Project Detail

Improving the Sustainable Livelihood of Fishermen and Conservation of Marine Biodiversity Through the Reduction of Sea Turtle By-Catch in Commercial Fisheries in Sabah, Malaysia

The project will improve the sustainable livelihoods and building the capacity of the local fisherfolk communities and enable them
i) to undertake much more sustainable fishing efforts, particularly among the local communities operating out of Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia, and
ii) to reduce the loss of marine biodiversity, especially of the green turtle, Chelonia Mydas, classified as Endangered by the IUCN Red List.
The project will demonstrate the impact of commercial trawling on adult and juvenile endangered sea turtle populations off the east coast of Borneo, and it will also determine its potential impacts on marine diversity and on the sustainable livelihoods of local fisherfolk communities, while developing potential mitigation options at the operational and management levels.

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Project Snapshot

Grantee:

The Registered Trustees of the Marine Research Foundation

Country:

Malaysia

Area Of Work:

Biodiversity

Operational Phase:

Phase 3

Grant Amount:

US$ 50,000.00

Co-Financing Cash:

US$ 7,534.00

Co-Financing in-Kind:

US$ 10,786.00

Project Number:

MAL/OP3/2/06/FP-56

Start Date:

11/2006

End Date:

10/2008

Status:

Satisfactorily Completed

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Project Characteristics and Results

Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods

Fishing trials were conducted to determine the impact of installing TEDs on fishing/shrimp trawlers to collect some baseline data to prove that by adopting sustainable fishing methods to reduce the impact on marine diversity, does not necessary have to affect the livelihoods of the fishing community.

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment

Marine biodiversity is deterioraing at an alarming rate and the endangered green turtle, chelonia mydas on the IUCN red list is no exception. It is hope that with encouraged use of exclusion devices would reduce the number of green turtles caught as by-catch.

Capacity - Building Component

The capacity building component of the project is crucial in determining the success in conducting the fishing trials and its important data tabulations. The participants were trained to install and use the exclusion devices on the trawlers while learning how to disengage any trapped by-catch such as turtles.

Inovative Financial Mechanisms

The design of the exclusion device proved crucial in ensuring cost savings for the local fisherfolk, especially in terms of fuel consumption.

Replication of project activities

The fishery does not operate out of one port alone, with at least four other majors ports and a suite of secondary ports that support shrimp trawl fisheries. Future plans for replicating this project at other areas appears to be received with enthusiasm.

Policy Influence

The goals of this project to improve the sustainable livelihoods and build the capacity of the local fisherfolk to enable them to undertake sustainable fishing efforts while reducing the loss of marine biodiversity, especially of the endangered green turtle, Chelonia Mydas, has received the cooperation of the Sabah Fisheries Department as a step towards determining the level of by-catch and the opportunities for introducing turtle exclusion devices (TEDs) as a government mandate.

Notable Community Participation

This project involves the active participation of the local fisherfolk communities operating out of Sandakan, Sabah. It requires commitment from the local fisherfolk undertake fishing trials which many believe would have an impact on their livelihood. Building the trust and capacity of the community to undertake sustainable fishing efforts such as installing exclusion devices on their trawlers is crucial to reduce the loss of marine biodiversity, especially of the endangered green turtle.

Policy Impact

This project received support and cooperation from the Sabah Fisheries Department in effort to promote sustainable fishery by determining the level of by-catch and the opportunities for introducing the use of exclusion devices such as the TEDs on a voluntary basis initially, and subsequently as a government mandate.

Project Results

The project entitled, "Improving the sustainable livelihood of fishermen and conservation of marine biodiversity through the reduction of sea turtle by-catch in commercial fisheries in Sabah, Malaysia", aimed to demonstrate the impact of commercial trawling on adult and juvenile endangered sea turtle populations off the east coast of Borneo, and also determine its potential impacts on marine biodiversity and on the sustainable livelihoods of local fisherfolk communities, while developing potential mitigation options at the operational and management levels. The project has been deveoped in partnership with the Sabah Fisheries Department, and is already providing the data upon which the government can base further fishery practise controls to conserve marine turtles, either through the use of excluder devices and/or temporal closures in fishing seasons.
Pilot trials to evaluate the effects of turtle exclusion devices (TEDs) were carried out with the cooperation of the Sabah Fishing Boat Owners' Association, to install TEDs on participating Malaysian trawlers. Trainings on the installation and the use of TEDs were conducted, followed by operational trials on trawlers to evaluate the performance and to obtain data. Independent observer coverage recorded catch statistics as well as numbers of turtles caught/released, their conditions and other fishery related data.
Overall the impact of TEDs on catches was negligible, or not statistically significant, for both shrimp and fish, which was the main concern of the local fisherfolk who assumed that their catch would be reduced when TEDs are used. Final analysis of the results proved their conclusion otherwise and thus the fishing community is open and willing to consider change for the benefit of preserving marine biodiversity. The government, NGO and private sector linkages are the way forward in reducing by-catch and improving livelihoods, while conserving natural resource.

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