DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES
Ministry of Agriculture & Food, Forests and Fisheries
 
Home
 Links About
Contact
         
 
 
 
 
  


 

Working with Communities

 

The Community Development and Advisory Section is currently, actively engaged with the establishment and implementation of Special Management Areas for coastal communities in Tonga. Under the Fisheries Management Act (2002), any coastal community can apply to the Ministry to establish a Special Management Area for the purposes of conservation, development, management and sustainable utilization of fisheries resources in their coastal waters. Given the major decline of inshore resources from which we largely depend on, the implementation of a Special Management Area is an effective, community-based management tool that could help reverse this deterioration and at the same time sustainably develop fisheries at a community level. Several communities have posted their requests and at the present time, the Department with the assistance of the AusAid-funded Tonga Fisheries Project, is undergoing community development processes for ‘O’ua, Ha’afeva and Felemea in Ha’apai.

     
COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT FISHERIES CONFERENCE & COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT ROUND TABLE FORUM

Background

Community management is an increasingly popular approach towards resource management.  This approach had been applied in Tonga in a number of sectors including Community Policing, waste management, and resource management.  In SDP8 the need for increased stakeholder participation in management was highlighted.  Communities are concerned that their resources are declining and are not well managed.  Commitment from communities to be actively involved in taking on the roles and responsibilities towards managing and developing their resources has been expressed.  Within Tonga and in the Region there have been lessons learned about community management.  At this early stage it is important for Government to review and assess those lessons learned to assist in focussing the limited resources on those areas which will bring sustainability for the island communities of Tonga. 

The Department of Fisheries with assistance from the AusAID assisted Tonga Fisheries Project is coordinating a Community Management and Small Scale Fisheries Conference on March 27 – 28, 2007.   This will be followed by a “Community Management” round table forum on March 29, 2007.

The Community Management and Small Scale Fisheries Conference aims to:

1. Raise awareness of the approach of community management as a long term strategy to achieving environmental sustainability and economic stability and growth in Tonga. 

2. Provide a forum to review lessons learned for community management in fisheries and other sectors within Tonga and the Region.

3.Identify priorities and resource requirements for community management.
 

Proposed Agenda

Day 1 Community Management and Small Scale Fisheries Development Workshop
Time Session Presenter
9.00am Opening Prayer  
9.15am Opening Address Minister for MAFF
9.30am SDP8 Framework and Directions for Tonga Finance - CPD
9.50am Community Management as an Approach to managing natural resources in Tonga DoF (Dr Vailala Matoto)
10.10am Community Management as a sectoral or integrated approach? TFP(Karen Vilder)
10.30am  Morning Tea
11.00am Lessons learned in Community Management - Tonga Solid Waste Project Aloa Ma'atonga/Sonya
11.15am The Community Policing Experience in Tonga Police Department
11.30am Nomuka ECO experience in community management - how we made it work Nomuka Community
11.45am Clam Circle Experience DoF (Martini Finau)
12.00pm Open Discussion Lessons Learned  
12.30pm Lunch  
1.30pm  Problem Analysis outputs from 3 pilot communities DoF (Sailosi 'Alofi)
1.45pm Facilitating Coastal Community Management - the framework and the progress DoF (Siola'a Malimali)
2.00pm Oua Coastal Community Management and Development Plan Oua CCMC Chair
2.15pm Tonga Community Management Study Visit to Samoa - what we observed Timote Vea
2.30pm Community Fisheries Management in Samoa A. Mulipola - CEO Samoa Fisheries
3.00pm Community Management SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) & Recommendations Workshop Chair:  
(with tea) Group 1 Grp 1 Facilitator
Group 2 Grp 2 Facilitator
  Group 3 Grp 3 Facilitator
  Group 4 Grp 4 Facilitator
4.00pm Workshop Group Presentations Chair:  
4.30pm Giant Clam Culture Tour DoF (Martini Finau / Tonga Tuiano)
   
6.00pm BBQ  
Day 2 Community Management and Small Scale Fisheries Development Workshop
Time Session Presenter
9.00am Opening remarks Secretary for Fisheries
9.15am Community Trend Analysis - Felemea, Ha'afeva, 'O'ua  
9.30am Nearshore Fisheries Resource Use and Status DoF (Tu'ikolongahau Halafihi)
9.50am Small Scale Fisheries - Options for Management DoF (Salome Tupou)
10.10am Open Discussion  
10.30am Morning Tea  
11.00am Facilitating Community Management  - lessons and successes Fiji NGO (Hugh Govan)
11.20am Management and Development Plans DoF (Siola'a Malimali)
11.40am Fisheries Management Tools for communities  DoF (Mele Ikatonga Makasini)
12.00pm Discussion
12.30pm Lunch  
1.30pm Discussion  
1.45pm Eco Tourism Jeff Hausia ('Eua)
2.00pm Moving Fishing Offshore - FAD's, Mini-longline DoF (Sione Mailau)
2.25pm Small Business Development opportunities for Communities  TDB
2.45pm Workshop - Roles in Community Managed SMA implementation and support (DoF, Community, Other Groups)  
(with tea) Group 1  Group 1 Facilitator
Group 2  Group 2 Facilitator
  Group 3  Group 3 Facilitator
  Group 4 Group 4 Facilitator
3.30pm Group presentation of outputs Chair
4.00pm Discussion and recommendations Chair
4.30pm Summary of Workshop Outputs Director for MAFFF
5.00pm Closing Address Minister 
  Closing Prayer  
Day 3 Round Table Forum
Time Session Presenter
9.00am Opening Prayer  
9.10am Welcome Remarks  
9.20am Do Communities need fish? TFP (Marc Wilson)
9.40am Applying Community Fisheries Management in Tonga - incl inshore fisheries status Secretary for Fisheries
10.00am Samoa Experiences in community Management Samoa Fisheries (Tala)
10.20am Morning Tea  
10.45am A brief overview of the Community Management Process in Tonga DoF (Siola'a Malimali)
10.55am Oua Coastal Community Management Plan - "Our objectives and commitment" Oua CCMC Chair
11.10am SWOT outcomes (from day1) TFP(Karen Vilder)
11.20am Roles and Support Summaries (from day 2) FMAC members
11.40am Discussion TFP (Marc Wilson)
12.20pm Summary of Recommendations  
12.30pm Closing Remarks  
  LUNCH  

The Conference

top of page

   
   
Department of Fisheries
P.O.Box 871
Nuku'alofa
KINGDOM of TONGA
ph. (676) 21399, 27799
fax. (676) 23891