Stakeholder Conversations about Involvement in Local Conservation Overview of Visits to Abaco, Andros, Exuma, and San Salvador for Input about Protected Area Co-Management (October 2017)
Daniel R. Brumbaugh Institute of Marine Sciences University of California, Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CA 95060 USA
Prepared for The Nature Conservancy as part of the Bahamas Protected Project’s Advancing Effective Management of the MPA System in The Bahamas: A Baseline Assessment of Co-Management Arrangements with Recommendations for a National Co-Management Framework
Project Overview This report is part of a larger project, “Advancing Effective Management of the MPA System in The Bahamas: A Baseline Assessment of Co-Management Arrangements with Recommendations for a National Co-Management Framework.” Exploring the challenges and opportunities for implementing comanagement of protected areas (PAs) in The Bahamas, the project also includes these other components: • Greater Effectiveness Through Co-Management of Marine Protected Areas: An Introductory Discussion for The Bahamas (Executive Summary and Full Report versions) • Transitioning Towards Protected Area Co-management? An Analysis of Enabling and Inhibiting Conditions in Bahamian Laws • Stakeholder Involvement in Co-Management of Marine Protected Areas? A Stakeholder Analysis for The Bahamas • Co-Management of Marine Protected Areas: A Suggested Framework for The Bahamas
Project Acknowledgements This project was funded by The Nature Conservancy through a grant from Oceans 5 and the China Global Conservation Fund. It was also supported by many people who graciously offered their time and expertise in discussing perspectives on Bahamian PA management. Much appreciation is extended to them, as well as organizations and communities on Abaco, Andros, Exuma, and San Salvador who provided hospitality and logistical support during many of these discussions. Logistical support was provided by the Bahamas National Trust (BNT), Forfar Field Station, Friends of the Environment (FOE), Exuma Foundation (EF), San Salvador Living Jewels Foundation (SSJLF), and Gerace Research Centre, and special thanks go to David Knowles and Kadie Mills on Abaco (BNT), Liz Brace and Steve Smith on Andros (BNT), Catherine Booker on Exuma (EF), and Kendrea Jones on San Salvador. Craig Dahlgren and Sarah Wise also shared useful information. Many people at various governmental and non-governmental organizations were also involved in reviewing and improving drafts of the project reports, and this thoughtful work is also deeply appreciated. Reviewers’ comments were anonymous, so only the organizations can be thanked. These include the Antiquities, Monuments and Museum Corporation; Bahamas Environment, Science, and Technology Commission; BNT; Bahamas Public Parks and Public Beaches Authority; Bahamas Reef Environment Educational Foundation; Cat Island United; Cape Eleuthera Institute; Department of Marine Resources; Forestry Unit; FOE; One Eleuthera; Perry Institute of Marine Science; and SSLJF. Of course, where errors exist or something is unclear, the fault lies with the author. Regarding any inquiries, please contact The Nature Conservancy’s Northern Caribbean Program (
[email protected]) or Dan Brumbaugh (
[email protected]).
Suggested Citation Brumbaugh, D.R. 2017. Stakeholder Conversations about Involvement in Local Conservation: Overview of Visits to Abaco, Andros, Exuma, and San Salvador for Input about Protected Areas Comanagement. Report to The Nature Conservancy, Northern Caribbean Program, Nassau, Bahamas. 17 pp + appendices.
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Table of Contents Abbreviations and Acronyms ....................................................................................... 2 Overview ..................................................................................................................... 3 Approach ..................................................................................................................... 5 Family Island Visits ....................................................................................................... 6 Abaco ....................................................................................................................... 6 Great Exuma ............................................................................................................ 6 San Salvador ............................................................................................................. 6 Andros ..................................................................................................................... 7 Selected Perspectives .................................................................................................. 7 Stakeholder state of knowledge ............................................................................... 8 PA management perspectives .................................................................................. 8 Perspectives about PA managers and the government ........................................... 10 Potential PA co-management partners? ................................................................. 10 How to proceed? .................................................................................................... 11 Importance of education ........................................................................................ 14 Comments about Key Stakeholder Groups ............................................................. 15 General ...................................................................................................................... 15 Bonefishing Guides ..................................................................................................... 15 Commercial Fishers .................................................................................................... 15 Local Government ...................................................................................................... 15 Local Businesses and Philanthropy ............................................................................. 16
About the Author ....................................................................................................... 17 Appendix A: Semi-Structured Interview Instrument ................................................... 18 Appendix B: List of Participants .................................................................................... 1
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Abbreviations and Acronyms AMMC ANCAT BAMSI BNT DMR FOE MPA NGO PA SSLJF
Antiquities, Monuments and Museum Corporation Andros Conservancy and Trust Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute Bahamas National Trust Department of Marine Resources Friends of the Environment marine protected area non-governmental organization protected area San Salvador’s Living Jewels Foundation
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Overview In support of a project on co-management of protected areas (PAs), visits to four different Family Island study areas were conducted between early December 2016 and early February 2017 for interactions with local stakeholders. Additional time was also spent to meet with natural resource managers in Nassau. Marsh Harbour, Abaco was visited in December as the pilot site to test how to best introduce co-management subject matter with various stakeholders and gather feedback. Great Exuma, San Salvador, and Andros were then visited in series from late January through early February. Each island visit was relatively short, lasting only 2-4 days. Local partners on each island, to a large extent, facilitated arrangements for meetings with stakeholders during these short visits. During each trip, stakeholders provided input through group meetings/community discussions, “individual” conversations/interviews (which also included a few small groups of 2 or 3 people), or in some cases both. To date, there have been 114 participants across these events with 98 of these being unique participants (after accounting for people who participated in multiple interactions) (Table 1). Overall, there was a relatively even split between group (53.5%) and individual (46.5%) interactions, though this split varied among focal sites. Specifically, on Andros, there were more individualized interviews and on San Salvador, there were more participants in group meetings. 1
Table 1. Summary of the pool of stakeholders providing input to this project to date. Total and unique participant numbers are broken out by participation type (group meetings or individual interviews) and island. “Natl” includes participants based in Nassau or Freeport who focus on natural resource management at the national level.
Total participants Meeting participants Interview participants Unique participants
Abaco 26 13 13 21
Family Islands Andros Exuma 29 21 9 12 20 9 27 18
San Sal 30 22 8 24
Natl
All
8 5 3 8
114 61 53 98
To the extent possible (and in consultation with local colleagues), unique participants were classified by stakeholder group, resulting in 91 people being assigned to 19 different stakeholder categories. Most people were assigned to a single category, but 14 (15%) were
1 As of 13 March 2017. Numbers were tallied from meeting sign-in sheets and numbers of interviews. Additional people may have attended meetings but not signed in. 3
assigned to two or more categories, making a total of 107 different stakeholder assignments. These groups are described further in a separate stakeholder analysis.2
25
NaZonal 20
Abaco Andros
15 10
Exuma San Sal
5 0
Figure 1. Number of unique project participants classified by stakeholder type across study islands. “National” includes participants based in Nassau or Freeport who focus on natural resource management at the national level. “NR Manager” means “Natural Resource Manager.”
The most common stakeholder groups participating in the study were the targeted groups of natural resource managers,3 conservationists,4 fishing guides,5 and members of local government.6 Commercial fishers, part of another group of interest,7 were difficult to access due to visits conflicting with fishing activities during a stretch of good weather. Further attempts to talk with these and other key people who were not available during visits will be made, and additional information will be incorporated into the stakeholder analysis.
2 Brumbaugh, DR. 2017. Stakeholder Involvement in Co-Management of Marine Protected Areas? A Stakeholder
Analysis for The Bahamas. Report to The Nature Conservancy, Northern Caribbean Program, Nassau, Bahamas. 25 pp. 3 “natural resource manager” includes staff of agencies managing protected areas, fisheries, forestry, and archeological resources. 4 “conservation” includes staff, committed volunteers, and major patrons of conservation groups. 5 “fishing guide” includes flats fly fishing and deep-sea fishing guides or boat captains, as well as lodge operations. 6 “local government” includes both civil servant district administrators and elected members of local government (i.e., members of town committees and district councils). 7 “commercial fishing” includes fishers and buyers, and any others in the seafood supply chain.
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Approach The goals for the fieldwork in the four study areas were to (1) meet with a range of targeted stakeholders to (re)start the broader conversation about protected areas, their management, and local involvement in it; and (2) elicit and capture their perspectives about the possible opportunities and challenges for moving forward with co-management. A mix of formats – group meeting discussions and individual (or small group) interviews – was used to engage and elicit input from stakeholder. The specific mix of targeted groups vs. individuals at different locations resulted in part from advice from and arrangements by local partners as well as logistical constraints, including the days of the week during which particular visits occurred. The interviews were intended to be able to go into greater detail with key informants, whereas the community discussions were intended to be able to involve a larger cross section of communities (as well as targeted stakeholders who were not available for scheduled interviews). A semi-structured interview instrument was originally developed to guide probing of stakeholder knowledge and perspectives. After the instrument was piloted on Abaco, however, it was determined that the instrument was more effective for some but not other stakeholder groups. The interview approach was therefore made more flexible to better capture the various kinds of input that different individuals had to offer. In general, after a brief introduction to the project, relatively open questions were initially asked, and depending on the kinds of responses that were received, there were follow-up questions, new questions, or some additional information was provided so that the interviewee had something to react to. Community meetings across the different study areas were relatively diverse, with a suite of local factors likely influencing turnout, subjects of interest, and enthusiasm. For example, different local histories of and proximities to protected areas (e.g., older or more recent efforts to establish nearby national parks) seemed to affect turnout and discussions. In addition, participant composition likely varied with the approach and intensity of advertising for the meetings, logistical constraints such as the day of the week, and intrinsic geographical and demographic diversity across islands. Participant composition, in turn, influenced the types of questions and concerns about general environmental protection, park management, and opportunities of co-management.
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Family Island Visits Abaco Dates: Tuesday, 6 December 2016, late AM to Friday, 9 December 2016, AM. Primary Study Area: Most informants were based in the Central Abaco district, especially the city of Marsh Harbour, though there was also limited participation from the settlement of Crossing Rocks in the south and Green Turtle Cay in the north. Group Discussions: Thursday, 8 December 2016, evening, a “Community Discussion” meeting was held at the Friends of the Environment Boardroom in Marsh Harbour. Twelve stakeholders attended.
Great Exuma Dates: Wednesday, 25 January 2017, noon, to Sunday, 29 January 2017, AM. Primary Study Area: The visit focused on central Great Exuma, in the George Town area, though input was also received from several stakeholders from southern/eastern Great Exuma and Little Exuma. Group Discussions: On Thursday, 26 January 2017, PM, a small initial meeting with representatives from government (e.g., the local representative of the Ministry of Tourism and a member of the Port Authority Board), a member of local government, and other civic leaders was held to introduce the project to local authorities and get their input. Five people attended that meeting. Later that evening, a small community discussion was held at the Exuma Foundation in Hoopers Bay. Seven people attended, with most participants being bonefishing guides.
San Salvador Dates: Monday, 30 January 2017, AM, to Wednesday, 1 February 2017, mid-PM. Note that arrival on San Salvador was one day later than scheduled because of a missed connection in Nassau the previous day. Primary Study Area: Most of the fieldwork focused on the region between the settlements of Cockburn Town on the west side and United Estates on the northeast side of the island.
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Group Discussions: On Monday, 30 January 2017, evening, a community discussion was held at the Idell Jones Community Center in Cockburn Town. Fourteen people attended. On Tuesday, 31 January 2017, evening, a second community discussion was held at the San Salvador High School in United Estates. Eight people attended. Because of opportunities afforded by the attendance by a police officer and a fisheries officer, part of the discussion was especially oriented towards challenges with enforcement, including making arrests, establishing evidence, and conducting prosecutions through the judicial system.
Andros Dates: Thursday, 2 February 2017, AM, to Sunday, 5 February 2017, mid-PM. Primary Study Area: The study focused on North and Central Andros, with travel for interviews between Nicholls Town in the north and Behring Point to the south. Unfortunately, there was not an opportunity to meet with anyone from Red Bays on the northwest side of the island. Group Discussions: On Thursday, 2 February 2017, AM, a short presentation and discussion was held in Dr. Vallierre Deleveaux’s marine science class at the Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute (BAMSI) near Mastic Point. On Thursday, 2 February 2017, evening, a community discussion, hosted by North Andros Chief Councillor Brian Cleare, was held in the courthouse in Nicholls Town. Ten people attended. On Friday, 3 February 2017, evening, another community discussion was scheduled in Fresh Creek, but due to very low turnout of only three people, this was treated as an opportunity to conduct interviews
Selected Perspectives Bullets below, organized under different themes, reflect common or otherwise important points that were raised in discussions with stakeholders. These points are generally summarized and paraphrased versions of the comments that informants shared. In some cases, though, in an effort to convey stakeholders’ communications and voices as faithfully as possible, comments are only lightly edited. Statements that are especially close to direct quotations are related with quotation marks, though these also have been lightly edited and extracted from written notes (rather than from voice recordings).
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Note that comments are included below not because they were deemed “right” but because they were stakeholder perceptions and sentiments that were shared and that may provide insights into either challenges or opportunities regarding how PA managers and other conservation practitioners can pursue PA co-management. Although some of the highlighted issues may not be widely shared by a majority of project informants, most of the comments below represent sentiments that were shared by a number of informants. Input that is more specific to a single participant is identified as being from a single stakeholder. Last, contrasting perspectives that were expressed about particular ideas and issues are indicated.
Stakeholder state of knowledge § § § §
Most people were not very knowledgeable about the national system of protected areas, including protected areas located on their islands. Even some natural resource managers, to a surprising extent, were relatively unaware of the PAs that have been authorized in their and other jurisdictions. In principle, there was widespread interest in developing local partnerships; “locals want to know about co-management;” “this co-management should’ve happened long ago.” With co-management, stakeholders tended to think primarily about ways that different groups could help with enforcement. Participants needed to be reminded about other aspects of management that people might possibly get involved with.
PA management perspectives § §
Resource managers are supportive of the Caribbean Challenge’s 20% by 2020 goal, though some are unconvinced the system will do what it’s intended to do. Some managers think that political declarations of PAs are relatively easy to make, and then the government gets political credit for advancing on paper towards targets, but follow through with the resources to actually manage PAs does not happen. • •
§ §
“There’s not much interest at political levels in supporting good management of PAs.” “Whether the government is serious about PAs has been flying around our department.”
People want to know that they went to school for five years and now come to work to do a good service. Other managers believe that politicians will provide more funding if international pressure is applied; The Bahamas has a dependence on US visitors, and environmental reputation is important. 8
§ § §
§ § § § §
§ § § § §
DMR personnel were generally frustrated by the lack of adequate technical staff and funding for vessels and fuel for on-the-water enforcement; many stakeholders also remarked on these shortages. In DMR’s interactions with fishers, some perceive a conflict between DMR’s dual data collection and enforcement objectives. In the absence of funding for hiring adequate staff, managers stated “we need to rely on our greatest assets, our constituents. The challenge is finding people who sincerely want to be part of the process.” “We will need to find those respectable people, and then appoint, train, certify them. Some managers worry that the positive stories about co-management from other parts of the world may be less to The Bahamas. One resource manager asked colleagues from other agencies which local group they would trust with the responsibilities of co-management, and didn’t receive any answers. Challenges with PA co-management include sharing of power as much as sharing of the financial responsibilities. In general, potential partner organizations currently don’t have substantial management capacities. Given current challenges with management effectiveness by the PA authorities, however, other resource managers are less worried about any erosions of protection with local control, thinking that the main challenge (and opportunity) is just finding the right approach. Every volunteer program requires stewardship to be sustainable. There will be the challenge of developing clear guidelines of individual responsibilities and roles, and having a well-established program for involving volunteer efforts. A local council of stakeholders would enhance the ability of getting input and dealing with the challenge of finding facilities and equipment Getting co-managers involved early with the development of management planning is important. One resource manager reported that no one was responsible for engaging and following up with potential partners, such as SSLJF, FOE, Forfar, etc.
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§
The main challenges are less of planning and more of a lack of implementation and progress.
Perspectives about PA managers and the government § § § § §
Some stakeholders expressed that the government should just be funding the national agencies adequately to do their jobs. PA management staff are the ones with the professional expertise to manage PAs; there just needs to be more of them to handle the number of PAs across the country. Some stakeholders asked why, because of DMR’s lack of on-the-water resources, DMR staff do not just invest more in enforcement at landings sites. One local stakeholder expressed that “people should be paid to be out there as wardens. They should be responsible for doing their job and should get paid for it. And if they don’t do it, they should be fired.” Many stakeholders who were in support of co-management expressed suspicion of government or agency financial accountability: • •
§
“Never have a government agency control the money; there’s a lack of transparency and accountability.” “PA management should have day user & commercial user fees, but there’s concern that money would go to Nassau and ultimately to politicians.
•
“Funding is the control.”
•
“People want local control, and dive tag money must stay on the island; that’s nonnegotiable.”
“MPAs have a bad name nationally.” They are associated with the BNT, and a common view is that they are established for self-interested financial reasons by BNT leaders, and that the BNT has been too inconsistent with protesting against the development of private cays; some developments are opposed by the BNT, but other developments by BNT allies get no attention.
Potential PA co-management partners? §
“Locals are distrustful of people from Nassau; therefore, managers need to have locals involved or the locals will become rebellious.” 10
§
Involving locals in volunteer efforts can be challenging. Comments that are representative of sentiments that were commonly heard include •
“The challenge is to get people to show up and participate, especially locals.”
•
“People will often be expected to be paid;” “People want to be paid to be involved;” “People here have their hands out.”
•
“People won’t take it upon themselves without payment. It will be very tough.”
•
“People feel that if you volunteer, you are disrespecting yourself by doing something for free that you should get paid for.”
•
“The challenge with co-management will be the lack of a volunteerism ethic in The Bahamas; people here do the bare minimum to stay employed.”
§ § § §
Need to find and involve the “doers” versus the merely “conscious” people; unfortunately, the “doers” are also the busiest people because they are in short supply and tend to already be involved in many different things. Islands and towns with more expat, second home owners, are generally wealthier, and have more people with time for volunteering and who wish to see their money invested in things they care about. Some stakeholders worried, however, that there are risks of “turning off” locals if something is seen as “too expat.” About enforcement, the idea of voluntary wardens may be complicated by the fact that fisheries officers currently need to police onboard to make arrests. May need to make legislative changes to make this happen.
How to proceed? §
§ § §
Different stakeholder groups are starting at very different levels of engagement; some feel ready to go, whereas others are just hearing about PA co-management possibilities for the first time. For those who are just starting or have yet to learn about co-management, many stakeholders suggested having more meetings to get the word out. People need to know more about how they could contribute. Currently, they feel bypassed. Public outreach will be key, so that people feel that they have been consulted and can share what they know. 11
§ §
§ §
§
§
§ § § §
§ §
Lean on existing strengths of different stakeholder groups, and develop training and certification programs to achieve management standards. Many stakeholders talked about the challenges in getting people to come out to meetings. Suggestions included working through churches, schools, and local government; using the right messages that resonate with locals; advertising “controversies” as a attention hook; connecting people via social media; offering refreshments and possibly prizes; and having things for attendees to actively do during meetings. The organizers of the meetings should discuss some kind of core framework or essential policies as a starting point, but not spell everything out so as to allow some space for local communities to bring thoughts to the table and possibly map out components of their own. Need to deal with general short-term mindset. Most people are struggling enough that they only think about next days, weeks, and months. A small minority of individuals and groups have longer-term perspectives. Building strong organizations takes a long time and perseverance; People who are driving things need credibility, patience, and stamina for the duration. “People are not always amenable to change; they like to keep doing what they do;” “because of pride, people tend not to accept new ideas or suggestions that outsiders have to offer;” “This place is hard to change. Any efforts to do something new need to understand the target audience;” A starting point could be developed by (1) bringing together key partners who share longerterm perspectives and goals, (2) achieving a common vision, and (3) developing diverse framings that offer something positive for different groups in the community. A multi-stakeholder group would need neutral meetings, only when necessary, with strong facilitation to stay on topic, and no finger pointing among groups. Set the initial rules strong for preservation and not for politics: it’s easier to prevent uses that don’t currently exist than let them start and then try to stop them. The longer we wait, the greater likelihood that undesirable things are going to happen on their own. Another view: “Don’t start with community meetings because no one can control the renegades, the stupid, the uneducated.” Before stakeholders can know how to help, there needs to be a clearer understanding of where protected area boundaries are, what the policies and regulations are, etc. 12
§ § § § § § § § § §
§
§ §
“In establishing partnerships, start with well established environmental groups in the area; second, include other stakeholders with vested interests in area (e.g., fishing guides and divers); third, include other groups (e.g., churches, Rotary, local government, etc.). Lean on existing strengths of different stakeholder groups, and develop training and certification programs to achieve management standards. In the absence of formal national park management plans, a small number of stakeholders have been forging ahead with installing moorings, signage, etc. in national parks. “Signage and enforcement are the two biggest needs;” “Boaters should be the first target, making it clear when you enter an MPA.” Physical presence in protected areas is really important – observing, answering questions, etc.; “people do better when they know they’re being watched.” Other stakeholders felt, however, that the PA agencies need to “step up” before private groups can. Stakeholders say that agencies need to demonstrate that they have actual interest and are invested in management, and most importantly, that the authorities “will have our backs” when it comes to stakeholder participation in enforcement activities. Management momentum is important. Unfortunately, some of the more knowledgeable stakeholders have been discouraged by the slow rate of progress with active PA management. High initial expectations, followed by losses of momentum, have taken a toll on stakeholder engagement. The long drawn out process of declaration, management planning, etc., is an ongoing challenge; because of turnover of town councils, local administrators, national party control during these processes, there is an ongoing need to repeatedly re-engage with all of these levels. Finding the right spatial scale of co-management may be important. Some stakeholders reported that locals in some settlements on some islands could be pretty tribal, and won’t readily travel to or participate with people in even nearby settlements. In these cases, at least initially, a lot of effort will have to be settlement by settlement. Other stakeholders believe that local clannishness should not be too much of a problem. Stakeholders really need for central government to address the bureaucratic issues that needlessly suck up so much of everyone’s energy and inhibit livelihoods.
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§
One stakeholder felt that a fundamental reason why people on the Family Islands cannot finance conservation is that the vast majority who have been living on crown land and have applied for deeds wait for many years for these deeds. Without the deeds, they have no equity, cannot raise business capital, and therefore have limited business income and pay little taxes. A larger tax base could support a small conservation fee, which could fund basic PA management, rather than conservation being so dependent on short-term grants and donations (“handouts”).
Importance of education §
§ § § §
§ § § §
Education is critical – give the messages to the school kids; focus on students to reach the next generation of community members and leaders. How are you going to get people involved in PA management when they can’t even stop littering garbage all around their neighborhoods? You need to start at the level of basic environmental stewardship. Basic environmental ethics are not taught here; awareness and sensitivity are still missing. Start from the basics; need to keep the messaging simple, and get to something relatable about environmental health. BAMSI could help present to the public the value of protected areas as part of a communications course; others mentioned educational partnerships through Forfar Field Station, Friends of the Environment, the Gerace Research Centre, the Exuma Foundation, and other organizations. Involve bright new students: inquiring minds want to get involved. Internships? Don’t forget that the young people have special fluency with social media! Have to teach people what they have, because people don’t know what they have until it’s gone; people have to learn not to desecrate, denigrate, or degrade. If people had a better understanding of how relevant protected areas are to their lives, how important protected areas are to preserving, conserving, and restoring a certain Bahamian way of life, then perhaps they would see their interest in working to make them successful. Small resorts and restaurants don’t feel connected, but hotels and hotel staff hear about environmental issues and questions from their guests.
