Policymakers
Noah Idechong, a Delegate of Ngiwal State to Congress in Palau, has been the catalyst for the development of Palau's 'Protected Areas Network Act' by bringing together all the environment groups in a multi-agency and multi-sectoral drafting group. Photo © S. Summerhays
Policymakers in most democratic countries are primarily concerned with the interests of their constituents. Unsustainable fishing of spawning aggregations generally provides short-term gain for a small minority against the majority's long-term interests. These are the kinds of issues for which policymakers may be able to provide solutions beyond those attainable by local communities.
In a number of countries, including Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Palau and Solomon Islands, local communities have taken the lead where national governments have been slow to act or ineffective. Regardless, policymakers should be fully aware of fishing impacts to FSAs and associated conservation initiatives, and be engaged in all efforts to protect them.
Policymakers should be provided with:
- Good information (including photos and video) that outlines the situation (see Identifying FSAs and FSA Management for more information)
- Examples of policies, strategies, and legislation that have worked in other locations
- Draft legislation that can be adapted and adopted
- Examples of the consequences that may result from failure to implement management actions (e.g., complete loss of these resources)
- Access to constituents (e.g., local community fishers), who can speak eloquently about the issues and lobby for protection measures
- Visits to FSA sites
Protection of FSAs is a “win-win” situation for countries that still have these resources. Policymakers who recognize this, and act on it, will gain support from large and varied constituents.
Resources