Fisheries Management Planning Guidelines

Fisheries management planning guidelines in support of 2020 Micronesia Challenge goals and establishment of Pohnpei as a regional model for marine resource management and enforcement planning, funded by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation (2013 – 2015).Under this project MCT supported the establishment of the Pohnpei State Fisheries Working Group, comprised of representatives from Pohnpei State government agencies, local conservation organizations, and international non-governmental organizations. The Fisheries Working Group is collaborating with local fishers, market owners, and government and traditional leaders to stem overharvesting of Pohnpei's nearshore fisheries. The team also designed a large-scale awareness-raising program - the Ahi Mour, Ahi Pwukoah. My Reef. My Community. My Life. My Responsibility. Ahi Mour, Ahi Pwukoah was designed to bring stakeholders up to speed on recent scientific findings and anecdotal evidence of fisheries resource decline, and how communities, traditional leaders, and resource managers can reduce overfishing and improve community livelihoods. During this intensive four-month communications campaign, the team reached over 2,500 Pohnpeians directly during over 15 meetings and conferences, and countless more through radio programs, social media, and songs – click here to hear one [https://soundcloud.com/eujoseph925/ahi-mour-ahi-pwukoah-by-kyle-goose-joseph]. [Photos k. & l. K. Caption: During an Ahi Mour, Ahi Pwukoah campaign meeting Pohnpei community members discussed overfishing. © Javier Cuetos-Bueno L. Caption: Pohnpei youth wearing Ahi Mour, Ahi Pwukoah campaign t-shirts © Javier Cuetos-Bueno.

Other MCT administered initiatives include:

Building the resilience of communities and their ecosystems to the impacts of climate change in Micronesia and Melanesia, headed by The Nature Conservancy and funded by Germany's Federal Environment Ministry (2015 – 2018)

Global shark campaign, funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts (2014 – 2016)

Professional internships in Pacific terrestrial island ecosystems management, funded by the United States Forest Service (2012 – 2017)

Socioeconomic monitoring team and data compilation for Micronesia, funded by the United States National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (2014 – 2016)

Sustainable finance systems for protected area management in Micronesia Challenge states, headed by the United Nations Environment Programme and funded by the Global Environment Facility (2010 – 2015)

Global Climate Change Alliance, headed by the University of the South Pacific and funded by the European Union (2012 – 2015)