Characterisation of the traditional subsistence fisheries in the Treaty Communities (Torres Strait and Papua New Guinea) 2012-2014

Characterization of the traditional fisheries of the PNG Treaty villages (Torres Strait and Papua New Guinea) - AFMA Project RR2012/0813. The main objectives of the project were to:1. Assess the status of marine resources exploited on the PNG side of the Torres strait area.2. Understand the role marine resources have within the livelihood portfolios of coastal villages in the WP of PNG Understand how the socio-economic conditions of these communities drive exploitation patterns of marine resources.3. Provide background information on the characteristics of PNG Treaty villages for the CSIRO/NERP project to design livelihoods typology and contribute information/data to the scenario planning workshops and FGDs in vulnerable communities.The Western Province, Papua New Guinea (PNG), has some of the most important and diverse marine ecosystems, with mangroves, seagrasses, and coral reefs of global significance as part of the Coral Triangle. Goods and services from these ecosystems provide coastal communities in the Province for subsistence, cash income and cultural identity. As a border region (with Indonesia to the West and Australia to the South), marine resources have been traditionally traded and shared with neighboring countries. The dynamics of exploitation of marine resources are thus complicated by sharing and trading agreements with bordering countries, increasing the complexity of monitoring and managing these diverse marine ecosystems and their resources.Human impacts have likely degraded these ecosystems in the last few decades. Population growth and internal migration to the area are increasing the exploitation of local marine ecosystems. Mining and other future resource extraction and infrastructure projects in the Province will likely increase adverse pressures on marine resources. Climate change will also present coastal communities in the region with challenges in the next future. Even considering the importance of these resources and the above mentioned threats, there is a lack of information on the overall status of the traditional artisanal and subsistence fisheries for species such as coastal, estuarine and reef finfish, tropical rock lobster, beche-de-mer and trochus (AFMA 2005). A recent survey in the PNG treaty villages found that one of the main issues within the communities was overexploitation of marine resources and the need for sustainable fishing practices (Roe 2010). To address this concern, and provide baseline information for future co-management arrangements at a cross-jurisdictional level, baseline information on the socio-economic and ecological characteristics of the traditional fisheries is required.The overall aim of the project is to assess the status of exploited marine resources in this border region and understand the role marine resources have for the livelihoods and food security of coastal communities in the Western Province of PNG and how socio-economic conditions of these communities drive exploitation patterns of marine resources. The final outcome from this research will provide a clear understanding of the overall multi-sectoral cross-jurisdictional exploitation of marine resources in the Treaty area. Contribution from this project can have a positive multi-scale impact on the sustainable use of shared stocks. Understanding both the socioeconomic and ecological context of marine resources exploitation is paramount to support sound management decisions and the success of any future management and development initiatives. Management agencies and communities in the Treaty area will benefit from information currently lacking to support their management decisions. Collected information has the potential to be used in future as a framework for co-management arrangements at a cross-jurisdictional level. This information will also help management and aid agencies to better allocate resources in future development projects.

巴布亚新几内亚（Papua New Guinea, PNG）条约村庄（托雷斯海峡与巴布亚新几内亚一侧）传统渔业特征研究——澳大利亚渔业管理局（Australian Fisheries Management Authority, AFMA）项目RR2012/0813。本项目的核心目标如下：
1. 评估托雷斯海峡区域巴布亚新几内亚一侧开发利用的海洋资源现状。
2. 明晰海洋资源在巴布亚新几内亚西部省沿海村庄生计组合中的作用；厘清该区域社区的社会经济条件如何驱动海洋资源开发模式。
3. 为联邦科学与工业研究组织/国家环境研究计划（Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation/National Environmental Research Programme, CSIRO/NERP）项目提供巴布亚新几内亚条约村庄的特征背景信息，以支撑生计类型学的构建，并为脆弱社区的情景规划研讨会与焦点小组讨论（Focus Group Discussions, FGDs）提供相关信息与数据。

巴布亚新几内亚西部省拥有全球重要且物种多样的海洋生态系统，作为珊瑚三角区（Coral Triangle）的组成部分，其境内的红树林、海草床与珊瑚礁均具有全球生态价值。这些生态系统所提供的产品与服务，支撑了该省沿海社区的自给生计、现金收入与文化身份认同。作为边境区域（西接印度尼西亚、南邻澳大利亚），当地海洋资源历来与邻国开展贸易与共享活动。因此，与周边国家的资源共享与贸易协定进一步复杂化了海洋资源开发的动态格局，提升了对这类多样海洋生态系统及其资源开展监测与管理的难度。

近数十年来，人类活动或已对这些生态系统造成了不同程度的退化。该区域的人口增长与国内移民正加剧本地海洋生态系统的开发强度。省内的矿业及其他未来资源开发与基础设施项目，或将进一步加大海洋资源面临的负面压力。气候变化也将在未来给该区域的沿海社区带来诸多新的挑战。尽管上述海洋资源具有重要价值且面临前述多重威胁，但针对沿海、河口与礁区鳍鱼、热带岩龙虾、海参（beche-de-mer）与马蹄螺（trochus）等物种的传统手工渔业与自给渔业的整体现状，目前仍缺乏系统的相关信息（澳大利亚渔业管理局，2005）。近期针对巴布亚新几内亚条约村庄开展的一项调查显示，社区面临的核心问题之一为海洋资源过度开发，以及推行可持续捕捞方式的必要性（Roe，2010）。

为应对这一现实问题，并为跨管辖区未来的共同管理安排提供基线数据支撑，亟需获取该区域传统渔业的社会经济与生态特征基线信息。本项目的总体目标为：评估该边境区域开发利用的海洋资源现状，明晰海洋资源在巴布亚新几内亚西部省沿海社区的生计与粮食安全中发挥的核心作用，以及这些社区的社会经济条件如何驱动海洋资源开发模式。本研究的最终成果将清晰阐明条约区域内海洋资源跨部门、跨管辖区的整体开发格局。本项目的贡献将对共享渔业种群的可持续利用产生多尺度的积极影响。

明晰海洋资源开发的社会经济与生态背景，对于制定合理的管理决策、保障未来任何管理与发展举措的成功至关重要。条约区域内的管理机构与社区将受益于当前缺失的、可支撑其管理决策的关键信息。所收集的信息未来可作为跨管辖区共同管理安排的参考框架。此外，该信息还将助力管理与援助机构在未来的发展项目中更科学合理地分配资源。