Annual report project Strengthening and scaling community-based approaches to Pacific coastal fisheries management in support of the New Song Pathways (short title) project number FIS/2016/300 period of report 1 May 2019 – 30th April 2020 date due date submitted prepared by Neil Andrew and the Pathways team co-authors/ contributors/ collaborators approved by Dr Ann Fleming Annual report: Pathways (short title) Page ii Contents 1 Progress summary ................................................................................... 4 2 Achievements against project activities and outputs/milestones ...... 11 2.1 Achievements to date ........................................................................................................11 2.2 Summary of achievements to date (for ACIAR website) ...................................................38 3 Impacts .................................................................................................... 38 3.1 Scientific impacts ...............................................................................................................38 3.2 Capacity impacts ................................................................................................................38 3.3 Community impacts ...........................................................................................................39 3.4 Communication and dissemination activities .....................................................................39 4 Training activities ................................................................................... 39 5 Intellectual property ............................................................................... 41 6 Variations to future activities ................................................................. 41 7 Variations to personnel .......................................................................... 42 8 Problems and opportunities .................................................................. 42 9 Budget ..................................................................................................... 43 10 Appendices ............................................................................................. 43 Annual report: Pathways (short title) Page iii List of Abbreviations CBFM Community-based fisheries management CBRM Community-based resource management CFD Coastal Fisheries Division KIR Three character ISO code for Kiribati MCS&E Monitoring, Compliance, Surveillance and Enforcement unit (MFMRD) MFMR Solomon Islands Ministry of Fisheries and Resource Management MFMRD Kiribati Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources Development PacFish Short title for ACIAR project FIS/2012/074 SLB Three character ISO code for Solomon Islands SSF Small-scale fisheries VFD Vanuatu Fisheries Department VUT Three character ISO code for Vanuatu Annual report: Pathways (short title) Page 4 1 Progress summary In this third reporting period, we summarise progress and achievements in regional activities and in each of the countries, towards the five objectives and three cross-cutting activities. Details are tabulated in Section 2. 2019 saw an independent mid-term review of the project, jointly commissioned by ACIAR and DFAT. Overall, it was a favourable review which provided a timely ‘reflection and reset’ moment. The review did not require major structural changes in partnerships or objectives; rather, a refocus on maximising development outcomes, improving sustainability of the project achievements and improving evidencing of outcomes across the project to better tell the project’s story. To this end, in December 2019 we concluded the second Letter of Variation to adjust project activities and resources to focus on CBFM implementation in five sites in each country, to revise the project results framework, and to support outcome evidencing. Appendix 2 – the Pathways Outcomes Report Card – articulates progress towards the end-of-project outcomes with short stories of change. With the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, fish and fishing will become more important than ever to the food and nutrition security of people in the Pacific region. Pathways is uniquely placed to make major contributions to national and regional responses to COVID-19, both in the coming months and in the period to the end of the project in September 2021. Pathways mode of operation has proved resilient to COVID-19 disruption. 15 national staff in partner countries are embedded in national agencies or working closely with them. They provide a responsive and trusted bridge between rural communities and national agencies. National staff are supported by Australia-based staff who are maintaining contact remotely. Travel and work in communities was deferred from 23rd March but domestic travel, and field-based project activities, within the three countries will likely recommence in May. Objective 1 (institutional strengthening) In Kiribati, we continued to support MFMRD in the development of the Coastal Fisheries Regulations which were passed by Cabinet in August 2019 following 6 years of work. The Minister of Fisheries, in front of the President of the Republic of Kiribati, officially launched the Coastal Fisheries Regulations and the Roadmap in February 2020. We collaborate and facilitate CBRM National Taskforce meetings directed at enhancing collaboration and coordination among line Ministries. We work with the Coastal Fisheries Division on developing a national scaling strategy for CBFM, which will be further informed by a large scaling activity in Q3-Q4 2020. The in-country CBFM team regularly represents CFD in project meetings of partner projects including MFAT Tobwan Waara, GEF-funded UNDP project “Enhancing national food security in the context of global climate change” and GEF-funded FAO project “Resilient island, resilient communities”. In Solomon Islands, where a Ministry CBRM unit already exists within the Inshore Fisheries Division, the project engaged early in driving the development of standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the CBFM unit at MFMR. The SOPs were developed Figure 1 – Launch of the MFMRD Strategic plan, the Coastal Fisheries Roadpmap and Regulations, February 2020 Annual report: Pathways (short title) Page 5 during 2018 and sought to ensure a structure for backing growing ambitions of scaling CBFM. In fact, the two SOPs (‘Development of CFMP’ and ‘Gazetting of CFMP’) were highly intertwined in ambition and scope; by operationalizing the SOPs there are deliberate mechanisms and planning for how to scale CBFM. From this foundational structural work the Ministry engaged with developing a scaling strategy. The project worked with MFMR and MECDM as lead CBRM agencies to develop the national CBFM scaling plan. The scaling plan reflects national maturity in the CBFM enabling environment and the ambition to support growing numbers of communities implementing fisheries management. Following a CBFM scaling workshop in Honiara in March 2019. The process is owned and led by MFMR as its national program on CBFM is strengthening and growing. The project has been invited to input on its development. In July 2019, MFMR convened a writeshop led by the Deputy Director Inshore Rosalie Masu as a first step to finalise the content of the national strategy. Nine MFMR staff and three WorldFish/project staff participated at the event, which produced a cohesive structure for how programmatic areas work together and reinforce each other and workplans for scaling. The draft scaling strategy has been shared for review with other partners and is set for completion Q2 2020. Delay in timing due to COVID-19 is likely. In Vanuatu, we continue to support VFD on several fronts as part of efforts to strengthen the coastal fisheries sector. In 2019 the national coastal fisheries roadmap 2019-2030 was signed and endorsed by the Minister of MALFFB. This followed more than a year of collaboration in design, drafting, and consultation. The project facilitated a process by which VFD translated the strategic directions of the roadmap into a multiyear work plan to inform their annual business plan development process. We also continue to support VFD in developing their draft national CBFM scaling strategy. The project supported VFD staff in presenting a preliminary strategy at the 3rd Regional Technical Meeting on Coastal Fisheries (RTMCF3) 5-8 November 2019 (SPC Headquarters in Noumea, New Caledonia). The project has expanded the size of the team in VFD adding two more community based fisheries officers to the VFD workforce. These new officers (like other project staff) primarily engage in project implementation but, as VFD staff, they also significantly contribute to departmental activities. In April 2020 parts of central Vanuatu were hit by TC Harold. Despite the ongoing international travel restrictions due to COVID- 19, the project supported VFD in responding to needs. Phone surveys were carried out with people in project sites to prepare reports on the status of people’s wellbeing, food and water access, and marine resources. This information was relayed to VFD to inform response efforts. Related to this the project has supported VFD in developing templates for standard operating procedures (SOP) that can be developed for various processes. A first preliminary outline was developed for an SOP for information management and reporting during disaster response. This was made available for VFD to use in their response to TC Harold, as part of coordinated efforts by the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO). Objective 2 (scaling CBFM) We distilled the design of the project CBFM scaling strategy following workshops held in Wollongong (May-2019 and Jan-2020), and with that we continued our work in scaling CBFM following the country-level strategies. To measure the ecological benefits of CBFM, we developed a fishery monitoring protocol (and associated training package) to collect data about catches from individual fishers over two-week data collection periods. The protocol is designed for use in remote and ICT-poor environments, namely, it does not rely on cloud data storage or transmission. The protocol was piloted then Round 1 was successfully implemented in Kiribati and Vanuatu in 5 CBFM sites. Round 1 comprised 329 qualitative surveys and 455 quantitative surveys, 454 catch photos of a total 7,893 fish, of 313 species, with a total of 2,997kg of catch recorded over 10 sites in Kiribati and Vanuatu. Round 2 was aborted in one site in Kiribati and cancelled in all other sites in Kiribati and Vanuatu due to Covid-19 travel restrictions. Round 3 is planned for Q3 2020, pending lifting of travel restrictions. Annual report: Pathways (short title) Page 6 Figure 2 – Catch pictures from Peskarus, Vanuatu (left) and Tabiteuea, Kiribati (right) In Kiribati, we participated in the Coastal Fisheries Summit (May 2019) and distributed project posters and brochures, and presented Pathways CBFM unit progress to Mayors, Island Clerks and Fisheries Assistants from 20 islands. The Nei Tengarengare DVD had its inaugural showing at this event. In August 2019, we held a stakeholder meeting ‘Sustaining and strengthening Nei Tengarengare’ attended by representatives of the 10 islands reached by the CBFM project. The meeting was facilitated by leaders of islands with prior history of CBFM and focused on sharing lessons among communities and creating a platform for peer-to-peer communication. The CBFM team continues to support communities to develop their own management plans. Through different intensity of engagement, the CBFM team has now reached 60 communities and supported the creation of 10 management plans. The project fishery monitoring protocol was successfully rolled out in five CBFM communities on four islands. In terms of outreach, we gathered community feedback on the posters developed in the previous year and are working with SPC to amend them before publication. We have one poster in draft with SPC to advise communities on their importance in fisheries management and are co-creating a poster to advise communities on the new Coastal Fisheries Regulations. Both posters are ready for publication. In Solomon Islands, in parallel with the national ambition of strengthened formal structures for scaling (see above) the project also supported provincial-level efforts. Initially this focused in Malaita where WorldFish had an established program where the PFO is continuing to carry out CBFM awareness raising for scaling CBFM. In late 2018, scaling efforts expanded to Isabel province through WorldFish seconded staff, Faye Siota, who was tasked within the Ministry as the contact person for CBFM in Isabel. The engagement focused on carrying out light touch testing and scoping using the MFMR facilitator’s manual (an integral part of the SOPs). Faye’s work in the province led to a growth in number of communities engaging with the CBFM process, and, importantly, engagement with the Isabel Provincial Fisheries Officer. The PFO has since requested further support to engage in awareness raising activities at a larger scale. Four new communities have requested support since first engagement in Isabel. The project also continued support and connection with the communities in Malaita and Western Province that are already implementing CBFM, with the view to carry out more in-depth review of management plan performance during 2020 in at least 8 communities. Figure 3 – CBFM awareness session in Buota village, Kiribati Annual report: Pathways (short title) Page 7 In Vanuatu, we further defined the modalities for our outreach activities aligned with the different CBFM engagement pathways in the draft national CBFM scaling strategy ((i) joint action, (ii) consultation and awareness, and (iii) broadcasting). Our joint action activities are focused on the 18 sites where CBFM plans have or are being developed (continued support in 6 sites from Pacfish, one site with a completed CBFM plan in 2019 and 11 sites with CBFM plans nearing completion (by Q2 2020). By the end of the project, 14 CBFM plans, including two island-level plans, will cover 18 communities. Our consultation and awareness activities were driven in collaboration with Wan Smolbag theatre group in touring the CBFM play. Touring rounds of coastal communities, and schools in Tafea and Shefa provinces, were completed. Northern province tours have been suspended due to COVID travel restrictions. To mitigate this restriction, the play is being filmed into a DVD production for wider distribution. Broadcasting engagements see the project develop new information materials and collate existing materials. We have translated fish handling sheets and fish-based nutrition posters, and have developed an inventory of CBFM relevant information material in VFD to help develop CBFM information kits for distribution through VFD in 2020. The project’s fishery monitoring protocol was successfully rolled out in 5 CBFM communities distributed across 4 provinces. This