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Comments about Key Stakeholder Groups General § “Never forget about self-interest; there are always turf wars.” § Some stakeholders believe that people with vested self-interests in particular areas will be the best enforcers. § Other stakeholders believe that wardens shouldn’t be locals; there are too many potential challenges from local social ties; People without such social ties are freer to enforce. § People are often afraid to report wrongdoers. § “People are here to beautify not destroy; even when people want to build, they don’t really want to destroy.” § Government itself is not abiding by best practices; for example, during road repairs and construction, there are avoidable environmental impacts; need more staffing under the Ministry of Public Works so that they can provide oversight in all the stages of contract work Bonefishing Guides § Many stakeholders suggested that PA managers start with developing limited partnerships with bonefish guides, as they are the most interested group; guides have the boats, many are interested, and would just need some kind of stipend. § “This whole flats thing, the guides are too political, the fishers just care about fishing.” § “Is there a conflict of interest with local guides enforcing regulations on locals? We understand conservation; we became involved with ecosystems, gained understanding, and voluntarily started catch-and-release fly fishing.” Commercial Fishers § “Not sure if fishermen have the interest.” § “With a few exceptions, we haven’t seen the necessary level of organization among fishers.” Local Government § Local government, including administrators, chief councilors, and town committees, needs
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§ § § § §
to play a role in PA management; managers therefore need to attend local government meetings, inform them, ask for input, and make them part of the stakeholder process. Local government can play a key role in getting the word out to a broader range of society. When it comes to managing multi-stakeholder groups, local government is intended to support such efforts, particularly as an advisor, facilitator, or calming force among clashing personalities and groups. BNT has been working to better engage local government, but this is a long-term process. Central government said they would look into BNT–local government partnership, but there hasn’t been any feedback. Private, individual, or company support is most important; wouldn’t depend on Local Government for financial support.
Local Businesses and Philanthropy § We will help any way we can, but we’re not conservationists, we’re not wardens. § “I don’t want to play ranger, but I can keep my eye on someone and call the police.” § More established PA co-management programs are more likely to attract business participation. § If locals could see some kind of more transparent/accountable type of foundation, there would be more interest in donations. § Further development of the parks would add to the richness of the guest experience. § Everyone needs to be realistic about the volume of tourism that some PAs will attract. § Homeowners are watching and recording; it’s quieter at the southern end to the park, And noisy here at the northern end.
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About the Author Dan Brumbaugh has conducted research on marine and coastal ecology and conservation throughout The Bahamas since 2000. Projects include how MPAs, both individually and as parts of networks, work ecologically for biodiversity, and culturally and economically for people. Dr. Brumbaugh has also worked on the design and implementation of ecological monitoring and ecosystem valuation programs for better MPA management. In addition, he has served on the Bahamas National Trust’s Council as an appointed Member and a Science Advisor, where he contributes to decision-making about the management of the country’s national park system. He has also led or advised on the development of multiple educational guides about marine science and conservation. Dr. Brumbaugh earned bachelors degrees in biology and art history at Stanford University and a Ph.D. and certificate, respectively, in zoology and conservation biology from the University of Washington. He is currently a researcher at University of California, Santa Cruz, and has taught courses in environmental and conservation science at the University of Washington, Santa Clara University, and UC Santa Cruz. Through a fellowship from the California Council on Science and Technology, he also recently spent a year as a staff member on California Senate’s Environmental Quality Committee, where he analyzed proposed legislation and helped design hearings on a wide range of environmental issues.
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Appendix A: Semi-Structured Interview Instrument
A-0
Bahamas MPA Co-Management Project: Assessing Opportunities & Challenges Date & time:
Site:
PI: Dan Brumbaugh
Informant:
Personal information What is your main occupation? How long have you been doing that occupation? How long have you lived in this area? (How old are you?) Are you a member or otherwise affiliated with any local civic, environmental, or industry groups? Knowledge about MPAs Are you familiar with the nearby marine protected areas? Which ones? What do you know about the management of these or other MPAs? What familiarity do you have with these aspects of local MPA management? Possible answers:
Developing management plans & regulations? Financing? Stewardship functions? (e.g., moorings) Restoration activities? (e.g., mangroves, seagrasses, corals) Education & outreach functions? Enforcement of restrictions (e.g., no fishing areas)
Perspectives about MPA co-management How familiar are you with the concept of co-management?
