative management, most of them are not even functional. To address this, the authorities should take the appropriate steps to
organize these structures, understand their missions to make them fully operational and capable of running programs for the development of fisheries, particularly in their local areas.
4.11 Establish a mechanism for collaboration, harmonization and synergy in research initiatives
Such a mechanism should be established under the auspices of the Ministry of Fisheries. This is to pool together the initiatives of all institutions involved in fisheries, with a view to support their
activities, projects and programs on fisheries, and to put at their disposal the scientific knowledge and experience of the research institutions. The mechanism will get the resources required to define the
modalities for management, planning and coordination of the initiatives, share the roles and responsibilities of respective stakeholders, and set the terms for the extension of the scientific
knowledge of the institutions concerned.
At COMFISH field visits show that fishing communities and practitioners have high hopes in, and great expectations from COMFISH. In our view, this makes the project’s success a truly fundamental
link in the fisheries sector’s development chain. For COMFISH to succeed, proper preparations must be made. That is why we think taking certain actions, as a matter of urgency, would be useful for the
smooth running of COMFISH. This becomes even more necessary when one considers that CLPA members are in support of this approach. For the CLPAs, COMFISH has an approach that is
reassuring to the stakeholders. The project works together with local actors, and has enga
ged with them extensively to raise their awareness and to take account of their concerns.
4.12 Expand outreach to CLPAs to improve their functionality and ability to perform their duties:
