The United Nations University Fisheries Training Programme in Iceland

In recognition of the importance of fisheries to Pacific Island Countries (PICs) in terms of sustaining socio-economic livelihoods, exports, food security and poverty reduction, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Iceland and the Commonwealth Secretariat agreed to work together and provide a development cooperation programme in fisheries for PICs over an initial period of three years (2005/06 – 2007/08).  The development cooperation programme provides for training of fisheries personnel in fisheries management areas identified in the regional Strategic Plan for Fisheries Management and Sustainable Coastal Fisheries in Pacific islands (Strategic Plan). It is also expected that the material of the short course will further developed and incorporated into courses offered by the USP.

Target group:
Fisheries officers in the PICs

Contributors:
Ragnar Arnason (University of Iceland)
Pio E. Manoa (University of the South Pacific)
Michael King (Consultant)
Peter Manning (FAO)
Vina Ram-Bidesi (University of the South Pacific)
Jason J.J. Raubani (Vanuatu Fisheries Department)

Objective:
To develop a training course on fisheries policy analysis and formulation, and  planning for fisheries personnel in Pacific Island Countries. 

There are eight components (lectures and other material behind the links) of the course and they aim to allow fisheries managers to:

1. Understand the fisheries policy processes, institutions and systems: How does it work?
2. Understand the fundamental problems of fisheries and fisheries governance.
3. Understand key policy options for solving the problem of fisheries.
4. Ability to identify the data (biological, environmental, economic and social) needs of the various policy options and how to prioritize and collect and process them.
5. To be able to assess the applicability of the various policy options to particular situations taking into account the local, regional, national and international context.
6. Understand the main aspects and options for successful community fisheries management and the formulation of the fisheries management plans
7. Appreciate the key aspects of the process of introducing, developing and finally implementing the appropriate community fisheries management institutions.
8. Formulate fisheries policy (summary and overview)

 Supplementary material

1. Code of conduct: technical guideline for small scale fisheries (FAO 10)
2. Fish stock assessment manual (FAO 393)
3. Fish managers guide (FAO 424)
4. Model for ecosystem approach to fisheries (FAO 477)
5. Socio-economic indicators (FAO 491)
6. Guidelines for designing data collection system in Co-managed fisheries 1 (FAO 494)
7. Guidelines for designing data collection system in Co-managed fisheries 2
8. Mediation techniques for resource management (FAO)
9. 1982 UNCLOS
10. 1992 Agenda 21/Chapter 17 - UNCED
11. 1992 Cancun declaration
12. 1992 Rio declaration
13. 1993 FAO compliance agreement
14. 1995 FAO Code of conduct
15. 1995 UN fish stocks agreement
16. 2000 Migratory stocks agreement
17. 2000 WCPF convention
18. 2003 SPC coastal fisheries strategic plan
19. 2004 Pacific islands regional ocean policy