8 th Heads of Fisheries Meeting March 2013 SPC, Nouméa The innovative management

The innovative management of sea-cucumber fisheries in New Caledonia and Vanuatu8th Heads of Fisheries MeetingMarch 2013SPC, Nouméa

The innovative management of sea-cucumber fisheries:

Experience from New Caledonia and Vanuatu

Marc Léopold, Pascal Dumas & Serge Andréfouët - IRD Nouméa (COREUS 2) Nathaniel Cornuet & Zacharie Moenteapo - Fisheries Department of

the Northern Province, New Caledonia Sompert Gereva, Jason Raubani, Jayven Ham - Vanuatu Fisheries Department

The innovative management of sea-cucumber fisheries in New Caledonia and Vanuatu

Contents

1.Vanuatu Fisheries Department’s viewpoint : A new strategy for SK fisheries is achievable in South Pacific countries S.Gereva, VFD

2. A new management framework for SK fisheries : Methodological and technical considerations M.Léopold, IRD


VFD has developed a new management strategyfor SK fisheries11

The recent story…

West central Pacific : boom and decline of sea-cucumber fisheries since the 1980s (high demand # resource abundance)

Vanuatu : national moratorium in 2008 due to overexploitation

Ban extended for 5 years in January 2013 despite strong political and economic lobbying


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How has SK fisheries management changed ?

1) Local experience comes from the success story of the co-management of a sandfish fishery in New Caledonia since 2008.

2) A partnership has been built with the IRD and the Fisheries Division of the Northern Province, New Caledonia to operationalize stock assessment.

Sandfish catch per year (salted)

0

20

40

60

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

tons/y

ear

Sandfish stock biomass

0

100

200

300

Bio

mas

s (t

)

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Using biomass stock estimates to set TAC per species and per (small) area at the national level

3) The challenge was to scale-up the approach in Vanuatu


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The chain of learning…

1) SK identification training (2011) – SPC

2) Assessment methods (2011) – IRD

Stock biomass estimates (SK size required) SK density is not appropriate to set TAC : density thresholds are highly

variable between sites, ecological knowledge is not available for each fishery !

3) Mapping (GIS) – SPC / IRD (2012) Spatial approach

4) User-oriented BDMer Database – IRD / Northern Province NC (2012) Automatically estimate stocks for each species and each fishery 5) Draft of the SK fisheries national management plan – SPC / IRD (2010 cont.)

The VFD have the capacities to assess stock biomass and to implement appropriate management regulations (TAC)


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Short-term perspectives…

1) Stock biomass has been estimated for 15 species in 7 fisheries since 2011

Current biomass is low to very low for most species in all sites

2) Additional surveys will be conducted in 2013 (Aneytium Island, etc.)

3) The BDMer Database will be finalized

4) The national management plan will be finalized (eg. minimum size limits)

5) Small TACs may be authorized for some low value species in restricted areas (eg. Lollyfish in South Malekula ?)

6) The same strategy is currently being conducted in New Caledonia by the Fisheries Division of the Northern Province (technical partnership)

Vanuatu and New Caledonia’s experience may be used in other South Pacific countries…


Contents

1.Vanuatu Fisheries Department’s viewpoint : A new strategy for SK fisheries is achievable in South Pacific countries S.Gereva, VFD

2. A new management framework for SK fisheries : Methodological and technical considerations M.Léopold, IRD

2


10-25 transect/km²

Stratified sampling

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The local management procedure for SK fisheries

This ideal procedure should be rationalized with the local fisheries and capacities.

http://bdmer.ird.nc/


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Management capacities :

The management procedure is NOT appropriate for ALL SK fisheries.

1) Technical capacities available to government agencies (GIS, sampling design, data analysis…) have been increasing in most Pacific countries (eg, New Caledonia, Vanuatu)

2) Enforcement capacities : restrict open fishing seasons (time & space) and involve fishers, buyers & processors

3) Management costs : Start-up costs (mapping, satellite picture): 50 -100 $ / km² Recurrent monitoring costs :

- stock biomass : 150 – 500 $ / km² - catch : 60 – 200 $ / km²

eg New Caledonia ~ 240 $/km² - 10 % to 2 % of returns from sandfish catches

Management costs should be shared and rationalized to expected catches.


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1) Implement the management procedure for key SK fisheries, including TAC per species and per area (NOT at the provincial level) 2) Biomass stock estimate should be used BEFORE a moratorium may be

lifted (eg, density is NOT enough !)

3) For small / low value SK fisheries :

- Use restricted open fishing seasons (time, space, species) to reduce management costs and improve enforcement

eg, 5 days / 2-5 years

- Assess stock biomass (low frequency of surveys)- Monitor sales

Some management highlights…

Let’s be optimistic ?...

The innovative management of sea-cucumber fisheries in New Caledonia and Vanuatu8th Heads of Fisheries MeetingMarch 2013SPC, Nouméa

Experience from New Caledonia and Vanuatu

THANK YOU !

Marc Léopold, Pascal Dumas & Serge Andréfouët - IRD Nouméa (COREUS 2) Nathaniel Cornuet & Zacharie Moenteapo - Fisheries Department of

the Northern Province, New Caledonia Sompert Gereva, Jason Raubani, Jayven Ham - Vanuatu Fisheries Department

8 th Heads of Fisheries Meeting March 2013 SPC, Nouméa The innovative management

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