Supporting fishing families and ecotourism in the South Mediterranean, summer 2008
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14 The Edge Summer 2008 is within this perspective that CoastNet met up with stakeholders in the country to get a better idea of the current situation and possible future actions. CoastNet’s community project Local actions with even a limited budget can make a huge difference, and it was with this approach in mind that the CoastNet team interviewed stakeholders belonging to national research institutions, water companies, women business organisations, politicians, fishing associations and tourism organisations. CoastNet agreed that a key focus for future action would be to support the artisanal fishing communities whose way of life is particularly vulnerable to the pressures for change that they face. Confronted with decreasing fish stocks, pressure for mass tourism development, migration from the villages to the cities, and loss of natural and cultural heritage they need help to adapt, and to capture some of the benefits of change for their own community. Supporting fishing families and ecotourism in the South Mediterranean E arly this year, thanks to funding from the Big Lottery International Small Grants Programme, a CoastNet team visited Tetouan, in Northern Morocco, approximately 50 miles from the Strait of Gibraltar. CoastNet’s interest in the African coast of the Mediterranean has grown out of the Encora Project, which was extended in 2007 to include a North African Encora Network. With a view to bring further support to coastal management in this region CoastNet secured funding from the Big Lottery International Small Grants programme to gain a better understanding of international efforts in the region to promote sustainable development. Morocco is one of the case study areas that we investigated to understand better the relationship between international guidance, and local delivery, and to identify priorities for future activity. About Morocco Morocco is the poorest country of the Mediterranean, having the lowest HDI (Human Development Index). However, it is rich in coastal natural resources, making it an increasingly popular destination for tourists and foreign investments in this sector. A recent government scheme is aiming to double tourist visits in 10 years which would mean an increase from 5 to 10 million tourists by 2015. Although there are local concerns regarding the environmental pressure from mass tourism, the priorities in a country where 30 per cent of the population are under 15 years old and 20 per cent are living under the poverty threshold, put sustainable development and climate change understandably at the bottom of the agenda. Although there is little coordination between local coastal communities, there is a strong interest in working together to defend community rights. It Manuela de los Rios reports on a CoastNet international project looking at sustainable fishing and ecotourism in Northern Morocco. Supporting fishing families and ecotourism in the South Mediterranean
Transcript of Supporting fishing families and ecotourism in the South Mediterranean, summer 2008
14 The Edge Summer 2008
is within this perspective that CoastNetmet up with stakeholders in the countryto get a better idea of the currentsituation and possible future actions.
CoastNet’s community projectLocal actions with even a limited budgetcan make a huge difference, and itwas with this approach in mind thatthe CoastNet team interviewedstakeholders belonging to nationalresearch institutions, water companies,women business organisations,politicians, fishing associations andtourism organisations. CoastNet agreedthat a key focus for future action wouldbe to support the artisanal fishingcommunities whose way of life isparticularly vulnerable to the pressuresfor change that they face. Confrontedwith decreasing fish stocks, pressure formass tourism development, migrationfrom the villages to the cities, and loss ofnatural and cultural heritage they needhelp to adapt, and to capture some of thebenefits of change for their owncommunity.
Supporting fishing familiesand ecotourism in the South Mediterranean
Early this year, thanks to fundingfrom the Big LotteryInternational Small Grants
Programme, a CoastNet team visitedTetouan, in Northern Morocco,approximately 50 miles from theStrait of Gibraltar.
CoastNet’s interest in the Africancoast of the Mediterranean has grownout of the Encora Project, which wasextended in 2007 to include aNorth African Encora Network. Witha view to bring further support tocoastal management in this regionCoastNet secured funding from theBig Lottery International SmallGrants programme to gain a betterunderstanding of international effortsin the region to promote sustainabledevelopment. Morocco is one of thecase study areas that we investigatedto understand better the relationshipbetween international guidance, andlocal delivery, and to identifypriorities for future activity.
About MoroccoMorocco is the poorest country ofthe Mediterranean, having the lowestHDI (Human Development Index).However, it is rich in coastal naturalresources, making it an increasinglypopular destination for tourists andforeign investments in this sector. Arecent government scheme is aiming todouble tourist visits in 10 years whichwould mean an increase from 5 to 10million tourists by 2015.
Although there are local concernsregarding the environmental pressurefrom mass tourism, the priorities in acountry where 30 per cent of thepopulation are under 15 years old and20 per cent are living under the povertythreshold, put sustainable developmentand climate change understandably atthe bottom of the agenda.
Although there is little coordinationbetween local coastal communities,there is a strong interest in workingtogether to defend community rights. It
Manuela de los Rios reports on a CoastNet international project looking at sustainable
fishing and ecotourism in Northern Morocco.
Supporting fishing familiesand ecotourism in the South Mediterranean
The Edge Summer 2008 15
The target of the project, Amsa(pictured above), is a small fishingvillage to the south of the city ofTetouan. Its fishermen havetraditionally made their living fromthe adjacent bay. However,overfishing in the Mediterranean hashad an impact on the fish resourceswithin the bay, so that fishing nolonger provides for the community asit did in the past. Their vision for thecommunity’s future is for small touristlodges, nature trails, and a cooperativeof fisherwives to run a fish restaurantfor tourists; for diversification intolow-impact mussel farming; for bettersanitation and water supplies for thevillage; and for improved educationand training so that local people canbenefit from tourism jobs. CoastNethas set out a programme to help themachieve these goals. The programmealso includes support for local NGOs,to help them to build their owncapacity to support this and similarcommunities through these rapidlychanging times.
The project will span 30 months andbuild local partnerships between twoenvironmental NGOs, a women’s
The importance of the Mediterranean asan international sea, its situationbetween three continents, and theextent of threats to its environmentalquality from pollution and coastalurbanisation have resulted in complexinstitutional arrangements forinternational support in the coastalregions of North Africa and the MiddleEast. An added complexity is in therelationship between Arab and Westernsystems and institutions of governance.Here are the principle institutions:
• CEDARE (http://www.cedare.int) –The Center for Environmentand Development for the ArabRegion and Europe – established in1992 as an international inter-governmental organisation withdiplomatic status. CEDARE citesmarine and coastal management,environmental economics andassessment, urbanisation, andeducation and communicationas areas of special concern.www.cedare.int/Main.aspx?code=284
• United Nations EnvironmentProgram Mediterranean ActionPlanwww.unepmap.org/html/homeeng.asp– Established as part of UNEPIsregional seas programme. Its prioritiesinclude protecting the Mediterraneancoasts “from the impact ofunrestrained development and itseffects on the marine environment”.
• METAP, the MediterraneanEnvironmental Technical AssistanceProgramme www.metap.org – Coastalmanagement is a priority.
• The Short and Medium-termPriority Environmental ActionProgramme(SMAP) http://ec.europa.eu/environment/smap/whatis.htm – a EuropeanUnion framework programme ofaction for the protection of theMediterranean environment, withinthe context of the Euro-MediterraneanPartnership, adopted in 1997.
support association, schools, localgovernment, university and thenational fishing research centre. It willalso support fishermen and theirfamilies by:• Renovating traditional fishing gear
and facilities and promotingsustainable fishing techniques.
• Diversifying income by installingand building capacity to develop lowimpact mussel aquaculture.
• Developing coastal relatedecotourism attractions andeducational resources.
• Strengthening a network of civilsociety from the region of Tanger-Tetouan and Northern Africa thatwill promote similar good practice inrural coastal communities.
At the time of going to press we awaitthe outcome of a bid for further BigLottery funding for a £330,000 packageof activities and investment in supportof these goals.
About ICZM in theSouth Mediterranean