saw VFD staff and community members working together as data enumerators to collect data over a two-week period in Nov 2019. The project has also initiated a national CBFM forum Oct 2019 which brought together stakeholders active in the space of CBFM (Gov, NGO and civil society). Objective 3 (livelihoods) The completion of the livelihood diagnosis tool was a significant milestone for the project. Named to align with the New Song, “A New Idea” has been printed and distributed in over 600 copies to 8 countries and included into national service programming. For example, the Solomon Islands community-based fisheries management scaling strategy that is due for completion and publication by the Ministry in Q2 2020 has a specific section on participatory livelihood diagnosis and application of the tool. This is a significant achievement for the project. In Solomon Islands, the project continued to work closely with the solar freezer committees to follow up on log book keeping and enterprise activities. The last three sets of freezers were delivered in February 2019 to women’s committees in villages Nairiki’ara, Rohinari, Su’uri. The groups had participated in the learning events that the project had arranged prior to the freezers being received and the project team facilitated the installation of the freezers together with the Provincial Fisheries Officer. As a whole, the project and its sister components (SwedBio and FIS-2019-124) are trying to go in the footsteps of where CBFM has gone – a greater recognition and emphasis on rural strengths and participatory approaches for fish-based livelihoods. In Vanuatu, we have reduced our livelihood intervention plans, to instead focus efforts in monitoring the progress and changes resulting from one livelihood intervention that was initiated in 2019 – supporting a village cooperative to develop an inland fish distribution site. The monitoring of the cooperative has shown promising results with regular sales of fish to community members. Furthermore proactive intervention by the cooperative to safeguard infrastructure meant the solar panels, freezer and fish in the freezer were unaffected by the passing of TC Harold. In fact, the freezer provided much needed fish in the days following TC Harold (given destruction to agriculture plots). Figure 4 – Launching the Kwamera management plan, July 2019 Annual report: Pathways (short title) Page 8 The livelihoods component in Kiribati has been reduced following recommendations of the mid-term review. However, we work with MFMRD units mandated to provide livelihood options to communities. For instance, in one village on Marakei island, the CBFM team worked with the aquaculture unit to meet the demand of a community’s action plan. The community was able to raise $5,000 which assisted with the implementation and compliance over the community’s new CBFM plan. Objective 4 (gender) We are contributing to new modules for the SPC Pacific Handbook on Gender and Social Inclusion in Coastal Fisheries and Aquaculture. We conducted ‘gender 101’ training with fisheries staff in Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, the first of its kind for the Vanuatu Fisheries Department. The Kiribati Coastal Fisheries Division Director expressed interest to hold the same workshop for Division staff, but this is currently postponed until travel restrictions are lifted. At a project implementation level, we have mainstreamed gender inclusive facilitation methods into all community activities and report on these through trip reports. We conducted targeted ‘participatory exclusions’ research in Solomon Islands on who and how people are included in the CBFM processes. This research addresses issues of inclusion in CBFM in the Pacific, with particular attention to gender. The data forms a baseline in 11 locations in Malaita and Western Province. Follow-up will take place during reviews of CBFM plans in 2020. Solomon Islands WorldFish staff Chelcia Gomese conducted a research project using the Photovoice method to bring to light women’s and men’s roles in fisheries. Chelcia published her results in the March 2020 SPC Women in Fisheries Bulletin. Objective 5 (nutrition) We completed nutrition baselines in Solomon Islands (5 sites) and Vanuatu (2 sites). We integrated nutrition and livelihoods research in three sites to understand dietary patterns in communities where cold storage is available for the first time (solar freezer sites). We carried out an end-line survey in these sites and data is currently being cleaned and analysed. Figure 6 – WorldFish staff and Provincial Fisheries Officers travel to Ta’aruntona and Masihuro village in West Are-are, Malaita to conduct the participatory exclusions surveys (Nov 2019) Figure 5 – Gender and social inclusion training in Port Vila, February 2020 Annual report: Pathways (short title) Page 9 Figure 7 - WorldFish nutrition scientist Dr Jillian Wate interviews a mother about dietary patterns and access to nutrition Behaviour change communication products – translation of two posters into Bislama and production of a nutrition DVD in Vanuatu – were finalised and VFD staff trained in use of these tools. Following reprioritisation of activities due to COVID-19, and possible extended international travel restrictions, nutrition intervention and end-lines in Vanuatu have been cancelled. Instead, resources will be devoted to developing a ‘Nutrition in Disasters’ module for the Training of Trainers guide in preparation. In collaboration with FIS-2018-155, we completed development of version 2 of the Pacific Food Trade database. This database contains 314,510 trade flows of 581 unique products between 1995 and 2018. A generic protocol was developed to allow the extensive cleaning that was required. In Kiribati, we are supporting the development of the ‘Fish for life manual’ by MFMRD Training Unit. The manual is aimed as a resource for primary school teachers and provides information on nutrition and the importance of fish to diets. Under cross-cutting activity 1 (communication) we produced a total of 26 media outputs, 17 translation outputs, and 6 information materials in the reporting period. Of note, Faye Siota (Pathways WorldFish staff seconded to the CBFM unit in MFMR), presented the project’s contributions to development of CBRM as part of ocean planning initiatives in Solomon Islands to HRH Prince Charles on his visit to the Solomon Islands in December 2019. The Pathways team worked with the Vanuatu Fisheries Department and the British television network ITN Networks to film a segment for the IMarEST documentary titled: “Our Oceans, Our Future” (see here on YouTube). The Pathways project segment had the highest retention rate of any segment, with 98% (YouTube) and 100% (IMarEST TV) of viewers watching the entire length of the feature. The livelihoods work in Solomon Islands was featured as a WorldFish exposure story (with embedded video footage) which reached high views and global impacts: https://worldfish.exposure.co/cool-women-of-malaita. This later featured in the CGIAR Figure 8 – Faye Siota educating HRH Prince Charles on our local initiatives for awareness raising and local conservation Annual report: Pathways (short title) Page 10 Farming First Innovations for Sustainable Food Systems initiative: https://farmingfirst.org/food-systems#section_3. The fish handling sheets produced in partnership with SPC were also further disseminated and the Bislama translations were well received in in Vanuatu. The Australian Foreign Minister re-tweeted an ACIAR post about this as a “very important” initiative: https://twitter.com/MarisePayne/status/1247331256309649409 As part of cross-cutting activity 2 (capacity development), we conducted training on research methods, questionnaire design and analysis in June 2019 with in-country teams from Kiribati and Vanuatu. The training was requested by team to enhance their capacity to lead some of their own research activities in the future. Another component of the training focused on the catch monitoring protocols which were then used by the two country teams to train their own data enumerators back in their home locations. In February 2020, we held a catch monitoring data analysis training with Kiribati and Vanuatu members to enhance their capacity to report to their communities and national government on the status of coastal fisheries. During the activity, our CBFM officers applied their training to develop graphs and resources in a community-friendly format to summarise and present the data collected. The first community reporting occurred in Butaritari, Kiribati in March 2020 (right before Covid-19 travel restrictions ended the Round 2 data collection). The Vanuatu team hosted the FishSMARD ‘community of practice’ meeting for Pacific CBFM practitioners in May 2019. FishSMARD is an initiative to improve peer-to-peer dialogue, learning exchange and skills development, by and for professional peers in the Pacific. The meeting was a first of its kind, and saw fisheries officers from Kiribati and Solomon Islands engage with VFD staff. It provided opportunity for broader fisheries department staff to not only learn from other countries, but also input into dialogues about how best to implement coastal fisheries management in their province or area. Both of our PhD students (Senoveva Mauli and Jeremie Kaltavara) successfully defended their PhD research proposals. Jeremie Kaltavara presented his proposal via Zoom in April 2020. The project is supporting five Pacific Islander project staff in a Masters of Fisheries Policy at UOW. In our 3 countries, teams continue to provide community members with information and skills to collectively act for the sustainable management of their coastal fisheries. They also all support national and sub-national staff to undertake community engagement (e.g. continuing mentorship of Fisheries Assistant trainees in Kiribati). In cross-cutting activity 3 (monitoring and evaluation) we held a project implementation group meeting in October 2019 to address the recommendations of the mid-term review. A day was dedicated to revising the results framework to better articulate the end-of-project outcomes, facilitated by Connie Donato-Hunt (SPC MEL Adviser) and Bethany Davies (ACIAR Planning and Impact Evaluation Program Manager). Appendix 2 – the Pathways Outcomes Report Card – tracks progress and articulates short stories of change to evidence this progress towards end of project outcomes. Annual report: Pathways (short title) Page 11 2 Achievements against project activities and outputs/milestones The following activity tables are as per Version 2 of the Project Document. Additions or deletions in red text are the changes to the project document activity tables submitted to ACIAR in May 2020 to become Variation 3 following a reprioritisation of remaining activities due to COVID-19. Activity numbers are per original proposal. 2.1 Achievements to date Objective 1: Strengthen Pacific institutions to implement the New Song for coastal fisheries Activity Outputs/Milestones Completion date Comments 1.1. Strategic planning events and lessons exchanges with regional and national NGO and government agencies to deliver on New Song 1.1.1 Regional ToC developed in collaboration with partners following the FFC to integrate project activities among implementing partners Q1 2018 Completed. Previously reported. 1.1.3 National implementation plans for New Song in KIR, SLB, and VUT KIR - Q4 2018; ongoing SLB - Q3 2018 VUT - Q3 2018; ongoing KIR - Completed. The National Roadmap for Coastal Fisheries in Kiribati (2019-2036) (KIR-2019-TO- MFMRD1) was finalised and printed in 2019 and officially launched on 21/02/2020. A 4-page summary of the roadmap (KIR-2019-TO-MFMRD 2) was developed to accompany the full document and has been printed at SPC. SLB - Completed. Previously reported. VUT - Completed. Previously reported. 1.1.4 National ToC reviewed and up to date for mid-term review See activity 2.1.3. 1.1.5 Participation in CFWG on an annual basis, first in Q1 2018 Q4 2017; Q2 2018; Q4 2018; Q4 2019 Neil Andrew attended as an observer. Tooreka Teemari, Director of the Coastal Fisheries Division of Kiribati MFMRD, chaired the meeting. The CFWG was disbanded in its current form in 2020. 1.2. Work with national agencies to strengthen legislative and policy capacity to enable and support coastal fisheries co- management in KIR, SLB, and VUT 1.2.1 National government agency inshore policies completed or updated, including mechanisms for supporting livelihood development in communities KIR – Q3 2019 VUT - Q1 2019 KIR - Completed. Coastal Fisheries Regulations were passed by Cabinet on 16/08/2019 (see KIR-2019-TO- MFMRD 3). Part II of the Regs is about CBFM. The Regs were officially launched on 21/02/2020. SLB – Completed. The project team was part of national consultation for the Solomon Islands national ocean policy (SINOP), which was launched in 2019. 1 Bold references relate to corresponding project output, field trip or workshop reports. The naming convention for project outputs is: [country code]-[yyyy]-[IM/OO/TO/PP]-author, in which IM = ‘information material’; OO = ‘other output’, TO = ‘translation output’; PP = ‘peer reviewed publication’. The naming convention for field trip or workshop reports is: [country code]-[yyyymmdd]-[FTR/WR/MR]- [location], in which FTR = ‘field trip report’; WR = ‘workshop report’; MR = ‘meeting report’. Annual report: Pathways (short title) Page 12 Activity Outputs/Milestones Completion date Comments VUT – Completed. Ongoing - review of VFD inshore policies by SPC and ANCORS (Ruth Davis) is now pending lifting of travel restrictions. 1.2.3 Needs assessment for legislative review in the context of supporting community-based approaches to fisheries management published in KIR Q3 2018 Completed. Legislative review was completed post May 2018 workshop in consultation between SPC and ANCORS, MFMRD and Office of the Attorney General. 1.2.4 Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for CBFM developed to align with Kiribati Coastal Fisheries Regulations as a tool for Island Councils to implement the Regulations and secure greater food security from fisheries resources Delayed. A workshop was due to take place in April 2020 but has been postponed until travel (both international and domestic) can resume. In discussion with coastal MCS&E team and Director on ways to proceed in the meantime. 1.2.6 Training completed of MFMRD in policy/law drafting to support CBFM in KIR Q4 2019 Completed. 4 MFMRD officers were trained by SPC and ANCORS in Noumea during a 10-day attachment in November 2019. The attachment also covered communication/dissemination of regulations to communities. An SPC article reported on the attachment: “Enhancing fishery officers’ communication skills”, SPC Newsletter 160: 27-28. 1.2.7 Papers on the role of legal and regulatory systems in the successful implementation of CBFM in Kiribati and Solomon Islands SLB – Q4 2019 KIR - Paper is in progress, to be submitted by end 2020. SLB - Schwarz et al (2020) Nudging statutory law to make space for customary processes and community- based fisheries management in Solomon Islands. Maritime Studies. 1.2.8 Remote learning course in policy/law drafting to support CBFM developed in collaboration with SPC Q1 2021 Discussions between ANCORS and SPC begun on creating an online training module on legal drafting for coastal fisheries regulations to be hosted on the FAME website. 1.3. Work with sub- national agencies to strengthen human resource, fiscal and policy capacity to implement CBFM and to complete COVID-19 needs assessments to support Provincial and national agency policy development 1.3.1 Targeted training, counterpart activities, awareness raising on CBFM such as co- developed education and awareness materials; ‘train the trainer’ activities for sub-national agency staff KIR - Q4 2017; Q4 2018; ongoing SLB - Q4 2017; Q4 2018; ongoing VUT - Q1 2018; ongoing Completed; activity ongoing. KIR - Ongoing: Joint activity with MFAT Tobwan Waara to deliver training to island-based Fisheries Assistants during their refresher course. Date to be confirmed by Director once domestic travel can resume. SLB – The project team provided input on the Malaita fisheries ordinance by invitation in March 2020. The workshop sought input on the amendment of the Malaita Province Fisheries Ordinance to better accommodate ambitions of scaling CBFM. VUT - On-the-job training of Provincial Fisheries Officers continuing, through involvement in project activities in communities and participation in events such as the FishSMARD meeting in Port Vila in May 2019 (see VUT- 20190515-WR-FishSMARD). Mentoring of two provincial fisheries officers (as a more formal capacity development arrangement) from 2020, to be supplemented by funding from PEUMP to Wan SmolBag and VFD. Annual report: Pathways (short title) Page 13 Activity Outputs/Milestones Completion date Comments 1.3.2 Networking to build sub-national agency capacity including enforcement capacity: government enforcement strategy developed with community input KIR - Q2 2018 SLB - Q2 2018; ongoing VUT - Q1 2019; ongoing Completed by milestone; activities ongoing. KIR - The newly approved Coastal Fisheries Regulations were presented to Mayors of 10 islands who attended our Stakeholder meeting (21-22 August 2019). The team has been working with the MCS&E Unit and SPC to develop two posters to assist with raising awareness about the new regulations. SLB – Provincial level networks have been established and meet regularly. For example, the Western province network met last in February 2020. The project also renewed the collaborative structures with provincial governments in Western Province and Malaita Province after the election. See 2.8.2. These were important milestones for embedded programming. Billboards about fish trade were launched at Auki market; during this event several branches of provincial government were brought together. The PFO explained to Police and market management team (including security guards) about fisheries regulations and what to look out for (undersize fish and prohibited species). VUT - Continued work with PFOs and Area Secretaries for in-field training during community engagements with the Pathways team. Two sub-network meetings of the Vanua'tai resource monitor network (with supplemental funding from PEUMP) are planned to build sub-national fisheries officers capacity and bring them closer to the Vanua'tai network. 1.3.4 Island council workshop to facilitate improved SSF enforcement capacity in KIR at the council and village level in all CBFM islands Q2 2018; Q3 2018 Completed; activities ongoing. Opportunities to raise awareness and options available to Island Council to assist with enforcement have been raised during team visits in Marakei,Maiana, Aranuka, Nonouti, North Tabiteuea. Further awareness will be conducted with Island Councils after the completion of the CBFM SOP (see activity 1.2.4) 1.3.5 Support the development and strengthening of KIR sub-national regulatory frameworks to support CBFM Workshop and training to support sub-national regulatory framework was to coincide with the design of CBFM SOP guidelines. Refer to activity 1.2.4 and likely to be delayed. Activity is supported by SPC and SPC PEUMP. 1.3.6 Multi-sector forum to discuss New Song integration into KIR policies/ strategies held Q4 2018 Completed; activities ongoing. CBRM National Taskforce meeting held on 20-21 Aug 2019. Ongoing, meetings of CBRM National Taskforce will be on a 6-monthly basis. Q1 2020 meeting delayed due to current Covid-19 Level 2 restrictions in place in Kiribati. Team in discussion with Director to explore options to hold the meeting. The Director of Coastal Fisheries has applied for funding under the Commonwealth Foundation to continue funding of the Taskforce (decision pending). 1.3.7 Tools and techniques developed and distributed to subnational fisheries officers to complete f2f and phone-based needs assessments Q2 2020 In Kiribati, the CBFM team provided Fisheries Assistants on project islands with a guide to keep in contact and regularly check up with communities. The FAs relay information or requests back to the CBFM team. Provincial fisheries officers in Solomon Islands have been provided with a phone survey tool designed to gauge local impacts of COVID-19 in communities, specifically around population movement, food production, adequacy of food supply, changes to fish catches and sales, food prices and changes to fishing rules and management. The survey tool will help guide a line of questioning and Annual report: Pathways (short title) Page 14 Activity Outputs/Milestones Completion date Comments order responses to better enable collation of information to feed into a policy brief for MFMR. It is designed to be short and simple, and as such, there is no need for face- to-face training in use of the survey. 1.3.8 COVID-19 needs assessments completed in KIR, SLB and VUT Q2 2020 KIR – Phone contact directly with communities where possible to assess COVID-19 impact. Advice provided to island-based fisheries staff to assist with community needs, such as requests for management advice. SLB - To understand impacts of COVID-19 situation on food security and fisheries in local communities, we are gathering reports on practices in communities through individual phone surveys with community leaders who are currently on active local committees responsible for fisheries and livelihoods. VUT – Phone surveys completed with 21 project sites (for TC Harold and COVID-19 impact) with information relayed to VFD. Post-disaster needs assessment in Ambrym completed. 1.5. Co-design, refine and operationalise CBFM institutional structures to ensure post-project sustainability of New Song initiatives in KIR, SLB, VUT 1.5.1 Review existing government fisheries strategies and alignment with New Song - including recommendations KIR – Q3 2019; SLB – Q1 2019; VUT – Q1 2019 KIR – Completed. National Roadmap for Coastal Fisheries in Kiribati (2019-2036) is in line with all 8 New Song outcomes. The Roadmap was finalised and printed in 2019 and officially launched on the 21st February 2020. SLB – Completed; previously reported. VUT – The Coastal Fisheries Roadmap was completed and signed in March 2019. It is in line with the 8 New Song outcomes. A Coastal Fisheries Roadmap implementation workshop was held in Nov 2019 (see VUT-20191023-WR-CFR Implementation), facilitated by Pathways staff, to operationalise phase 1 (years 1-3) of the roadmap. 1.6. Participation in COVID-19 and TC Harold (VUT only) response planning and activities to support national NGO and government agencies 1.6.1 Participation in national government planning meetings for COVID-19 and post- disaster response Q2 2020 Project in-country staff have participated in national government planning meetings for COVID-19 and post- disaster (i.e. TC Harold) response 1.6.2 Multi-sector forum to integrate fish- related COVID-19 responses at whole-of- government forum in KIR (related to 1.3.6) Q2 2020 Options to hold the National Taskforce (e.g. remotely) in discussion with CFD Director. Objective 2: Scaling CBFM in Kiribati, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu Activity Outputs/Milestones Completion date Comments 2.1 Create (or update) national and project ToC for scaling CBFM in KIR, SLB, VUT 2.1.2 National project activities identified in national CBFM ToC (see 2.1.3) KIR - Q4 2018; SLB - Q3 2018; VUT - Q4 2017 Completed. Previously reported. Annual report: Pathways (short title) Page 15 Activity Outputs/Milestones Completion date Comments 2.1.3 Participatory ToC developed for CBFM in KIR, SLB and VUT in collaboration with national agencies, international partners and other stakeholders KIR Q1 2019; SLB Q3 2018; VUT Q1 2019 Completed. Previously reported. 2.2 Support national annual participatory and non- participatory assessments of CBFM and progress against ToC and/or other CBFM and coastal fisheries targets 2.2.2 Support SPC and national agencies in development of coastal fisheries report cards for KIR, SLB and VUT to include COVID-19 metrics from 2020 2018; 2019; ongoing Delayed for 2020. Project staff are working with SPC MEL to develop COVID related metrics and post-HoF will work with VUT VFD officers to develop a national template. 2.3 Establish new CBFM sites in each of VUT, KIR and SLB with participatory action research spanning social and fisheries outcomes 2.3.2 Five new community management plans from each of SLB, KIR, VUT implemented with ongoing monitoring to ensure continuous CBFM implementation to safeguard supply of fish KIR - Q4 2018 SLB – Q4 2018 ALL - CBFM Plan Review protocols are currently in development and will be harmonised across the three countries so that a core set of data are collected in all project sites. KIR - Completed. 10 new management plans have been endorsed by communities and are now being implemented. More intensive monitoring is planned for at least 5 sites in 2020 once travel restrictions are lifted. SLB - Completed. Previously reported. Monitoring of CBFM plan implementation ongoing with CBFM plan reviews to take place in at least 8 communities during 2020 (pending COVID-19 travel restrictions). These are communities that have been implementing CBFM in various stages since PacFish. The project team is putting together a facilitator’s guide for management plan reviews. VUT – In progress. One new management plan finalised, 7 further plans in final stages of completion. In Q3 2020 there will be full review of management plan implementation of PacFish sites, then ongoing for new management plans starting Q1 2021. CBFM implementation in 3 communities evidenced by requests for VFD technical advice for management measures. 2.4 Train communities, sub- national and national staff to support delivery and monitoring of activities 2.4.1 Facilitate co- development (communities, and provincial and national agencies) of ‘participatory’ education tools on coastal fisheries management including gender dimensions. Also includes technical advice and awareness materials to communities and sub- national agency staff on fisheries management measures (e.g. opening closed areas to relieve food shortages, health and safety of foods materials) SLB - Q2 2018; ongoing VUT - Q1 2019; ongoing REG - The Pathways project team, including national agency staff, developed the 'gender addendum', as a guide to gender inclusive facilitation for community-based resource management. See Kleiber et al. 2019 [PRJ- 2019-TO-Kleiber 3] KIR - Four ‘important species’ posters developed by the FA trainees in 2019 are being currently being revised following community comments. Two additional posters on destructive fishing practices and on the importance of communities in fisheries management are in the late stage of production. The six posters will be printed at SPC in 2020 for distribution directly to communities and to communities through FAs as part of CBFM and MCS&E info kits. SLB – A set of new guidelines are under development by the project team which draws on the catch data to indicate management requirements by habitat/bioregion. For example, communities in the mangroves are exploiting a completely different set of species that Annual report: Pathways (short title) Page 16 Activity Outputs/Milestones Completion date Comments communities in fringing reef lagoons. During 2019, a consultant, Michael Baker, was contracted to work with these data. This work is now being completed by Patrick Smallhorne-West during 2020/2021. This will provide educational material for provincial level officers and communities seeking to manage resources. VUT - Wan SmolBag Twist mo Spin play is being made into a DVD production with technical support from Pathways. In April 2020 VFD provided technical advice regarding the opening of tabu erias of two communities in Aniwa. This opening was required following restrictions on travel to Tanna due to COVID-19 government regulations, effectively stopping trade and food purchases for people on Aniwa. The tabu erias were opened for two weeks, before easing of travel allowed people to travel to Tanna again and only bamboo fishing and diving were permitted. 2.4.2 Compilation and publication of CBFM information kits and training of communities in KIR, SLB, VUT Ongoing Partially completed by milestone; activities ongoing. ALL - Communities participate in training in CBFM principles on an ongoing basis during most community engagements. For example, initial contact with a new community invariably includes awareness session on biology and ecology of coastal fisheries, general CBFM principles, MPAs, etc. The project implements a participatory action research model which has communities and researchers/project team working alongside each other on activities - a mutual learning modality KIR - See activity 2.4.1 for the use of posters on important species developed by Fisheries Assistant trainees. Production of CBFM information kits and teacher's pack was delayed until official launch of the Coastal Fisheries Regulations on 21/02/2020. SLB – See activity 2.4.1 for production of new guidelines for management requirements by habitat/bioregion. VUT - Identified an inventory of info materials; currently working on collating existing materials into a packet of information relevant and important for CBFM. CBFM info kits to be finalised, printed and ready for distribution by Q3 2020. They will be used as a tool during community awareness activities. Three comics on key species to accompany the Wan SmolBag theatre play have been completed (see VUT- 2019-IM-Wan SmolBag, VUT-2019-IM-Wan SmolBag 3, and VUT-2019-IM-Wan SmolBag 4). Annual report: Pathways (short title) Page 17 Activity Outputs/Milestones Completion date Comments 2.4.3 Compilation and publication of CBFM information kits and training of sub-national and national staff in KIR, SLB, VUT KIR - Q2 2018; ongoing SLB - Q1 2018; ongoing VUT - Q1 2018; ongoing Completed by milestone; activities ongoing. KIR - CBFM team continues with training of FA trainees and sub-national staff during community visits. A USP graduate is now on work attachment with the team for 2020. Team to compile a CBFM Fisheries Assistant manual in 2020 to be finalised during 2-week attachment with SPC in October 2020 if travel is possible. SLB - Continued visits to communities alongside Provincial Government staff and hands-on, continual training provided to National CBRM unit staff at MFMR through WorldFish staff secondment. VUT - Training of two new CBFM officers who joined the team in March 2020. Distribution to and training of subnational staff on use of the CBFM info kits from Q3 2020. 