CRC’s Ricci Contributes to IUCN Protected Area Management Book

cover-web-highresCRC Coastal Manager Glenn Ricci has co-authored a chapter on Capacity Development in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) “Protected Area Governance and Management Book,” a free resource for students and practitioners around the globe.

Ricci was asked to contribute to the book because of CRC’s participation in groundbreaking capacity development work through the Western Indian Ocean-Certification of Marine Protected Area Professional (WIO-COMPAS) program. Ricci led that initiative for CRC and was asked to serve on the IUCN Capacity Development Working Group. Ricci also is working on a longer guidance document focused on performance assessment tools for protected area professionals that will be released later this year. The working group and the publications are part of a larger effort to improve the performance of marine protected area staff around the world, and in turn better protect their resources.

The editors state in the foreword of the IUCN book: “Achieving more effective and equitable management requires the appropriate capacity among all institutions and individuals involved. This volume provides an accessible and valuable resource to underpin future capacity development efforts.”

CRC Working with Homeland Security on Coastal Resilience

Coastal communities nationally stand to benefit from CRC’s expertise now that the federal government has tapped the center to share, and enhance further, the tools and techniques it has introduced in Rhode Island to encourage adaptation to flooding and erosion, key impacts of storms and sea level rise. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security chose CRC in May  for its outreach work that is enabling government, community and private sector partners to understand the science of climate change risks and to institute wise guidance and practices to protect homes, businesses, infrastructure and historical and cultural public assets for the long haul. CRC is part of a University of Rhode Island contingent for the project which involves a national cadre of academic partners and is expected to provide the country with models and tools for coastal communities to replicate on a larger scale.   The federal government has tapped the center to share, and enhance further, the tools and techniques it has introduced in Rhode Island to encourage adaptation to flooding and erosion, key impacts of storms and sea level rise.

CRC is part of a University of Rhode Island contingent for the project which involves a national cadre of academic partners and is expected to provide the country with models and tools for coastal communities to replicate on a larger scale. You can learn more here.

 

Malawi FISH Project in the News

The launch of USAID/Malawi FISH project, for which CRC is a key partner, recently attracted some media attention in Africa. For this five-year project CRC is partnering with the international non-governmental organization Pact to provide technical expertise regarding the development and implementation of sustainable fisheries co-management plans. The primary objectives of FISH are: “1) increase resiliency to climate change (CCA) and 2) improve biodiversity conservation (BDC), through effective sustainable fisheries co-management” by adopting evidence based best practices from lessons learned.

A High-Profile Launch for Ghana Fisheries Project

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The launch event gets under way at Akroma Plaza, in Takoradi, Ghana, April 28, 2015. (Friends of the Nation photo)

Acting USAID/Ghana mission director, Ghana’s fisheries minister, local chiefs, regional ministers, members of Parliament, stakeholders and representatives of fishing communities in the Central and Western Regions of Ghana gathered April 28 for the official launch of the USAID/Ghana Sustainable Fisheries Management Project (SFMP)

The event in Takoradi, Ghana, officially kicked off the five-year, $24 million USAID-funded project. CRC leads a consortium of local and international partners in the project implementation. SFMP Chief of Party Brian Crawford received much praise from acting USAID Mission Director Andrew Kara, the honorable Minister Sherry Ayittey of Ghana’s Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development and other officials and fisheries sector stakeholders in attendance.

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Minster of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Sherry Aytittey addresses the crowd. (Friends of the Nation photo)
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CRC Director Anton Post, second from right, and SFMP Chief of Party Brian Crawford, right, at the launch event. (Friends of the Nation Photo)

CRC Director Anton Post was in attendance and introduced URI President David M. Dooley, who stressed the SFMP project’s importance in a videotaped address. The project team also published an issue brief on the crisis facing Ghana’s small pelagic fishery as part of launch activities.

The event featured performances by Ghanaian dancers and drummers and a skit highlighting the role women can play in preventing fishermen from catching undersized, juvenile fish.

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Dancers perform for the crowd. (Friends of the Nation Photo)

Judged from the buzz in media outlets that ensued, the launch event was a tremendous success. Post said that the event created a strong sense of excitement and commitment among all participants.

Some of the local coverage generated:

http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=356409&channel=A3
http://www.modernghana.com/news/614378/1/fisheries-management-project-launched.html
https://www.facebook.com/FoNGhana
https://www.facebook.com/FoNGhana/photos/pb.640547259353402.-2207520000.1430417328./863100237098102/?type=1&theater