A-1
Bahamas MPA Co-Management Project: Assessing Opportunities & Challenges
PI: Dan Brumbaugh
Ranging from consultation and advice, to equal partnership and shared responsibilities, to full community-based management? Nature of partnership may vary across different functions. What are some of the benefits that marine park/reserve co-management offers? Local influence, stewardship, control? Better management, esp. fewer “paper parks” What are the main challenges to developing marine park/reserve co-management here? Capacities of lead government agency? Coordination between national and local groups? Development of new bylaws? Development of certification program and training programs? Capacities of local partners? Not enough engaged people? Not enough expertise? Not enough time for volunteering? Not enough financial resources? Need to develop new organizational structures, bylaws, etc? Assuming that the development of co-management would need to be phased in as possible, where would you start? What aspects of management may be most easily shared between national and local groups, or more fully delegated to locals?
A-2
Bahamas MPA Co-Management Project: Assessing Opportunities & Challenges
PI: Dan Brumbaugh
What local group(s) should be involved with co-management? Are you a member of this/these group(s)? How many people in these groups might be seriously interested in contributing to co-management? Would you and people you know be interested in getting enough training to be certified in a skill or expertise that is relevant for co-management? To gain more local control, would members of the local communities be interested in contributing to fundraising for local marine park management? What sources of financial support exist in the local area to assist local groups with co-management? Local businesses park visitors & appreciators (esp. more affluent groups, like bonefishers, birdwatchers, divers) second homeowners? Do you have a contact info you’d be willing to share for any possible follow-up questions? Do you have suggestions for others that I should try to talk with, either now or sometime in the future? THANKS VERY MUCH!
A-3
Appendix B: List of Participants The participant list below is current up until 13 March 2017.
B-0
Appendix B: Stakeholder Participants Name
Study Area
Settlement
Occupation
Albury, Jody Albury, Nancy Albury, Richard Davis, Marcus Delancy, Kelly Estevez, Jacquelyn Kakuk, Brian Knowles, Anita Knowles, David Knowles, W. Stephen Lowe, Matt Mills, Kaderin Pinder, Buddy Pinder, Cindy Ralph, David Riviere, Lauren Saunders, Jeremie Sawyer, Danny Symmes, Ric Williams, Israel, Jr. Williams, Kristin
Abaco Abaco Abaco Abaco Abaco Abaco Abaco Abaco Abaco Abaco Abaco Abaco Abaco Abaco Abaco Abaco Abaco Abaco Abaco Abaco Abaco
Marsh Harbour Man-O-War Cay Marsh Harbour Crossing Rocks Marsh Harbour Sandy Point office Marsh Harbour Bahama Palm Shores Marsh Harbour Bahama Palm Shores Green Turtle Cay Marsh Harbour Marsh Harbour Marsh Harbour Marsh Harbour Bahama Palm Shores
Bonefishing guide AMMC scientist; Friends of the Environment (FOE) Bonefishing guide BNT Parks Warden, Abaco AMMC staff Chief Councillor, S. Abaco District Cave diver; Friends of the Environment Businesswoman (retired); Friends of the Environment (FOE) BNT Chief Park Warden, Abaco Woodworker Chief Councillor, Green Turtle Cay District BNT Office/Park Administrator, Abaco Bonefishing guide Bonefishing guide; President, Abaco Fly Fishing Guides Association (AFFGA) Newspaper editor (retired)
Birch, Jeff Brace, Leslie (Liz) Cleare, Brian Deleveaux, Vallierre Emmanuel, Sandra Ferguson, Ivan Findlay, Patti Gaitor, Glenn Griffin, Elias Harold Fitzgerald Hew, Brian Hinsey, Chris King-Hew, David Leadon, Shawn Pinder, Cleola Rahming, Dresal Richardson, Liz Rolle, Phillp Russell, Filmore Russell, Sandra Sandstrom, Betsy Sgt. Anthony Woodside Smith, Andy Smith, Stephen Swann, Michaela Wallace, Andrew Woods, Doral
Andros Andros Andros Andros Andros Andros Andros Andros Andros Andros Andros Andros Andros Andros Andros Andros Andros Andros Andros Andros Andros Andros Andros Andros Andros Andros Andros
Small Hope Bay Staniard Creek Lowe Sound Mastic Point Davis Creek
Booker, Catherine Clarke, Teddy H. Cole, Steven G. Dames, JJ Allan Ferguson, Elvis Kettel, Chris Knowles, Michael Minns, Basil Minns, Chris Parotti, Craig Robinson, Tamara Rolle, Drescel (Drex) Rolle, Tamica Smith, Reg Strachan, Brian Strachan, Danny Thompson, Garth Whitehead, Peter
Exuma Exuma Exuma Exuma Exuma Exuma Exuma Exuma Exuma Exuma Exuma Exuma Exuma Exuma Exuma Exuma Exuma Exuma