2.4.4 Training materials in community monitoring produced with national partners with follow-up training sessions in KIR, SLB, VUT ongoing KIR - Complete; activity ongoing. Catch monitoring training packages were produced and 3 KIR CBFM project officers were trained in June 2019. The officers then trained 2 other CBFM officers, 4 Fisheries Assistant trainees, 2 Research Unit staff and Fisheries Assistants in 4 project islands. SLB – Completed. Previously reported. VUT - Completed; activity ongoing. Catch monitoring training packages were produced and 4 VUT CBFM project officers were trained in June 2019. Following that, the team trained 10 VFD observers and 10 community members in implementing the protocol. Enumerator refresher training in March 2020 for 5 VFD observers [VUT-20200302-WR-Fish. mon. refresher training] 2.4.5 Develop and test a CBFM game as a tool for capacity development in Pacific CBFM KIR - Partially complete. A prototype of the game was finalised in November 2019 [KIR-2019-OO-Pathways] and delivered to MFMRD. The game will no longer be tested during the project period due to reprioritisation of activities following COVID-19. 2.4.6 Co-develop with Wan Smolbag theatre group a CBFM/gender play to be toured through VUT communities Q1 2019 Completed; previously reported. 2.4.7 Successful tour of Wan Smolbag CBFM play and related CBFM workshops through VUT communities Partially complete and on track. Touring in Southern community sites completed in Q2 2019. The second part of the tour to Northern sites has been cancelled due to Covid-19 travel restrictions. WSB will instead use that time and resources to produce a DVD of the play. 2.5 Establish co- management in at least one location identified as challenging for CBFM (i.e. in urban settings where tenure is unclear) 2.5.1 Management plan from Langalanga lagoon Completed; previously reported. 2.5.2 Paper on "Do networks build collaborative governance capacity?" Q4 2019 Completed; previously reported. Annual report: Pathways (short title) Page 18 Activity Outputs/Milestones Completion date Comments 2.5.3 National or provincially specific translation outputs on co-management models 2018 Completed; previously reported. 2.5.6 Paper on 'Reconciling resilience and development at the nexus of food security and livelihood strategies in Langalanga lagoon, Solomon Islands' Q1 2019 Completed; previously reported. 2.6 Test (qualitatively and quantitatively) the impact of four strategies for scaling up and CBFM in VUT, KIR and SLB 2.6.1 New community engagement approaches tested with at least 18 communities in each of KIR, SLB and VUT In progress and on track. KIR- An additional 29 communities have been directly engaged with using lite touch to intensive engagement approaches. Overall 10 islands in the Gilbert Group have villages engaged with the CBFM project. SLB - Four new communities have requested support since first engagement in Isabel. The project continued support and connection with the communities in Malaita and Western Province that are already implementing CBFM, with the view to carry out more in-depth review of management plan performance during 2020 in at least 8 communities. VUT - Of the 33 project sites, 18 are 'intensive' sites (i.e. have a CBFM plan) and the remainder are 'lite touch' sites. The engagement of new communities (beyond the 33 project sites; that is, 'ultra lite touch' sites) follows the national CBFM scaling strategy that is in draft and being tested for Vanuatu. 2.6.3 Paper and translation output on 'Overcoming the CBFM scaling conundrum: experience from the Solomon Islands' Paper is in progress and on-track. 2.6.4 Local/national media coverage (radio, newspapers etc.) of look and learn events KIR - Q2 2018; ongoing SLB - ongoing VUT - Q4 2017; ongoing Completed by milestone; activity ongoing. KIR - Press release following the Stakeholder meeting in August 2019. SLB – Launch of billboards at Auki market for fish handling and food safety featured in Solomon Star. Malaita fishery ordinance workshop Solomon Star February 2020. VUT - Vanuatu Daily Post article on the CBFM Forum (6th September 2019) which was attended by community representatives, PFOs, and national agency staff. 2.6.5 Paper comparing scaling out strategies for CBFM in KIR, SLB, and VUT Paper delayed to Q1 2021. Scaling survey data collection potentially impacted by travel restrictions, planned for Q4 2020. Analysis and write up to follow. Annual report: Pathways (short title) Page 19 Activity Outputs/Milestones Completion date Comments 2.7 Support ACIAR-project communities to implement adaptive fisheries management, to self-sufficiently govern CBFM in SLB, KIR, and VUT, including cross- sectoral concerns 2.7.3 Participatory qualitative and quantitative data reported in field trip reports and communicated to national agencies Q4 2018; ongoing Completed by milestone; activity ongoing. KIR- Progress reports are shared with national agencies during Heads of Unit meetings. Field trip reports for joint activities are shared with relevant national agency as well. SLB - CBRM field trip reporting conducted on an ongoing basis through seconded staff and Country Director meetings with MFMR. VUT - Fieldwork reports are documented regularly and shared with VFD and project partners. 2.8 Facilitate regional, national and sub-national learning symposia and exchange of experiences in CBFM 2.8.2 Workshop and networking events, with strong community representatives, to facilitate transfer of experiences and lessons learned with particular focus on successes with gender and post-disaster response including COVID-19 KIR - Q2 2018; ongoing SLB - Q2 2018 VUT - Q1 2019; ongoing Completed; activities ongoing. KIR - Stakeholder workshop was held in August 2019. Mayors and representatives from 10 islands were in attendance and the meeting was open by the Minister for Fisheries. The meeting allowed discussion from Mayors to Mayors and community members to community members between reps from villages with history of CBFM and those who had just expressed interest in the project and pending engagement. A stakeholder meeting was scheduled in Butaritari in Q3 2020 as a joint activity with MFMRD, MELAD, MFAT but has been postponed to Q1 2021. SLB – Alliances were strengthened through a range of engagements with national and provincial partners. The project team was part of the national thrust to gain momentum around the details of a national CBFM scaling strategy. Renewed collaborative structures with provincial governments in Western Province and Malaita Province were agreed after the election. These meetings were led by Delvene Boso and also attended by WorldFish DG Gareth Johnstone. VUT - National CBFM Community forum was held in August 2019 as part of the mid-term review. Community representatives discussed CBFM implementation in their locations and to transfer experiences and lessons learned. The CBFM Stakeholder Symposium (Nov 2019, see VUT-20191021-WR-National CBFM Symposium) brought together representatives of national agencies, NGOs and bilateral project who work with coastal communities in resource management and conservation to share, learn from each other, build networks and collaborate. Another National CBFM Symposium will be held in 2020, to include discussion of COVID-19 and TC Harold responses. 2.8.3 Print and radio media coverage of lessons learning events and findings in VUT, SLB, KIR Q4 2018; ongoing Completed by milestone; activities ongoing. KIR - Press releases and MFMRD newsletter covered the Stakeholder meeting. VUT - Vanuatu Daily Post article on the CBFM Forum (6th September 2019); FishSMARD article (25th May 2019) Annual report: Pathways (short title) Page 20 Activity Outputs/Milestones Completion date Comments 2.8.4 CBFM lessons learned and best practice guidance developed and published in appropriate form for VUT, SLB, KIR KIR - Q4 2018 SLB - Q4 2017 VUT - Q4 2018 Completed by milestone. ALL - FishSMARD was held in May 2019 in Vanuatu and brought together 15 project and fisheries agency staff from KIR, SLB and VUT to build a 'community of practice' around CBFM implementation. [See PRJ-20190515-WR- Fish SMARD 2019] KIR - see also 2.4.3. Lessons on best practice for CBFM in Kiribati are being compiled into the production of a Fisheries Assistant manual. A 2-week SPC attachment for 2 CBFM officers will take place in October 2020 to finalise and start printing. VUT - See Neihapi et al 2019 [VUT-2019-TO-Neihapi] which details alternative modes of dissemination and community awareness using theatre. 2.9 Conduct collaborative research (with SPC, FAO, LMMA) to determine the ceiling and accelerants of CBFM spread 2.9.2 National workshops to collate lessons, with partners, on CBFM spread KIR - Q4 2018; ongoing SLB - Q1 2019 VUT - Q4 2017 Completed by milestone; activities ongoing. KIR - National Taskforce meeting ongoing and on a 6- month basis. Q1 2020 meeting postponed until restrictions are lifted. SLB - Completed. Previously reported. VUT - Completed. Previously reported. 2.9.3 Paper on blue sky thinking around scaling CBAM in the Pacific, integrating review of ‘10 years on: the status and potential of Locally Managed marine areas in the Pacific – revisiting Govan et al. 2009’ Paper in progress; to be finalised in 2020. 2.9.4 Paper on ‘Ceiling of spread: the geographic and institutional limits of community-based approaches to fisheries management’ Q1 2019 Completed. Previously reported. 2.9.5 Journal article on predictors of drivers of local-level management of in-shore fisheries; a national assessment across villages in SLB Q2 2019 Completed. Previously reported. 2.9.6 Journal article on scaling efficacy in Pacific communities Not due yet. 2.10. Advance knowledge of CBFM spread to improve scaling up strategies within the context of Pacific regionalism 2.10.1 Paper on scaling non-technical innovations (CBFM) with reference to PROMIS framework and other policy translation framings Q2 2019 Completed by milestone; activity ongoing. PROMIS framework paper in progress. Annual report: Pathways (short title) Page 21 Activity Outputs/Milestones Completion date Comments 2.10.2 Conference panel and paper on 'Status, challenges and potential of multi-scale coastal fisheries policy implementation in the Pacific' Q4 2018 Completed. Previously reported. 2.10.3 Paper on "Political geography on IUU coastal fishing by "Blue boats"; governability through regionalism" Q2 2019 Completed. Previously reported. 2.10.4 Paper / ‘working paper’ / ‘glossy’ on 'What & how we think about scaling: presenting a research framework and the conceptual thinking around scaling CBAM in the Pacific' In progress. To be completed by Q3 2020. 2.10.7 Paper on interdisciplinarity in agriculture research for development, using CBFM as a case study Q1 2019 Completed; previously reported. Objective 3: Improve the opportunities, viability and performance of livelihoods in support of CBFM initiatives Activity Outputs/Milestones Completion date Comments 3.2. Train hatchery staff in tilapia broodstock management (in collaboration with EU-GIZ and ACIAR Community aquaculture project) 3.2.1 On-site training completed to ensure effective broodstock management and compliance with GIFT tilapia hatchery protocols These activities have been cut and funds reassigned to COVID-19 and TC Harold VFD post-disaster response activities, which will include aquaculture (e.g. fingerling supply). These will be reported under Activity 3.20 (COVID-19 flexible response fund). 3.4. Develop VUT national tilapia industry policy (led by VFD and in collaboration with farmers and private sector) 3.4.1 National aquaculture policy completed 3.5. Develop and implement model for community- based tilapia culture on Efate Island, VUT 3.5.1 Value chain and market analysis completed for tilapia on Efate completed in collaboration with private sector 3.5.2 National aquaculture development plan Annual report: Pathways (short title) Page 22 Activity Outputs/Milestones Completion date Comments 3.6. Complete on- site training in fish husbandry and marketing for farmers on Efate Island 3.6.1 Training for at least 20 farmers and other private sector entities completed 3.7. Establish national programme for FAD monitoring in VUT using ICT- based network of community monitors (in collaboration with SPC) 3.7.1 Network developed and monitoring ongoing Q3 2018 Completed; previously reported. 3.8. Sharing lessons on best practice for nearshore FAD design, implementation and monitoring 3.8.1 Regional workshop on nearshore FAD fish catch monitoring Q2 2019 Completed by milestone. Workshop held at SPC, Noumea on 14-16 May 2019. See report PRJ-20190514- WR-FAD Think Tank and SPC Fisheries Newsletter article PRJ-2019-TO-Kinch 3.8.2 Regional nearshore FAD technical manual Q3 2019 Completed by milestone. Published as Albert et al, 2019. (PRJ-2019-TO-Albert) 3.9. Analyse HIES data on income and expenditure to characterize fishing participation, income and livelihoods in Pacific coastal communities 3.9.1 Livelihood diversity baselines established and reported in relation to nutrition, gender and economic development for 12 Pacific countries with standardised HIES design On track. 3.11. Assess impact of loss of tourism on fishery sustainability and food security in coastal communities 3.11.1 Brief or options paper published on impact of loss of cruise ship tourism on food security, economic development and sustainability in VUT Not due yet. The brief has been refocused on impacts of the loss of tourism due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, with long term effects likely as the cruise ship industry faces massive changes post-pandemic. 