StrategiesMechanismsPartnership Meetings held with:

54

3.4.2. StrategiesMechanismsPartnership Meetings held with:

• The Ministry of Fisheries DPM, DPSP on activities for establishing: i local conventions for Sindia, Mbour and Joal; ii IUU fishing; iii DITP to discuss issues on the standardization of products norms and standards for product quality and hygiene products; • The Ministry of Environment DEEC to conduct activities on climate change, environmental monitoring, etc. • In terms of synergy and partnership, the USAIDCOMFISH project conducted scientific research to help develop the priority stock management plans initiated by the other partners PRAO, COGEPAS etc.. In this respect, it began to develop a scientific database biological and socioeconomic surveys, participatory mapping for establishing Sustainable Management Units on octopus, white grouper, coastal shrimp, cobo and sardinella. The project participated also in managing the biological rest period for octopus, an initiative put on course this year across Mbour division by COGEPAS and the Ministry of Fisheries. It did so by contributing to buy octopus pots upon request from the CLPAs concerned. • The only way to ensure long-term success and sustainability of fishery reforms in Senegal is to make sure that national institutions and their local branch offices acquire the capacity at the end of the project to sustain the commitment and support political, technical and financial for implementing the reforms made and new approaches used throughout the project cycle. To do so, the USAIDCOMFISH project strengthened these institutions through a learning-by- doing approach. In the same vein, the project worked with civil society and the private sector that also constitute a key link for sustainability. This is why the project is working closely together with the Alliance for Sustainable Fisheries, which served as a framework for dialogue, to organize coffee chats on themes and concepts developed by the project this year functional CLPAs, SMUs, authorization, MPAs, etc.. Other local, regional and national organizations will also play a key role in finding partners to implement project activities. The project’s main implementing partners and their roles were described in the work plans submitted to USAIDSenegal. Most of these institutions also are beneficiaries of the project and thus receive funds to perform a number of activities mentioned in the work plan. • Monthly coordination meetings are organized with all partners each month at the USAIDCOMFISH project office. This is to enable implementing partners to communicate and discuss the results, achievements and constraints on the performance of their activities on the ground, as well as to develop synergies in interventions so as to pool efforts and funds. They also share the activities planned for the coming month.

3.4.3. Lessons learned