Barr, Harry Barr, Joy Burrows, R.A. Cash, Danell Curran, H. Allen Curran, Jane De Canio, Susan Dexter, Troy Dorsett, Floyd Dorsett, Wenzalee Fontenelle, Hamil Johnson, Jermaine Jones, Denise Jones, Kendrea Jones, Paulette F. Kemp, Gilbert Knowles, Johnathan Miller, Charlie Nero, Bruce Sawyer, Anthony Strachan, Brendalee Voegeli, Sandy White, Shaquille Williams, Garnell
San Salvador San Salvador San Salvador San Salvador San Salvador San Salvador San Salvador San Salvador San Salvador San Salvador San Salvador San Salvador San Salvador San Salvador San Salvador San Salvador San Salvador San Salvador San Salvador San Salvador San Salvador San Salvador San Salvador San Salvador
Anderson, Lakeshia Cant-Woodside, Shelley Gape, Lynn Gittens, Lester Hanek Culmer, Danelle Jupp, Lashanti Knowles, Lindy Tinker, Keith
National National National National National National National National
4/4/17
Marsh Harbour Scotland Cay Crossing Rocks Marsh Harbour
AUTEC Nicholls Town Lowe Sound
Cargill Creek Stafford Creek Nicholls Town Lowe Sound Nicholls Town Nicholls Town Behring Point Behring Point Cargill Creek Mastic Point Nicholls Town
Rolle Town The Ferry
George Town
GRC (visitor) GRC (visitor) GRC
Fishing Guide NR Manager; Research Fishing Guide NR Manager NR Manager Local Government Research Conservation NR Manager Conservation Local Government NR Manager Fishing Guide Fishing Guide Media Conservation DMR Senior Fisheries Officer, S. Abaco NR Manager Bonefishing guide Fishing Guide Conservationist, Canadian (retired) Second Home Owner; Conservation Deputy Chief Councillor, S. Abaco District; Township Chairman, Crossing Rocks Local Government Executive Director, Friends of the Environment (FOE) Conservation; Education owner, Small Hope Bay Lodge BNT Education & Office Manager Chief Councillor, N. Andros District BAMSI Marine Scientist Min. Public Works; developer, Brigadiers Administrator, North Andros District; Marriage Officer Environmental safety & health officer, PAE contractor at AUTEC DMR Fisheries officer, N. Andros Bonefishing guide Sea man, conch distributor Director (owner), Kamalame Cay Resort Manager, Batelco; Crown Lake developer owner, Kamalame Cay Resort Bonefishing guide Administrator, Central Andros District
Dive Operator; Resort Owner; Conservation NR manager Local Government Education; Research Government; Developer Local Government Research NR Manager Fishing Guide Commercial Fishing Resort owner Developer; Resort Owner Resort owner Fishing Guide Local Government
Director, Forfar Field Station Bonefishing guide, North Andros Fly Fishing DMR Fisheries officer, N. Andros Business Owner Manager, bonefishing lodge, North Andros Fly Fishing RB Police Officer Bonefishing guide BNT Parks Warden; Deputy Chief Councillor? Town Council? Boat captain (in training) Warehouse man Vector control
Education Fishing Guide NR Manager Business Fishing Guide Law Enforcement Fishing Guide NR Manager; Local Government Boat Captain Business Government; Tour Business
EF Environmental Educator DMR Fisheries Officer owner, Off Island Aventures Bonefishing guide Harbour Master, George Town Founder, Exuma Resources Centre (now part of Exuma Foundation) Community advocate Watersports businesses (retired) Teacher, LN Coakley HS (Moss Town); EF Port Authority owner, Dive Exuma Bonefishing guide Min. Tourism Exuma Alliance Chief Councillor, Exuma District General Manager & Treasurer, Exuma Found.; National Family Island Regatta Bonefishing guide Developer
Education; Conservation NR Manager Tour Business Fishing Guide Conservation Education; Conservation Business Conservation Education Government Dive Operator Fishing Guide Government Civic Group Local Government Civic Group Fishing Guide Developer
Pastor, St. Augustine's Parish
Church
Professor Emeritus, Smith College Teacher? (retired) Seafari@Club Med Owner Director, Gerace Research Centre Private boat captain (formerly Seafari dive boat captain)
Education Education Dive Operator Education; Research Fishing Guide
Dive Boat Captain (Diver's Reef Ltd.) Sr. Executive, Min. Tourism; eco-tour operator
Administrator, San Salvador District Chief Councillor, San Salvador District; pastor Island to Island Service? DMR Fisheries officer RB Police Officer Cook & caterer co-founder, SSLJF
Dive Operator Government; Tour Business Conservation Conservation Tour Business Local Government Local Government; Church Tour Business NR manager Law Enforcement Business Conservation
Island Venture
Tour Business
BNT Parks Director BNT Science staff BNT Deputy ED DMR Senior Fisheries Officer Forestry Officer BNT staff BNT Science staff Director, National Museum of The Bahamas
NR Manager NR Manager NR Manager NR Manager NR Manager NR Manager NR Manager NR Manager
Cockburn Town Cockburn Town
GRC (formerly)
Freeport Nassau Nassau Nassau Nassau Nassau Nassau Nassau
Category
B-1