3.12. Develop and refine a standardized livelihood diagnostic tool for use in communities 3.12.1 Refined livelihood diagnosis tool published as part of a manual on enhancing supplementary livelihoods Q2 2019 Completed. Published as Govan et al, 2019 (PRJ-2019- TO-Govan) 3.13. In-country team networking and exchange of experiences with livelihood initiatives 3.13.1 Workshop and networking to facilitate transfer and co-develop applied skills in SLB, KIR and VUT Q4 2017 Completed. Previously reported. Annual report: Pathways (short title) Page 23 Activity Outputs/Milestones Completion date Comments 3.15. Complete participatory livelihood diagnosis and prioritization in two CBFM communities in SLB and VUT 3.15.1 Outcomes from participatory livelihood diagnoses published KIR - Following the mid-term review, livelihood activities in Kiribati have been reduced to focus on sharing participatory CBFM approaches to livelihoods. The new livelihoods diagnosis tool will be shared with CFD when travel resumes. The tool will to be used with discussion with HoU at CFD to assist with the implementation of the livelihoods component of the National Roadmap. SLB – Completed and ongoing. Life history research carried out in Q3 2019 to understand gendered dimensions of women’s enterprises around fish-based livelihoods in Solomon Islands (the prioritised and tested livelihood). Report on findings in process for publication in SPC Bulletin. See also 4.8.3. VUT – Training completed for the Sara fish market cooperative (solar freezer maintenance and record keeping, good governance) in Q3 2019 (see VUT- 20190705-WR-Sara Good Governance) Following revisions after the mid-term review, there is now a prioritisation of livelihood activities in VUT down to one site/intervention: the fish distribution site in Sara. There will be ongoing monitoring of this work by the team in Q3/Q4 2020 when travel restrictions are lifted. 3.16 Invest in livelihood options prioritized under 3.15 to test their improvement with CBFM communities and associations in SLB 3.16.1 Develop and support a fishing business with village- residing youth in Langalanga, through the youth group of a CBO called OKRONUS. Q4 2018 Completed; previously reported. 3.16.2 Support and evaluate a prioritised livelihood activity with West Are’are Rokotanikeni Women Association Q2 2018 Completed; previously reported. 3.18 Summarize regional and national lessons in livelihood diversity and diversification to guide investments 3.18.1 SPC report and translation output Completed. The publication of the “New Idea” guide together with regional partners was a significant milestone publication for this project objective. The new idea toolkit provides guiding question to critically evaluate livelihood innovations. The tool helps extension offices and community organisers to guide discussions about livelihood ideas. The guide is named “A New Idea” to connect with “A New Song” policy and makes explicit reference to outcome #8 on livelihoods. The MFMR Scaling strategy in Solomon Islands incorporates this diagnostic guide. https://coastfish.spc.int/en/component/content/article/509 A forthcoming policy brief further speaks to this product; which will be reported on in 2021. Lessons will also be incorporated in the SPC livelihoods gender handbook. 3.19 VFD activities within national disaster management program 3.19.1 Provision of funding to VFD for immediate response to Ambae evacuation and fishing resources delivered to communities Q4 2018 Completed; previously reported. Annual report: Pathways (short title) Page 24 Activity Outputs/Milestones Completion date Comments 3.19.2 Ambae evacuation scoping mission completed Q4 2018 Completed; previously reported. 3.19.3 SOP developed within Coastal Fisheries Strategy for fisheries post-disaster response A draft SOP has been developed, but the workshop to approve and update the draft has been put on hold because of travel restrictions. In the short term, the draft SOP can be used by VFD as a guide to assist their response to TC Harold and COVID-19. (See VUT-2020- OO-Pathways project [draft]) A workshop between VFD and NDMO is necessary to fully draft and finalise this output, and will be a reflection on the SOP - how it was used during Harold, what was good, what was not good. 3.19.4 Paper on 'Disaster management in community-based fisheries' Paper in progress. 3.20 Activities in support of national agencies COVID-19 and TC Harold (in VUT) response, under guidance of national agencies Flexible response fund: outputs TBD, to include for example gendered needs assessments, provision of fishing gear, FAD repair, solar freezer maintenance, and VUT only, aquaculture activities such as fingerling supply support Project staff are in discussions with national partner agencies on how to best utilise these funds particularly in short term responses to COVID-19. In VUT, the project is supporting a request from VFD to contribute 10 of the 40 solar freezers required to equip all Area Councils across Vanuatu with fish storage facilities, following a National Plan to maintain availability of fish protein to the people of Vanuatu during the COVID-19 state of emergency period. The 10 solar freezers will be deployed to project sites and nearby communities along with solar freezer logsheets to monitor incoming and outgoing fish. Objective 4: Increase social and gender equity in coastal fisheries governance, utilisation and benefit distribution Activity Outputs/Milestones Completion date Comments 4.1. In collaboration with SPC, assess gender capacity needs of national and provincial government and NGOs 4.1.1 Short report on ‘Baseline assessment of gender capacity needs of fisheries agencies in KIR, SLB, and VUT’ SLB - 2018 In progress. KIR – Baselines in Kiribati dropped following COVID-19. SLB – Completed. Previously reported. VUT - baseline assessment completed by SPC under an MFAT project. 4.2. Train fisheries staff on gender- accommodating and transformative approaches to fisheries management 4.2.2 Fisheries agency staff have received training (via workshops, counterpart staff arrangements, in-house presentations/discussio n) to support fulfilment of Outcome 7 of the New Song Q4 2018; ongoing Completed; activity ongoing. KIR - Gender training is supported by Director Coastal Fisheries Division. Due to be held in partnership with WorldFish in Q2 2020. Delayed until travel can resume and may be cancelled. SLB - MFMR ‘gender 101’ training held in Oct 2019. VUT – ‘gender 101’ training held in collaboration with VFD in Feb 2020. 4.2.3 Information materials relating to gender and fisheries disseminated through regional information Q2 2019 Completed by milestone; activity ongoing. Aurelie Delisle has developed a community engagement module for SPC Pacific Handbook on Gender and Social Inclusion in Fisheries and Aquaculture (submitted; being Annual report: Pathways (short title) Page 25 Activity Outputs/Milestones Completion date Comments and communication channels finalised for printing at SPC). The Handbook's aim is to assist with gender training of Fisheries staff in the Pacific. See also SPC Women in Fisheries Information Bulletin - Gomese et al 2020, Capturing the value of fisheries using photovoice (SLB-2020-TO-Gomese) WorldFish has also promoted the gender work through media such as YouTube, see Facilitating Inclusive Community-Based Management of Coastal Fisheries https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtjFRdem3tE&utm_s ource=E-Alert&utm_campaign=e792ec3b1b- EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_05_21_COPY_03&utm_medi um=email&utm_term=0_0a4d9ec4ca-e792ec3b1b- 87606913 4.2.4 Impact assessment of gender capacity building efforts Q4 2018; ongoing SLB – MFMR pre- and post-training evaluation completed (Oct 2019). A 6-month follow-up survey will be administered to evaluate whether new knowledge has been used or useful to participants. VUT – VFD post-training evaluation completed in Q1 2020. 6-month post-training survey to be conducted in Q3 2020. 4.3. Conduct national-level ‘gender in environmental management and development’ forum 4.3.2 Forum held between national agencies and local civil society organisations on how to support outcome 7 of the New Song in CBFM context SLB – Q1 2019 SLB – completed by milestone. Project staff organised a panel for International Women's Day with leaders form environment, fisheries and development sectors. VUT – A panel of local gender experts was held during the Vanuatu gender training (Q1 2020) including representatives from UN Women, OXFAM, CARE and the Department of Women’s Affairs. The panel shared their approaches to gender integration in their work programs and the tools they used. Lessons were shared with VFD to help them better implement their roadmap for coastal fisheries. 4.3.3 Lessons learned /outcomes discussion paper published as paper and/or media Q1 2019 Completed; previously reported. See also Gomese and Boso (2019), Innovate for change, our fisheries future: A women in fisheries panel on International Women’s Day in Solomon Islands (SLB-2019-TO-Gomese) VUT – article on the VFD gender training in the SPC Women in Fisheries Information Bulletin in prep. 4.4. Analyse regional and national-level gender commitments in environment and development policies 4.4.1 Paper(s) building understanding of gender within environment, development and/or small-scale fisheries in the Pacific. Q1 2020 Completed by milestone. Lawless et al Gender equality is diluted in strategies for small-scale fisheries, in review, Fish and Fisheries. 4.5. Support/co- host a women in SSF and CBFM 4.5.2 Multi-stakeholder workshop co-hosted with SPC and appropriate partners The workshops around the gender handbook modules were attended by Pathways team with SPC and members of PICs national fisheries agencies. Representation from some countries was cancelled due to travel restrictions. 4.5.3 Workshop report (with recommendations) in SPC women in fisheries bulletin On track - will follow the release of the new Pacific Handbook on Gender and Social Inclusion in Coastal Fisheries and Aquaculture by SPC. Annual report: Pathways (short title) Page 26 Activity Outputs/Milestones Completion date Comments 4.5.5 Complete Pacific handbook for gender equity and social inclusion in coastal fisheries and aquaculture and published as a SPC report Q1 2019 Completed; previously reported. 4.6. Undertake a gender baseline survey in two new CBFM communities in SLB 4.6.2 Increased understanding of underlying gender norms through literature review, primary data collection and expert elicitation Q4 2019 Completed. Baseline data on inclusivity in CBRM processes collected in 2019 in 11 communities in Malaita and Western Province. 4.6.4 Paper on ‘Accounting for gender and cultural norms associated within SSF and agriculture initiatives; case studies from the Pacific’ Q4 2019 Completed. Published as Lawless et al. 2019, Gender norms and relations: implications for agency in coastal livelihoods (PRJ-2019-PP-Lawless) A translation output was also published as Lawless et al (2020) ‘Beyond gender-blind livelihoods: considerations for coastal livelihood initiatives’ SPC Women in Fisheries Information Bulletin #31 (SLB-2020-TO-Lawless) 4.7. Collect data on gendered fishing patterns in at least one community in each of KIR, VUT, and SLB 4.7.1 Participatory action research completed with male, female and youth co- researchers, fishery monitoring Q4 2019; ongoing Completed by milestone; activity ongoing. KIR and VUT - Gendered fishing patterns collected in 5 communities in 2019 during Pathways CBFM catch monitoring. The 2nd round of data collection was cancelled after 1 week complete in one location in KIR due to Covid-19 travel restrictions. 3rd and 4th rounds scheduled to take place in Q3-Q4 2020. SLB - Sex-disaggregated CPUE data collection in Western Province finished in 2019. See SLB-20190603- FTR-Leona fish monitoring. Data collection completed using Photovoice method to understand non-catch values and roles along the fisheries value chain. See SLB-20190516-FTR- Santupaele Photovoice consultation, SLB-20190521- FTR-Santupaele PV training, SLB-20190528-FTR- Santupaele PV Checkup, SLB-20190531-FTR- Santupaele PV camera collection, SLB-20190709-FTR- Santupaele PV data collection, SLB-20190710-FTR- Santupaele PV validation. Published as Gomese et al 2020, Capturing the value of fisheries using photovoice (SLB-2020-TO-Gomese) 4.8. Produce gender-sensitive diagnosis informing male- and female- targeted livelihood and nutrition interventions 4.8.2 Adapted and extended livelihood diagnosis tool and nutrition diagnosis tool that are sensitive to gender and longer-term intended and unintended, socially differentiated consequences Q2 2019 Livelihood diagnosis tool completed by milestone. Published as Govan et al (2019) A new idea for coastal fisheries: asking the right questions to enhance coastal livelihoods. (PRJ-2019-TO-Govan) Nutrition diagnosis tools are currently being reviewed by gender specialist at WorldFish to ensure interventions are gender accommodating. 4.8.3 Paper on ‘Accommodating gender in livelihood investments’ Q1 2020 Completed. At the Women’s Economic Empowerment Learning Forum in Fiji, May 2019, WorldFish staff member Margaret Batalofo and President of WARA Dr Alice Pollard presented research data on the process of co- identification of livelihood enhancing activities and its Annual report: Pathways (short title) Page 27 Activity Outputs/Milestones Completion date Comments diagnosis. The emphasis was placed on how to create an enabling process that is strength-based and gender sensitive, and that seeks to support WARA members to take up economic activities according to their own ambition and at their own pace. Margaret presented together with Dr Alice and this was a significant achievement on the journey that Margaret is on to be a leader in women’s economic development. 4.9. Apply gender- sensitive/transforma tive tools in CBFM facilitation and activities to support and strengthen alternative livelihood and nutrition opportunities in CBFM communities 4.9.1 Adjust project activities to use gender sensitive/transformative tools in community engagement; report in trip reports ongoing Gender sensitive facilitation methods used by teams in community-level activities and reported in trip reports. A new checklist for gender and social inclusion in community engagement is currently being developed for the SPC Handbook. SLB – inclusivity assessment done in 11 communities. 4.9.4 Paper on ‘Beyond equitable participation in CBFM: how project activities can impact on social dynamics’ On track. Participatory exclusions paper to be submitted Q2 2020. 4.10. In CBFM and livelihood sites, monitor gendered livelihood portfolios with food security, nutrition, income and wellbeing outcomes 4.10.1 Report on approach/model for gender integration in fisheries projects: the Pathways case Q1 2019 Completed; previously reported. Objective 5: Promote food and nutrition security in the Pacific food system through improved management and use of fish Activity Outputs/Milestones Completion date Comments 5.1. Participatory diagnosis to assess the underlying determinants of malnutrition and the role of fish at selected CBFM sites in SLB and VUT 5.1.1 Diagnosis completed and used to guide a ToC for fisheries based interventions to improve nutrition of women and young children in Melanesia SLB – diagnosis complete. Baseline data collected in five sites. VUT - Baseline data completed in 2 sites in Aniwa and Maskelynes in 2019. 5.1.2 Paper on ‘importance of fish to nutrition and dietary diversity in rural communities in SLB and VUT’ SLB and VUT data collection complete and analysis currently underway. 5.1.3 Paper on 'Poor nutrition and diets in rural Solomon Islands communities: a mixed methods approach to framing the problem and its drivers' Q2 2019 Completed; previously reported. 