A fundamental requirement for a successful and sustainable marine aquarium trade in PNG is to develop and implement Management Area Plans (MAP) for each Fishery Managed Area (FMA). A Management Area Plan is developed for each FMA with active and meaningful involvement of key stakeholders. The SEASMART program team bring local stakeholders together to develop the awareness of the need for a management plan. The participatory planning process will result in a MAP Committee to follow through on drafting the management plan.
The draft MAP will then be presented in individual and group meetings to stakeholders to discuss and resolve concerns, building the capacity of fishers and other stakeholders to understand reef resource management planning. A series of workshops with the community stakeholders will be conducted over time to review, revise and endorse the final MAP.
In line with the requirements of certification, the analyses and recommendations on management of the fishery management area are provided to the MAP committee for integration in the Management Area Plan. The monitoring will result in recommendations to be included in the ongoing improvement of the MAP. The RAM information will also be used to develop the very important mitigation and management measures, notably harvest rotation patterns or Fisheries Replenishment Areas and Total Allowable Catch (TAC) implementation for the fishers in the project areas. Additional data on the status and trends in reef resources will become available through the periodic monitoring of reef health and fish stocks and provide the basis for revising total allowable catches for the different species and how other management and mitigation efforts specific to each FMA and MAP. The results of the RAM full assessment is communicated during community workshops to the fishers, stakeholders and the rest of the community to increase their awareness of the state of the reefs and marine aquarium fish stocks and the importance of scientific monitoring.
