The objective of the voluntary commitments is to ensure the long term sustainability of coastal fisheries resources for food security and livelihoods of coastal village communities.
The implementation of the voluntary commitments is through a community based approach for fisheries and resources management where village communities work in partnership with the government in managing their coastal fisheries resources. The main goal is to empower local communities to take charge of managing their fisheries and marine resources. The approach involves consultation with village communities on issues and threats that affects their fisheries resources. The outcomes from these consultations generally results in villages undertakings that forms the basis of a village fishery management plan. This amongst other things includes the recognition of a village fisheries management area, identification or marking of a no take zone within the fishery management area and the development and approval of fisheries by laws to give recognition to village fisheries committees to carry out surveillance and enforcement of their fisheries management areas.
This approach allows a coastal village after consultation with the government to sustainably manage their coastal fisheries resources. The government through its assisting role carried out six monthly reviews for participating communities to assess its progress with the implementation of village undertakings and to identify any new threats and risks. The result of these reviews provide the basis for the advice and recommendations from the government to further strengthen the implementation of the village fisheries management plans under the community based fisheries management programme.
Progress reports
By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution
Type of commitment
NUTRIENTS
- Fertilizer use efficiency
- Wastewater treatment
- Manure management
- Nutrient sinks (e.g. constructed wetlands)
PLASTICS
- Coastal clean-ups
- Plastics product bans or restrictions
- Plastics recovery/recycling/reuse
By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans
Type of commitment
- Community or Locally Managed Marine Areas
- Integrated Coastal Management
- Marine Spatial Planning
- Large Marine Ecosystem approach
- Ecosystem-based Adaptation
By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices and implement science-based management plans, in order to restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible, at least to levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield as determined by their biological characteristics
Type of commitment
- Compliance, monitoring and enforcement
- Reduction and elimination fishing practices and gear that destroy/degrade marine habitat
- Science-based fisheries management plans
- Ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF)
By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information
Type of commitment
- No take marine protected area
- Marine protected area with partial protection
- Multiple use marine protected area
- Locally or community managed marine areas
- MPA management and/or enforcement
By 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism
Type of commitment
- Economic benefits from sustainable fisheries
- Economic benefits from sustainable tourism
- Economic benefits from sustainable aquaculture/mariculture
Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries
Type of commitment
- Scientific, socioeconomic and interdisciplinary research
- Research capacity development
- Data access and sharing
- Training and professional development
- Scientific cooperation
- Transfer marine technology
- Actions that support SIDS and LDCs
Provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets
Type of commitment
- Legal/policy/institutional measures
- Access to market-based instruments
- Transfer of fishing technology
- Access to coastal fishing grounds
- Community empowerment for fisheries management
July 1995
Coastal villages with fisheries management plans (on going project)
July 1995
Coastal villages with no take zones (on gonig project)
July 1995
Coastal villages with approved fisheries by laws (on going project)
July 1995
Six monthly review of village fisheries management programme (on going project)
Samoa