5.1.4 SPC article on 'Feeding fish to infants in Solomon Islands: insights from traditional and local practices" A small survey in Honiara to explore role of fish in existing complementary feeding of infants and children to complete data collection for this paper has been delayed due to Covid-19 social distancing requirements. Results will be published as a SPC bulletin article, aimed at Q4 2020. Annual report: Pathways (short title) Page 28 Activity Outputs/Milestones Completion date Comments 5.1.5 Paper on 'Balancing a healthy diet: The role of consumer purchasing behaviours and preferences' Data for this paper has been collected (see 5.1.1). Paper in progress during Q2020 for SLB and VUT. KIR will not be included in the analyses. 5.1.6. Paper on ‘Poor nutrition and diets in Vanuatu communities: a mixed methods approach to framing the problem and its drivers’ Paper delayed to Q4 2020. 5.2. Analysis of nutrition value chains of SSF in SLB, VUT and KIR 5.2.1 Translation output on ‘Guidelines for a nutrition-sensitive approach to coastal fisheries management and development in the Pacific’ Guidelines are in progress but likely delayed due to travel restrictions (Jillian Wate was due to workshop these guidelines at WorldFish in Penang in June 2020). 5.2.2 Paper on ‘Follow the fish: income and nutritional value along the SSF value chain in KIR’ Paper deleted following the COVID-19 reprioritisation (unlikely international travel will resume in time for data collection to happen). 5.2.3 Paper on 'the role of fish, local and imported foods in the diets of rural Solomon Island women Paper to be deleted; duplicate of 5.1.3. 5.2.6 Paper on dietary diversity in PICS Paper in draft. HIES analyses completed and summaries tabulated. 5.3. Develop and implement behaviour change communication Interventions (following 5.1.2) to improve dietary diversity of women and young children at selected CBFM/livelihood sites 5.3.1 Social behaviour change communication products e.g. DVD/poster on healthy diets in local language interventions. New products in 2020 to include ‘nutrition in emergencies’ practical materials (e.g. information on preservation of fish during disasters). KIR - Fish for Life manual is being jointly developed with Coastal Fisheries Division training unit. The manual is intended to be used as a resource by primary school teachers in Kiribati to provide information about nutrition and the importance of fish. It is currently being edited by WorldFish nutritionist. Two posters developed under PacFish (First 1000 days and Fish for Good Health posters) have been provided to the MFMRD Training Unit for their consideration to use as part of the food security activities in the National Coastal Fisheries Roadmap. The CBFM team may support translation into i-Kiribati if requested. VUT - the nutrition DVD (VUT-2019-IM-WorldFish) has been finalised and used in communities as a behaviour change tool. The PacFish nutrition posters have been translated into Bislama by VFD project staff (VUT-2020- Worldfish and VUT-2020-Worldfish 2). SLB - ToT package is almost finalised, to be reviewed by gender specialist. The package includes 5 modules with topics on nutrition, with a focus on fish, along with recipe cards and cooking demonstration instructions aimed at raising awareness in communities around fish for good health. A further nutrition in emergencies module is in development (e.g. information on preservation of fish and other important foods during disasters). The package will be provided to MoH and Fisheries with a training workshop. The ToT package – particularly the Nutrition in emergencies module - will be distributed to CBFM teams in VUT and KIR for use in those countries. Annual report: Pathways (short title) Page 29 Activity Outputs/Milestones Completion date Comments 5.3.2 Workshops for CBFM practitioners in Solomon Islands and Vanuatu to increase capacity to undertake nutrition-sensitive approaches and awareness in fisheries management activities (Joint MHMS awareness workshop in SLB) VUT - Training completed for 18 participants from VFD, Agriculture, Health, Wan SmolBag, and JICA in Q2 2019 on nutrition approaches and how to collect nutrition information, and use of behavioural change communication materials (The First 1000 days and Benefits of fish posters, and the nutrition DVD). SLB - joint MHMS/MFMR awareness workshop planned Q3 2020, once WorldFish Nutrition Sensitive Guide for Small-island Developing States (see 5.2.1) complete. 5.3.3 Paper on lessons learned from behaviour-based nutrition interventions for improved dietary diversity Behaviour-change nutrition interventions planned for Q4 2020 in SLB. VUT interventions cancelled due to likely extended Covid-19 international travel restrictions in 2020. Endline/follow-up data collection will be 6-months following the intervention in SLB. Data analysis and writing of paper may be delayed beyond the milestone date. 5.3.4 SPC brief on ‘social dimensions of healthy food behaviours in the context of changing Pacific food systems’ SPC brief will be completed concurrent to the paper in 5.3.3 and may be delayed. 5.4. Analyse relationships between livelihoods human health and ecological data using HIES and other secondary data 5.4.1 FAO 'box' for SOFIA to influence global SSF guideline implementation Q1 2018 Completed. Previously reported. 5.4.3 Paper on 'Acquisition and apparent consumption of fish in 12 Pacific Island Countries Paper in draft, to be finalised by Q2 2020. 5.4.4 Integrate CBFM and related health initiatives in KIR to reduce duplication and improve outcomes Q1 2019 Completed; previously reported. 5.4.5 Paper on ‘Linkages between coral reef health and fisheries governance’ in collaboration with Harvard University and SPC (KIR only) Data was collected in 2019; paper on track. 5.5. Regional multi- stakeholder workshops to develop and apply national scenarios for strategic planning – and foresight analysis of the changing availability, demand and use of fish 5.5.1 National workshops in KIR, SLB and VUT on nutrition and trade policy with a focus on fish Following COVID-19 reprioritisation, only workshops in SLB will be completed under FIS/2016/300 (provided that international travel restrictions are lifted). Annual report: Pathways (short title) Page 30 Activity Outputs/Milestones Completion date Comments 5.6. Analysis of regional and national trade and nutrition policies to determine structural drivers of local nutrition security 5.6.1 Translation output on ‘Supporting nutrition security of coastal communities through strategic policy reform’ 7 interviews conducted in 2019 in SLB. A further three interviews are required in SLB to complete data collection for this output, but have been delayed due to Covid-19. 5.6.2 Paper on intra- regional trade in fish Paper in draft, will be finalised Q3 2020 5.6.4 Paper on 'Fish in the Pacific Food System' On track 5.6.5 Food security and nutrition profile of Solomon Islands and summary of likely impacts of COVID-19 on national and provincial scale, in conjunction with ACIAR project FIS/2018/155 Q2 2020 Analysis is almost complete; layout and text is in development in collaboration with SPC. 5.6.6 Food security and nutrition profile of Vanuatu and summary of likely impacts of COVID-19 on national and provincial scale, in conjunction with ACIAR project FIS/2018/155 Q3 2020 To be completed next quarter. 5.6.7 Food security and nutrition profile of Kiribati and summary of likely impacts of COVID-19 on national and provincial scale, in conjunction with ACIAR project FIS/2018/155 Q4 2020 To be completed following VUT. Crosscutting Activity 1: Communication Activity Outputs/Milestone Completion date Comments CM 1. Develop a communication strategy in support of project activities and the New Song CM 1.1 Multi- pronged communication strategy developed including traditional and social media, and scholarly articles Q2 2018 Completed; previously reported. CM 1.2 Mid-term review of communication strategy in the context of M&E indicators Q2 2019 Completed by milestone. CM 2. Six monthly project updates to CM 2 Six monthly project briefs received by DFAT ongoing KIR - ongoing. In person briefs provided to DFAT post in June, August, November 2019 and February 2020. Bi-weekly briefs with DFAT Post during Covid-19. Annual report: Pathways (short title) Page 31 Activity Outputs/Milestone Completion date Comments DFAT Posts in KIR, SLB, VUT Posts in KIR, SLB, VUT Increased to more frequent briefings on changes to activities post- COVID SLB - Communication with DFAT post occurred infrequently during 2019. In February 2020 we had in-person meeting with the High Commissioner and have followed up on two occasions, including a COVID response update. VUT - In person briefs with DFAT Post ongoing. COVID response more frequent communications. CM 3. Quarterly project briefs to national partner agencies in KIR, SLB, VUT CM 3 Six monthly project briefs received by national partner agencies KIR - In person project briefs are provided by the CBFM team during senior staff meetings. In person brief provided to the Director in June, August, November 2019 and February 2020. SLB - During 2019 we sought to develop a new format of program brief updates to partners in the form of a quarterly Newsletter. The first newsletter is for Q2 2020 and is due for publication at the time of reporting. VUT - update report shared with VFD and project partners in Q2 2019 and more detailed annual report shared in Q4 2019 (VUT-2020-OO-VFD) CM 4. Disseminate project news through donor newsletters CM 4 Bi-annual articles published via donor media Q3 2018 Article titled “Communities help themselves to improve fisheries management” published in ACIAR Partners magazine (Issue 3, 2019). A case study from the project featured on DFAT’s ‘Australia and the Pacific: partnering to support sustainable oceans and livelihoods’ website and downloadable PDF (https://dfat.gov.au/geo/pacific/engagement/Pages/supporting- sustainable-oceans-and-livelihoods.aspx). Activity will not be prioritised following COVID-19, although opportunistic articles may be published. CM 5. Disseminate project news through implementing agency media channels (e.g. UOW, WorldFish, SPC) CM 5.1 Regular media releases published through project implementing agencies Q1 2018 Ongoing. Collaboration with SPC to publish articles in the SPC newsletter/bulletin. A writing workshop was held at the Fish SMARD meeting in May 2019, where in-country team members were led through writing for SPC bulletins/the newsletter. Multiple project stories have since been published in the SPC Fisheries Newsletter and Women in Fisheries Bulletin. KIR - ongoing. Radio announcements during MFMRD radio slots and MFRMD newsletter articles. Activity will not be prioritised following COVID-19, although opportunistic articles may be published. CM 5.2 Regionally reported stories of learning from exchanges Q1 2018 FishSMARD article in the Vanuatu Daily Post (25th May 2019) Activity will not be prioritised following COVID-19, although opportunistic articles may be published. CM 5.3 Produce accessible lessons learned outputs through SPC and partner channels to capture insights and experience from FIS/2012/074 Paper deleted. CM 6. Raise awareness about CBFM project in national- CM 6 Booth on CBFM project held at least annually in national sponsored ongoing Completed by milestone; ongoing. KIR - CBFM team held a booth and Q & A during the national launch of the National Coastal Fisheries Roadmap for Kiribati (2019-2036) on 21/02/2020. Annual report: Pathways (short title) Page 32 Activity Outputs/Milestone Completion date Comments sponsored events in KIR, SLB, VUT events in KIR, SLB, VUT CBFM team distributed posters, brochures, and the Nei Tengarengare DVD during the Coastal Fisheries Summit in Q2 2019. SLB – Booth at the launch of the Solomon Islands National Oceans Policy event. Faye Siota (project staff seconded to MFMR) gave a short talk on CBRM initiatives to HRH Prince Charles and Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare. VUT - the Pathways team participated at VFD booths at Public Service Commission day (July 2019) and SANMA Public Servants Day (August 2019) in Santo. Activity will not be prioritised following COVID-19. CM 7. Raise awareness about the project in international events (e.g. conferences, meetings) CM 7 Side events, panel sessions at international conferences / meetings held Q4 2018; ongoing Abstract submitted to World Fisheries Congress. Congress has recently been postponed to Q4 2021. Other options in 2020 likely to be cancelled. 2019 People and the Sea conference, MARE Amsterdam - project staff who presented include Dirk Steenbergen, Hampus Eriksson, Ruth Davis, Jan van der Ploeg, Danika Kleiber. Collaborated with UK television broadcasting company ITN Networks to film a segment for the IMarEST documentary titled “Our Oceans, Our Future” showcasing Pathways activities in Vanuatu. This documentary was aired at the Royal Institution, London on the 20th November 2019 (attended by 75 people) and is part of a 12 month campaign being shared across websites and social media. Activity will not be prioritised following COVID-19 and likely continued international travel restrictions. CM 8. Develop and disseminate short educational videos CM 8 Short educational videos developed and made publicly available in each country 2019 KIR – CBFM video [KIR-2019-IM-MFMRD 8] complete. Video is now used by the CBFM team during awareness raising activities. The video provides information on CBFM implemented in Kiribati villages to communities interested in the project. SLB - The livelihoods work in Solomon Islands was featured as a WorldFish exposure story (with embedded video footage) which reached high views and global impacts: https://worldfish.exposure.co/cool-women-of-malaita. This later featured in the CGIAR Farming First Innovations for Sustainable Food Systems initiative: https://farmingfirst.org/food-systems#section_3. The fish handling sheets produced in partnership with SPC were also further disseminated and the Bislama translations were well received in in Vanuatu. The Australian Foreign Minister re- tweeted an ACIAR post about this as a “very important” initiative: https://twitter.com/MarisePayne/status/1247331256309649409 VUT - Nutrition video [VUT-2019-IM-WorldFish]; Wan SmolBag Twist mo Spin theatre play and workshops [VUT- 2019-TO-Wan SmolBag] and short 10-minute promotional version [VUT-2019-TO-Wan SmolBag 2] Activity will not be prioritised following COVID-19. Annual report: Pathways (short title) Page 33 Activity Outputs/Milestone Completion date Comments CM 9. Publish regular project stories using national media outlets (radio, websites, TV, newspapers…) in KIR, SLB, VUT CM 9 Regular project stories published via national media outlets in KIR, SLB, VUT with a focus on disseminating COVID-19 related material such as safety at sea or safe fish handling segments on radio or through national newspapers