A fundamental requirement for a successful and sustainable marine aquarium trade in Papua New Guinea is the development and implementation of Management Area Plans (MAP) for each Fishery Management Area (FMA). A Management Area Plan is developed for each FMA with active and meaningful involvement of key stakeholders. The SEASMART program team brings local stakeholders together to develop the awareness of the need for a management plan. The participatory planning process results in the creation of a MAP Committee to follow through on drafting the management plan. The draft MAP is then 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 are conducted over time to review, revise and endorse the MAP.

Baseline data regarding the diversity and abundance of target species and reef health is analyzed. 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, (e.g. if there is a decline in resources, then measures such as reductions in catch limits (TAC), designation of new Fishery Replenishment Areas, etc). The RAM information is also used to develop the very important mitigation and management measures, notably harvest rotation patterns or Fisheries Replenishment Areas. Additional data on the status and trends in reef resources 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.

The goals and objectives of the MAP are to: 1.) Guide and help the fishers of the area in properly protecting, preserving, and managing their marine ecosystem as they extract aquarium fish and invertebrates for their livelihood; 2.) Serve as a tool in enhancing the public’s awareness of the importance of using their marine resources in a conservative manner; 3.) Local level government utilizing the MAP to see and validate that the fishers of the area are motivated and are responsible users of their marine environment; 4.) Serving as a mechanism to enable fishers to receive fair and just pricing for producing high quality marine products in the most environmentally friendly manner.

A National Marine Aquarium Management Plan for PNG draft has been produced by EcoEZ for the National Fisheries Authority. This draft is a living document and is being adapted to real world conditions of the trade in PNG over the course of the SEASMART Program’s three-year trial program. Gazetting of the National management Plan will take place at the end of the trial period. This allows NFA and the SEASMART Program time to ensure that all requirements for a sustainable fishery are known, and that management systems are in place to back up enforcement of the new National Marine Aquarium Management Plan before opening up this new fishery.