On track activities ongoing. KIR - The national radio broadcast featured 6 stories about the project (8th and 22nd June, 14th September and 26th October, 2018; 20th February and 3rd May, 2020) using the MFMRD national radio broadcast. The broadcast on the 20th February was about the launch of the Ministry Strategic Plan, Coastal Fisheries Regulations and Fisheries Roadmap for the MFMRD. A press release was published following the launch of the Kiribati Coastal Fisheries Roadmap (21/02/2020). The Australian High Commission’s Facebook page shared a post about the Coastal Based Fisheries Management Stakeholder meeting ‘Strengthening and Sustaining Nei Tengarengare in Kiribati’ (5th September, 2019). SLB - Multiple project stories published - see media outputs list. VUT – Multiple project stories published - media pieces outputs list. Following COVID-19 reprioritisation, the focus will be on COVID-19 related information such as safety at sea segments broadcast on local radio. CM 10. Design and disseminate project brochures/posters about project outcomes in KIR, SLB, VUT CM 10 Brochures/posters published in KIR, SLB, VUT KIR – 2019; SLB - Q1 2018; VUT - Q4 2018 Completed by milestone; ongoing. KIR- posters on important species have been developed and trialled in communities. Currently being revised and adapted before printing by SPC. Two community posters to assist with role of communities under the new Coastal Fisheries Regulations are in the late stage of production before printing. A new pamphlet on CBFM under the new Coastal Fisheries Regulations was completed on 21st February, 2020, and is ready for dissemination. VUT - Three Wan SmolBag comics sea cucumber [VUT-2019- TO-Wan SmolBag], blue fish [VUT-2019-IM-Wan SmolBag 4], and coconut crab [VUT-2019-IM-Wan SmolBag]. SLB - Billboards at Auki market showcasing prohibited species and size restriction for seafood sold at the market. Activity will not be prioritised following COVID-19. CM 11. Raise project profile in Australia (newspapers, radio, social media …) CM 11 Annual project stories communicated in Australian media outlets Article titled “New research collaboration to support pacific communities to prepare for the future published in UoW media (23/03/2020). Article titled “How theatre is helping Vanuatu protect its fisheries” published in The Stand (UoW magazine) (17/09/2019). Photo-series titled “Troubled waters: telling the story of fish in Vanuatu theatre” published in The Guardian (15 September 2019). Interview with Aurelie Delisle on UoW Podcast titled “Can you tell me how?” (19/09/2019). The published podcast episode was listened to 2879 times as of 5/05/2020. Activity will not be prioritised following COVID-19, although opportunistic articles may be published. Annual report: Pathways (short title) Page 34 Crosscutting Activity 2: Capacity Development Activity Outputs/Milestones Completion date Comments CD 2. Increase scientific capacity of national project and partner staff in KIR, SLB and VUT CD 2.1 Recruit/retain nationals to in-country project teams Q2 2018 Completed; previously reported. CD 2. Increase scientific capacity of national project and partner staff in KIR, SLB and VUT CD 2.2 Two Pacific nationals engaged in project activities enrolled in Masters or PhD programs Q3 2018 Completed; previously reported. Five Pacific Islander students are undertaking a Masters of Fisheries Policy at ANCORS sponsored by the project and co-funded by ANCORS. They are studying part-time and via distance education, and are expected to complete by December 2022. CD 2.3 Targeted training of project staff on CBFM techniques and scientific research KIR and VUT staff participated in a week's training in Wollongong in June 2019 on research methods, questionnaire design, writing of performance stories. KIR and VUT staff also participated in a one-week training in Q1 2020 on catch monitoring data analysis. CD 3. Develop in- country capacity in developing and publishing project outputs CD 3 National staff or partners included in at least 75% of project outputs (assessed annually) Overall, national staff or partners are primary or co- authors on 77% of project outputs CD 4. Learning exchange between Torres Strait and Pacific islanders on SSF co- management CD 4.1 Workshop and networking to facilitate the emergence of a learning platform between Torres Strait and Pacific Islanders with translation output published through SPC This activity will be cancelled. The activity was due to happen during 2020 FishSMARD in Solomon Islands, which has been postponed to 2021. CD 6. Broker partnerships between Australian and Pacific institutions (focus on USP and SINU) to deliver training in coastal fisheries governance in support of the New Song CD 6.1 Options paper prepared on modular short-course training for practitioners (Govan and Aqorau) Will be completed in 2020. Rapid assessment of needs from the point of view of students, recent and mature graduates complete in PRJ- 2019-TO-Abuinao CD 6.2 Record of understanding developed between Australian and Pacific institutions Q4 2018 Completed. Previously reported. CD 7. Develop and deliver a free online short course on CBFM principles to fisheries staff of agencies in KIR, SLB, VUT CD 7.1 Short course material and online platform designed Activity dropped following COVID-19 reprioritisation. CD 7.2 Online course taken by staff in KIR, SLB, VUT Activity dropped following COVID-19 reprioritisation. CD 8. Develop CBFM training materials for sub- national fisheries staff in KIR, SLB, VUT to support CBFM activities CD 8.1 Training material for sub- national fisheries staff developed for KIR, SLB, VUT KIR - Fisheries Extension manual to be compiled and finalised during a 2-week attachment at SPC. Also refer to output 2.4.2. SLB - Four guest lectures delivered in 2019 by WorldFish staff to SINU Fisheries Department students, including Fish-based Livelihoods (Hampus Eriksson), CPUE and data collection methods (Janet Oeta), Nutrition (Jillian Wate), and Seagrass and mangroves (Ronnie Posala). Annual report: Pathways (short title) Page 35 Activity Outputs/Milestones Completion date Comments VUT - Training packet for PFOs in preparing workplans and tracking progress in Excel is currently in development. CD 8.2 Training delivered to sub- national fisheries staff in KIR, SLB, VUT with pre- and post- evaluation ALL - each country has a modality of implementing field activities accompanied by extension officer or existing MFMRD staff (KIR), provincial officers (SLB, Malaita), area officer (VUT). This is intended to build capacity on CBFM principles in practice. Apart from in-field practical training, no further training will be delivered from Q2 2020 onwards, due to COVD-19 reprioritisation. KIR - Ongoing - Training of Fisheries Assistant, Fisheries Assistant trainees and MELAD LDCF island-based staff is ongoing. A joint training with MFMRD and MFAT is supposed to be organised during the Fisheries Assistant refresher course in 2020. Dates TBC. SLB – A main thrust of research in Solomon Islands during 2019 was in the space of gender. Gender training events were held with national partners, provincial level officers in Honiara, Western Province, Malaita. Follow up assessments were carried out and reported on in forthcoming scientific publication. VUT - Workplan Preparation Training for PFOs delayed to Q4 2020 but options for remote delivery by Pathways staff are being investigated CD 9. Develop and deliver postgraduate subjects in fisheries governance (inclusive of CBFM, gender, nutrition) CD 9.1 Subjects designed, delivered at ANCORS. Subjects to include material on smallscale fisheries’ response to disasters incl. Covid19 (with global, subnational and local case studies) Delayed - new subjects were approved by UoW Academic Senate in 2019. The materials for two subjects are currently being designed for the Master of Fisheries Policy and the Master of Maritime Policy at ANCORS. CD 9.2 First cohort of Pacific students undertaking postgraduate subject Output deleted. CD 9.3 Pre- and post- evaluation of course developed and undertaken Output deleted. Crosscutting Activity 3: Monitoring and Evaluation Activity Outputs/Milestones Completion date Comments ME 1 Ensure effective project implementation ME 1.1 Inception meetings held and operational plans agreed Q1 2018 Completed. Previously reported. ME 1.2 Project management meetings held on an annual basis Q4 2017; Q3 2018 Completed by milestone; activity ongoing. Project implementation group met in October 2019 to discuss project response to the mid-term review. Annual report: Pathways (short title) Page 36 Activity Outputs/Milestones Completion date Comments Project Reference Committee meeting was planning for Feb 2020 but did not go ahead due to members' availability. It is unlikely that the PRC will meet face-to- face in 2020 due to Covid-19 restrictions. A virtual PRC meeting is planned in Q3 2020 as part of the CBFM3 design process. ME 2 Develop a programmatic approach to Pacific coastal fisheries M&E ME 2.1 In collaboration with partners and led by SPC, New Song results framework reviewed and revised as needed post HoF and FFC Q4 2017 Completed. Previously reported. ME 2 Develop a programmatic approach to Pacific coastal fisheries M&E ME 2.2 Paper on 'Synthesizing the process of regional coastal fisheries indicators' Output deleted. ME 2.3. CBFM monitoring program developed and tested in KIR and VUT in collaboration with SPC and national agencies ALL - protocol for review of CBFM plans currently being developed/ Catch monitoring protocol developed and tested for use in KIR and VUT with staff training completed. KIR - Collaboration with SPC PEUMP team trialling TAILS in Kiribati to align and complement approaches. VUT - Strong collaboration started with the VFD data section on coastal fisheries production data. Historically the data section has been more focused on oceanic/commercial fisheries. The project has provided support (tablets, solar chargers, support for refresher training) for the VFD TAILS+ community monitoring network. Also, the project has supported the setting up of a protocol for solar freezer logging, to monitor fish and other produce going into the freezer. ME 2.4. CBFM monitoring continued in SLB using historical and early Pathways methods to ensure data continuity (first in 2018 and then bi-annually thereafter) Output deleted. ME 2.5. First round of training and sampling completed, and then up to five communities sampled in each country to provide data on ecological effects of CBFM (first in Q3 2019 and then six monthly thereafter) KIR - Training completed in June 2019 and followed by training of national agency staff in August 2019. Data collected in 5 CBFM communities in 2019. Data currently being analysed. 2nd round cancelled after 1 week due to travel restrictions. The CBFM officers used their training in data analysis (see CD 2.3) to compile community- friendly graphs and resources to report on the catch monitoring data collected during the first round. The information was delivered in two communities before travel restrictions stopped further data collection in Kiribati. VUT - Training completed in June 2019. Following that, the team trained 10 VFD observers and 10 community members in implementing the protocol. Round 1 was completed in 5 CBFM communities in 2019. Data is currently being analysed. Enumerator refresher training in March 2020 for 5 VFD observers [VUT-20200302-WR- Fish. mon. refresher training]. 2nd round data Annual report: Pathways (short title) Page 37 Activity Outputs/Milestones Completion date Comments collection scheduled for March 2020, but cancelled due to Covid-19 travel restrictions. ME 2.6. Analyses of mixed method fishery monitoring in KIR, SLB and VUT completed KIR and VUT - 4 KIR and VUT project staff were trained in data analysis of catch monitoring data in Q1 2020. Data analysis of the first round of catch monitoring data currently in progress for reporting to communities and national agency as well as for use in a SPC article. SLB - During 2019 a consultant, Michael Baker, was contracted to work with catch data from 2018 to develop fishery profile guidelines by habitat/bioregion. This work is now being completed by Patrick Smallhorne-West during 2020/2021. In addition, new catch data was collected in Western Province to complete a ten year time series of catches. These data are also being analysed during 2020 to evaluate changes through time and explanatory variables. ME 3 Complete characterization of coastal communities in PICs to create baseline for scaling activities and progress toward New Song outcomes ME 3.1 Data tables and maps created in SPC database PopGIS and available on SPC website Q4 2017 Completed. Previously reported. ME 3.2 Registers of expressions of interest by communities for support for CBFM established in KIR, SLB and VUT Q4 2017 Completed. Previously reported. ME 4 Panel study repeated in SLB, KIR and VUT ME 4 Repeated data- collection for analysis against baseline collected in FIS/2012/074 ALL - Date TBC once travel restrictions are lifted. Delays expected. ME 5 Workshop on outcome harvesting conducted across project objectives and countries ME 5 Information for outcome evaluation collated Partially completed. Q2 2019 workshop held in Wollongong with KIR and VUT country teams with training on writing performance stories for outcome harvesting. Initial stories scoped by country teams. ME 6 Evaluation conducted against project / New Song outcomes ME 6.1 Report cards for each of the project / New Song outcomes Not due yet. ME 6.2 Summaries of progress towards project results framework for use in review Q3 2019 Completed by milestone. Progress reports, project outputs and other forms of documentation were provided to the review team. ME 6.3 Annual reporting to ACIAR and DFAT to fulfil AQC reporting obligations (annual) Q2 2018; Q2 2019; Q2 2020 Annual report to be submitted in May 2020. Ad hoc reports prepared to assist in DFAT and ACIAR COVID- 19 response reporting. ME 6.4 Develop a project M&E Plan to guide the measurement of results Q3 2018 The Pathways Results Framework was refined in October 2019 following the mid-term review recommendation to more clearly define the end-of-project outcomes. Progress towards these outcomes is being tracked and reported in the Outcomes Report Card (see Appendix 2). Annual report: Pathways (short title) Page 38 2.2 Summary of achievements to date (for ACIAR website) The project is on track to achieve or exceed its output and outcome targets, following an overall favourable assessment during the mid-term review. With the advent of the COVID- 19 pandemic, fish and fishing will become more important than ever to the food and nutrition security of people in the Pacific region. The project is uniquely placed to make major contributions to national and regional responses to COVID-19. Remaining activities have been reprioritised and the project will support CBFM-related requests from national partner agencies. The project has engaged directly with 134 communities across Kiribati (60), Solomon Islands (41) and Vanuatu (33) through intensive and 'lite-touch' approaches and 27 new management plans have been developed. The project has increased investment in national fisheries agencies, including new national staff and operating budgets, as well as training and support in the development of national coastal fisheries strategies (in Kiribati and Vanuatu, the first of their kind in both countries), coastal fisheries regulations (in Kiribati) and Standard Operating Procedures to support national programs of CBFM. Innovative dissemination methods to scale CBFM – e.g. touring a theatre play in collaboration with the Vanuatu theatre company Wan SmolBag - are proving effective at engaging a broad range of local people and giving them a more inclusive voice in CBRM processes. The project has delivered a new tool in participatory livelihood diagnosis that has been taken up and referenced in forthcoming national agency procedures. A Pacific 'community of practice' is building a regional peer-to-peer CBFM officer support network. An innovative fishery monitoring protocol is producing village-level baseline data that will inform assessment of the ecological benefits of CBFM. For project stories, please see stories of change in Appendix 2. Further information can be provided on request. 3 Impacts The project has developed an Outcomes Report Card to summarise progress towards end-of-project outcomes, attached at Appendix 2. The mid-term review recommended better articulating the outcomes expected to be achieved by the end of the project. The project implementation team formulated these during a workshop in October 2019. The resulting Outcomes Report Card – particularly the stories of change as short vignettes from the field - better tells the project’s performance story. To avoid duplication, project impacts are not detailed below. Refer instead to Appendix 2. End-of-project outcomes are mapped to the types of impacts below for ease of reference. 3.1 Scientific impacts Two scientific papers were submitted or published in the reporting period. It is too early to report scientific impacts from publications. 3.2 Capacity impacts See Outcome 1.d., 1.e., 2.c., 4.d., 5.c. Annual report: Pathways (short title) Page 39 3.3 Community impacts 3.3.1 Economic impacts See Outcome 2.b., 3.a, 3.b. 3.c. 3.3.2 Social impacts See Outcome 2.b., 4.a., 4.b., 4.c., 4.e., 5.a., 5.b. 3.3.3 Environmental impacts See Outcome 1.a., 1.b., 1.c., 2.a., 2.b. 3.4 Communication and dissemination activities A total of 26 media outputs, 17 translation outputs, and 6 information materials were produced in the reporting period. The Pathways team worked with the Vanuatu Fisheries Department and the British television network ITN Networks to film a segment for the IMarEST documentary titled: “Our Oceans, Our Future” (see here on YouTube). The documentary was premiered on 20th November at the Royal Institution, London, attended by 75 guests. The segment ran for 5 minutes and 26 seconds, and showcased the work of the Pathways team in Vanuatu (i.e. CBFM, capacity development, fisheries data collection and stakeholder engagement) through interviews with Pita Neihapi (VFD), William Naviti (VFD), Sompert Gereva (VFD), Lucy Joy (VFD) and Chief Robbie Peter (Chief of Takara village). The film overall has had over 47,500 views. The Pathways project segment had the highest retention rate of any segment, with 98% (YouTube) and 100% (IMarEST TV) of viewers watching the entire length of the feature. The documentary footage and a further 27.75GB (2 hours and 53 minutes) of unused high definition footage will be used in future media packages, presentations, and the ACIAR exposure blog post, which will be submitted at the conclusion of this project. In-country teams in Kiribati, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu continue to publish/broadcast project related news through newspaper articles, radio broadcast and online blogs (see publications list, Annex 1). These stories have been about the launch of the coastal fisheries roadmaps in Kiribati and Vanuatu, recent project activities, gender issues, fisheries management, and community engagement. See Section 2.1, output CM 7. for conference presentations and CM 6. for examples of booths at national sponsored events during the reporting period. The attached publications list includes all project media and communications outputs. 4 Training activities Training activities during the reporting period include: • Second FishSMARD meeting hosted by VFD in Port Vila, May 2019. Attended by 15 participants, from Solomon Islands MFMR, Kiribati MFMRD, and VFD including Port Vila and provincial staff. Workshop included training in proposal writing and writing articles. • Research methods training at ANCORS in June 2019. 10 project staff (5F/5M) attended. Training included social science research methods, survey development, project fishery monitoring data collection protocols, writing performance stories Annual report: Pathways (short title) Page 40 with Terry Opa (SPC MEL Advisor). • Gender training for Solomon Island and Vanuatu fisheries practitioners (8 October 2019 in SLB; 25-26 February 2020 in VUT) (article in the SPC Women in Fisheries Information Bulletin pending). • Nutrition training completed for 18 participants from VFD, Agriculture, Health, Wan SmolBag, and JICA in Q2 2019 on nutrition approaches, how to collect nutrition information, and use of behavioural change communication materials (The First 1000 days and Benefits of fish posters, and the nutrition DVD). • In June 2019, the VFD Pathways team in collaboration with the Department of Cooperatives delivered an 8-day training program to 11 fish market managers from seven communities in accounting and management for the cooperative fish market in Sara, Vanuatu. The training was the first time this module had been taught and the lessons learnt from this workshop will improve the course material. The Pathways project officer provided practical examples from fisheries to enhance the theoretical material from Department of Cooperatives. Solar freezer monitoring logbooks (to track ingoing and outgoing fish) and fish handling guidelines were also distributed and discussed. • During the same trip, good governance training was delivered to 19 participants from the Sara Women’s Cooperative (see VUT-20190705-WR-Sara Good Governance). The training was to help members understand the cooperative system, different governance levels within the cooperative, and responsibilities of each member. • Four guest lectures delivered in 2019 by WorldFish staff to SINU Fisheries Department students, including Fish-based Livelihoods (Hampus Eriksson), CPUE and data collection methods (Janet Oeta), Nutrition (Jillian Wate), and Seagrass and mangroves (Ronnie Posala). • QGIS refresher training for VFD project staff, run by VFD Principal Risk Analyst Officer. This training helps project staff map community management areas and take GPS locations. • Senoveva Mauli (Pathways PhD student) undertook Nvivo training in Wollongong, September 2019. • MFMRD Fisheries Assistant trainees joined the CBFM team during ~70% of all community engagement activities to gain hand-on experience and practical skills. Figure 9. Research methods training, June 2019 Annual report: Pathways (short title) Page 41 • MFMRD Fisheries Assistant trainees received training on the catch monitoring protocol and joined the team in all of the five catch monitoring sites. A team of Fisheries Assistant trainees exclusively ran the activity in 1 of the 5 sites with remote assistance from the data coordinator at MFMRD. • Two staff each from KIR and VUT attended a workshop at ANCORS in February 2020 on fishery monitoring data analysis. The week culminated in the teams co- developing an outline for reporting back to communities in a relevant and digestible form and to national fisheries agencies based on their deep knowledge of the local context and what information would be requested by and important to these beneficiaries. Beia Nikari went on to present Round 1 data to two villages in Butaritari, Kiribati in March 2020. He reported that villagers welcomed the results. With the help of graphs and tables in the presentation, the findings were well understood. Village elders were surprised that some fishers interviewed didn’t know about the management plan in their village. This sparked discussion on what could be done differently to make sure everyone is aware of the plan. The villagers were pleased to see that none of the gear banned by the plan (e.g. small mesh gillnets) were recorded during the monitoring period and fish species and size complied with the management plan regulations. • 5 Pathways staff (1 KIR, 2 SLB, 2 VUT; 4 F / 1M) started the Master of Fisheries Policy at ANCORS in February 2020, sponsored by the project and ANCORS. They will be undertaking their studies part-time by distance mode. 5 Intellectual property There have been no significant IP issues during the reporting period. MoU/MoAs have formalised management of IP in compliance with ACIAR guidelines. 6 Variations to future activities Pathways is uniquely placed to make major contributions to national and regional responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. In Vanuatu and Solomon Islands COVID-19 responses are compounded by TC Harold which has caused considerable damage in Gaudalcanal, Luganville and Malekula (and likely Ambrym). Over recent months the project teams have worked closely with DFAT and ACIAR to review work plans over the next 12 months to best support Pacific people utilise their coastal resources where food insecurity is likely to occur. Project staff in all three partner countries - Kiribati, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu - have been part of contingency planning as national agencies rework their 2020 work plans. Continuing work to strengthen CBFM at the community, subnational and national levels builds resilience against food security shocks posed by COVID-19. Remaining activities to project end have been reprioritised. A flexible response fund of $180,000 to be split across the three countries will support anticipated CBFM-related requests from national partner agencies in their response to COVID-19 and TC Harold. Adjustments to refocus on COVID-19 include: phone surveys with key informants in project sites to determine local effects on rural communities; producing new awareness materials, policy briefs; providing technical advice to CBFM communities on management measures to alleviate food shortages; and monitoring fish stock status. Annual report: Pathways (short title) Page 42 Travel and work in communities was deferred from 23rd March but domestic travel, and field-based project activities, within the three countries will likely recommence in coming weeks. Letter of Variation 2 was processed in December 2019 following the mid-term review, to: - Increase investment in monitoring and evaluation within the project - Re-work the Activity tables to remove outcomes to the revised Results Framework - Narrow the breadth of work in some objectives (e.g. livelihoods in Kiribati) to strengthen development outcomes. Letter of Variation 3 is in process to redistribute funds to VFD for M&E (specifically, for the scaling survey in 2020), for the VFD purchase, installation and training for 10 solar freezers, and to reprioritise activities and budgets in response to COVID-19. 7 Variations to personnel Anouk Ride joined the project as a WorldFish scientist in the Solomon Islands. Danika Kleiber left the project in March 2020. Leadership of the gender objective passes to Anouk. Patrick Smallhorne-West has replaced Danika as the JCU post-doc for a one-year appointment and will focus on analysing fishery monitoring data from Solomon Islands. Beia Nikari joined the Kiribati MFMRD CBFM unit initially funded by the Coastal Fisheries Division recurrent budget, then transitioned to become the 5th project officer. His role is primarily focused on fishery monitoring implementation, data processing and analysis. Ada Sokach left the project in Feb 2020 to take up a promotion as Senior Biologist, Finfish at VFD. Her position was filled by Ms Vasemaca Malverus and a 5th project officer, Ms Regina Ephraim, was recruited to join the VFD team to primarily oversee M&E and data management. 8 Problems and opportunities COVID-19 related social distancing and travel restrictions pose problems for field implementation, and will continue to do so if domestic travel restrictions within the three focal countries continue much past June 2020. We are taking a conservative approach to social distancing, and are ultimately guided by national governments. The situation continues to evolve and we will adaptively manage activities in the remaining 18 months of the project. To this end, we have requested a no-cost extension to 31 December 2021 to (i) allow fishery monitoring to be completed - we need a time series to see what’s happened and we won’t do Round 2 in Q2 2020, and (ii) provide a contingency in case CBFM Phase 3 is delayed – this extension would allow us to retain national staff and reduce disruption to in-country activities in the next phase. There are potential issues with foreign exchange losses. The Australian dollar has dropped from around 0.74 USD to the AUD in 2016 when the project was originally budgeted to ~0.65 currently. This impacts WorldFish, VFD, and SPC budgets. FX losses are currently being managed within contingencies but may require additional funds from the Commissioned Agency to these partners before project end. As part of the COVID-19 reprioritisation funds allocated to aquaculture and agreed activities have largely not been progressed as planned. Moving forward, the VFD aquaculture budget has been reassigned to COVID-19 and TC Harold VFD post-disaster response activities, which could include aquaculture (e.g. fingerling supply). Aquaculture activities will be more integrated into VFD Pathways project management and reporting. Annual report: Pathways (short title) Page 43 9 Budget Budget has been reallocated in Variations 2 & 3 as outlined above in Section 6 – the nett effect of these changes is to decrease funds at SPC and increase the funds spent in the partner countries. The addition of a fifth CBFM project officer at VFD has moved budget from the Commissioned Agency to Vanuatu. MFMRD Kiribati currently has sufficient funds to cover their fifth project officer. These reallocations have been cost neutral to ACIAR. The reprioritisation of activities due to COVID-19 includes establishment of a flexible response fund of $180,000 to be split across the three countries. This will be made up of a mix of funds disbursed directly from the UOW budget to project partners and from reallocated in-country budgets (e.g. following savings on travel budgets). The project’s financial acquittal will be sent separately. 10 Appendices Appendix 1: Annual Project Report Publications list Appendix 2: Project Outcomes Report Card